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There is a sisterhood among women leaders of all tiers. What’s important is when you are in those rooms, you are not alone. We are all in that room with you, applauding you on. Cheering your voice. And just so proud of you. So you use that voice and be strong.
~ Kamala Harris
Science has long sought to find the differences that underlined this assumption. Slowly, numerous studies have now debunked many of these proposed differences, and yet our world remains stubbornly gendered.
Our brains seem to skip over what we call stereotype inconsistent information. Are we unconsciously guilty of this?
Oliver Wyman researchers spoke with more than 160 senior female leaders in business and surveyed more than 300 male and female executives on the gender leadership gap.
Four barriers, hidden from the public eye, were discovered. Each directly affecting a company’s ability to win through talent and build a sustainable culture for all.
1. Leadership is the same game with different rules
2. Results do not speak for themselves
3. Qualified women are unintentionally left on the sidelines
4. Implicit biases and microaggressions are exhausting
Read this report which sheds light on the real issues women face in the working world. It also helps any leaders who are keen to embrace gender equality and leverage on the strengths of female workers in any organisation.
https://www.oliverwyman.com/content/dam/oliver-wyman/v2/publications/2021/jan/Oliver-Wyman-Women-in-Leadership-Making-the-Invisible-Visible.pdf
Singapore has consistently worked to provide the best possible opportunities for women so that they in turn could help the nation achieve progress.
Communications and Technology Minister Josephine Teo stressed that businesses are hungry for talent—in particular, tech talent.
She believes that women must be included to give enterprises access to the widest talent pool possible.
This is in line with the direction that America has taken in leadership, particularly one that is led by women - one of the memorable events being the appointment of Kamala Harris’ as the first black woman to hold the second-highest office in one of the most powerful countries globally.
Did you know?
In 1961, young girls and women in Singapore received the promise of change when the country passed the Women’s Charter legislative act.
The Women’s Charter establishes the regulation of family relationships. The act also keeps the door open for Singaporean women to make decisions in their lives, such as who they marry and divorce. It also protects against family violence and holds criminals accountable for offences toward women of all ages.
It's hard to change something; it is human nature to cling to the old ways and refuse to change. But nothing will ever change if we just keep waiting.
Barrack Obama, during his presidential career, took matters into his own hands and brought various changes, including an overhaul in the U.S. healthcare system with ACA (Obamacare). He didn't falter even when the changes he brought were criticized heavily. He believed the changes he brought were for the better.
Capitalism doesn't only mean more power to wealthy people. Yet in reality, that is what happens. The world could be a better place when we've found a way to make capitalism not only serve the wealthy but also the poor.
To make change for a better future, we need people that are truly willing to work to paint the future, instead of just pleasing superiors. Work with the heart and know that every disagreement, clash of opinions, or having the courage to vocalise your own ideas may not make you appear like a challenge to the leader. A thinking individual can bring great change to the team. Otherwise, we would just be trapped in a loop of superficial changes.
What makes some companies do so well with such high team morale when others don’t? It lies in communication. Hearing what is in the hearts of the employees makes them open to giving feedback and feeling valued. Who knows? The next best idea for a winning product may come from someone you least expect.
As children, I am sure we have all heard the phrase 'Honesty is the best policy'. This saying is no stranger to us and I believe that everyone has heard it before, be it from a teacher during Character Education classes, or when your parents are nurturing you to become an honest person and not one who lives on lies. We have all heard why it is important, to be honest, but how exactly does honesty link to leadership as a student? An honest leader will help form concrete trust between the team members and you, which is one of the most essential and key points to a successful team.
For example, in a school project, when the team is faced with having to make tough decisions, the team would fully trust the decisions that you have made and will be very unlikely to go against you, causing fewer disagreements. This is of grave importance, as it is during the tough times whereby it really tests the trust of the team members and whether the team can continue to stay intact, instead of going their own, separate ways.
Honesty can be compared to stacking Jenga pieces- when the leader is dishonest, it is as if one of the bottom-most blocks, which is the foundation of the team, is being pulled out. When the team starts to soar to greater heights, it will be inevitable that the team crumbles and falls.
The modern world we live in is fast-paced and ever changing. Before we know it, delivery drones would be the new normal. New inventions are always on the way, now more than ever. Every person is fair game when it comes to making the difference. So, if we don't seize the opportunity when presented, somebody else will.
"You never have to ask anyone permission to lead. When you want to lead, you lead." This is what Kamala Harris said at a rally in Iowa last year. To all women leaders out there, do not be afraid to chase your dreams.
Another holiday season is winding down and 2021 is in the rear-view mirror.
As we dismantle our Christmas trees and put away the decorations, let’s look to a better year in 2022. We wish you a happy year of new beginnings and dreams fulfilled.
"Maybe stories are data with soul." This line is written in large font on Texan writer, Brene Brown's website.
Brene spent years writing about how we can understand our vulnerabilities and cultivate empathy, courage, and compassion as people, team players, and leaders. As a leading researcher in her field, she is happy to rescue others with the theories that she unveils in her research - her life a purpose that fulfills her.
