Fierce Tip of the Week: 3 Ways to Clear Barriers to Development for Women Leaders

This week’s Fierce resource was originally published by The International Public Management Association for Human Resources and shares three ways to clear barriers to development for women leaders.

As women assume more leadership and management roles in today’s workforce it becomes increasingly obvious that they bring with them different experiences, perspectives, and competencies that their male coworkers have not historically provided. And while providing specific leadership programs for women to continue their professional growth meets diversity initiatives, it is also a smart business move. While many workplaces have begun women-specific professional development and leadership programs, many barriers still remain, especially in male-dominated industries.

According to Marcie Mueller, three ways to remove barriers and develop women leaders include:

1. Initiate Ways for Women to Gain Corporate Exposure. The old adage of “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know” can be applied to corporate development and professional advancement within an organization. Who knows you and can trust you can determine if you are considered and selected for new opportunities and promotion. By focusing development opportunities on how women can expand their network and gain visibility within their department and office can go a long way in helping this issue.

2. Encourage Women to Speak Up. This can be particularly difficult when there is a disproportionate amount of men to women in an office. Creating specific training programs for women that focus on building confidence and assertiveness allows women leaders to feel more comfortable sharing ideas and brainstorming within a male dominated team.

Read the entire article here.

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