What are the Challenges Facing Women in Business?

In preparing a webinar for female leaders in aviation, I came across some shocking statistics.  Did you know that women make up only 5% of airline captains and 5.1% of all pilots, 4% of mechanics, 3% of CEOs, COOs, and other key leadership positions, 16% of airport managers and air traffic control, 40% of TSA screeners, 79% of flight attendants and 86% of travel agents?

The Gender Imbalance in Leadership Roles

In looking at this it is evident that the higher paid, higher profile roles are dominated by the opposite sex. Across industry as a whole, approximately 25% of C-suite roles are held by women in business, according to a Korn Ferry analysis of the nation’s 1,000 largest corporations across eight industries.   The term “C-suite” refers to a company’s top management positions, where the “C” stands for “chief.” It is widely used to describe the upper echelons of a corporation’s senior executives, such as the CEO, CFO, CIO, and other chief officers. These high-ranking executives are responsible for running the organization, setting its strategy, making high-stakes decisions, and ensuring that day-to-day operations align with the company’s objectives.

Empowering Women in Business: Pioneering Success in Leadership Roles

Ruth Bader Ginsberg on Women in Leadership

Ruth Bader Ginsberg, the American lawyer and jurist who served as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1993 until her death in 2020 is quoted as saying that “Women belong in all places where decisions are being made. It shouldn’t be that women are the exception”. 

The Gender Pay Gap

Part of the issue is also the gender pay gap which in 2020 was at 14.4% in Ireland, and has decreased to 9.6% as of last year. This drop has been attributed to the pandemic. According to an article in the Irish Times, it triggered greater female participation in the Irish labour market and greater participation in better paying sectors such as finance and information technology. However, it still stands that women are underrepresented in positions of power for example with an average of only 25% of our political representatives being female. The government has taken positive steps to address gender inequality, such as introducing legislation requiring companies with over 250 employees to report on their gender pay gap and implementing a legislative female election candidate quota of 30%. But is this enough? 

The Need for Female Role Models

In my experience of being a full-time working single parent, who eventually started my own business, I know that it is harder do such things in the absence of female role models. We need to have the reassurance of firstly seeing women who have gone before us, paving the way for success.

The Impact of Local Female Leaders

In my youth, growing up in Shannon town, I was aware of three powerful female leaders in the political field. I remember them because they called to the door at home and seemed passionate about things I did not yet understand. They lived nearby and they were a visible, palpable part of our community. I instinctively knew that there was something different about these women. They seemed to have a purpose and what they were doing seemed important. Mainly they stood out because there were no other women like them that I knew of, doing what they did. Namely these were Patricia McCarthy, Geraldine Lambert and Bridget Makowski. Knowing what I know now about gender imbalance, particularly in politics, it is almost incomprehensible to understand how they did what they did. They each forged a successful career in politics, affecting positive change for the people of Shannon over a sustained period of time.  

The Influence of Early Role Models

Looking back, I am grateful to women like these for the subliminal messages they left in the minds young, impressionable girls like me. They were indeed trailblazers, paving the way for women to believe that it is possible to have an influence on matters of importance to us and our communities.

The Value Women Bring to Decision-Making

My partner recently accompanied me to an aviation networking event where he chatted to a male attendee, about the role that women play in the industry. This man discussed how, from his professional experience that when women are in the room where decisions are made, decisions are made differently.  He couldn’t say exactly how, why or what happens specifically, but he could acknowledge that it was a difference for the better.

Next week, I will explore in further detail what women bring to the leadership table, and why this is important for all of us to appreciate. For more information or to discuss how to overcome challenges as a women in business, contact me directly at denise@obrienlearningsolutions.ie or book a clarity call.