A leader is anyone who takes responsibility for finding the potential in people and processes and has the courage to develop that potential. Seems like a challenge? We recommend Brene Brown’s leadership podcasts as a leadership resource. Try evaluating yourself as a leader at https://daretolead.brenebrown.com/assessment/
LEADnovate #02 Edition is dedicated to women who push their ideas forward in the face of skepticism and obstacles. Because effectively, it's not about who you are, but what you commit your life to do, to make this world a better place. The truth can be simple.
Here is the scenario: You’ve been assigned a role to spearhead a marketing campaign for your company. Are you the one who sits and listens to other people's ideas or do you constantly voice your opinions without allowing breathing space for others?
When we were students, we were constantly advised to speak up in class. It was a skill that well-intended adults wanted us to develop, especially among Asians. English isn’t a native language. To speak up with confidence would mean that we have to assert ourselves eloquently.
But sometimes, playing the role of a listener may be a better approach in the beginning. Listening to others allow us to learn. Reflect. Plan. And we might come up with a better response.
So how does that apply to leaders? leaders who exhibit a preference for listening are rated as significantly more effective than those who spend the majority of their time talking at their employees.
Alicia Altorfer-Ong's inspiration for leadership came from her experience as a mother. Motherhood was illuminating, reminding her to cherish the perspectives of the people around her as much as her children have. With better glasses and lenses, she encourages new leaders not to be afraid to ask for help.
The truth is, we are all equipped with strengths, yet we have our weaknesses as well. It was an enlightening interview we had with Dr Altorfer-Ong, the Partnership Director of Ray of Hope, a crowdfunding charity organisation that helps people who have fallen through the cracks. She considers a leader as a conductor of an orchestra. Even as we lead, we have weaknesses. We have to build a team that complements our weaknesses to move towards our goals.
Here’s what you might have observed when you watch an orchestra perform: The conductor is seen stressing the musical pulse so that all the performers can follow the same metrical rhythm and achieve musical goals together.
Catch our interview with Dr Alicia Altorfer-Ong at LEADnovate.net in our new female leadership edition this December.
For 2 years now, Jacinda Ardern has helped New Zealand control the spread of COVID. Under her astute leadership, the country has a relatively lower contagion rate given its high population of 5 million. She was lauded for prioritising the needs of people over their wants.
But now, she has just sparked an angry backlash after a Christmas Facebook post backfired with furious Kiwis raging over her travel ban. While Kiwis were prevented from celebrating a second Christmas in their country this year, Ms Adern posted a pic of a knitted gingerbread house and told the story of how it came to be a Christmas tradition for her family over the past 30 years.
It is worthy to ponder if her firm leadership has inadvertently sacrificed the happiness from family reunions, or is a deliberate necessity.
Expectations are everywhere. Whether it is at home, school or work, we carry it with us everywhere we go. It is human nature to always expect more and achieve more. What we lack to see, is what we already have.
Featured in The Peak magazine recently, Tang Tee Khoon is not only a musician but a leader who recognises how to move younger talents in the right direction. She teaches new talents who work with her in promoting chamber music in Singapore.
It is not easy to move musicians in a single direction. They are vastly creative is their own ways and have personal standards to meet. When grooming young talents, Tee Khoon encourages them to recognise the things that they have already achieved instead of relentlessly demanding for more, in scattered directions. Staying focused to one's goals and dreams is always the beacon to steer towards.
English is one of my passions that stem from my reading habits when I was young. My mother constantly tells me how she would never have to force me into sitting down with a book for hours. For me, reading allows me to lose myself in another world and find out more about the things that I can’t experience in real life. Now that I am older, I no longer just see the lines on the book but yearn to learn more about the purpose behind each word.
“Reading is like breathing in, writing is like breathing out.” I am happy to be a LEADnovate writer.
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Yixuan graduated with 10 distinctions in the IGCSE programme, with English being her favourite subject.
Yi xuan is also a student leader and an active member of several advocacy campaigns. She is a valued addition to the writing team.
Deliberate calm is most often found in well-grounded leaders who possess humility but not helplessness. It’s not easy to deliver this earnest sharing. I admire Mr Chan for his leadership as a minister. More so, very swift response was given to provide the emotional support to so many students and teachers.
I run a private school. It’s not easy to run a school without being very attentive and alert to what’s happening daily on the ground. In times of a landscape crisis like the recent pandemic, or any emotional issues faced by our students, we leaders have to swing into a swift pace to support these children. We also have to be mindful of the emotions of the teachers because teachers are leaders of their own classes and their actions and reactions matter to young minds.
It may seem easy or a point of envy that someone is seen as a leaders. However successful, we need to remind ourselves that the responsibility is great. Our calm demeanour does not mean we take it easy. It means we have mastered the important skill of being level-headed when there are crises to handle, and largely because our people depend on us to make wise decisions in the face of challenges.
In a ministerial statement to Parliament on Tuesday (Jul 27), Education Minister Chan Chun Sing recounted the events of Jul 19, when a 13-year-old student wa...
What do you see in common in this picture?
As we embrace a new quarter of leadership tips and thoughts, we discuss what it takes to be fronting teams and scaling heights as a female.
To all women leaders out there, we bring to awareness your social, economic, cultural and political achievements this month.
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