Orient - The Official Magazine of the British Chamber of Commerce Singapore - Issue 66 May 2018 - Page 45
(contd.) THE REAL TRUTH ABOUT GENDER DIVERSITY: WHY NOW IS THE TIME TO INVEST IN FUTURE FEMALE LEADERS By Dr Zsuzsanna Tungli, Managing Partner, Developing Global Leaders Asia
Of particular interest is the recent research that sheds light on the different experiences of men and women in terms of their career growth. Bain & Co describes it as a female "crisis of confidence". Both genders enter the workforce equally confident of reaching the senior executive level. After only two years, this confidence remains stable for men but diminishes for women. The result? The organisation suffers from a leaky pipeline of female talent. In order to create a strong female pipeline, we need a targeted leadership program for female talent. True, all-women environments are not representative of the real world. But women-only programs specifically address the unique challenges women face. What's more, they pave the way for female advancement by providing female role models and a safe environment for women to share and support each other. McKinsey & Co. research shows that 86% of women report that the more women in leadership they see, the more encouraged they are to strive for higher positions. 82% believe that networking with female leaders will help them advance. We fervently support the creation of gender neutral organisational cultures where both men and women have equal opportunity for career advancement. The inclusion of both sexes in our Women in Leadership programs is an essential component of the learning journey.
Zsuzsanna Tungli, Ph.D., is the Founder and Managing Partner of Developing Global Leaders Asia, a consulting company focusing on responsible global leadership, gender equality and cultural awareness for business. With 25 years of experience, Dr. Tungli recently published the book 'The Culture Key between Asia and the West', a highly insightful workbook for anyone who wants to bridge cultural differences in the workplace. Please contact the team at www.culturaltrainingasia.com to request a copy.
Developing Global Leaders Asia (DGL), through its training arm Cultural Training Asia, offers programs and solutions that integrate the core aspects of leadership with the global aspects. DGL believes that future competitive advantage comes from global-mindedness, social responsibility, cultural competence and cross-border communication. In response to today's complex global economy, DGL have developed innovative programs to help organisations remain competitive by developing executives that can think and work in highly different ways. Visit www.culturaltrainingasia.com for more information.