bstacles to Women in Business Leadership
The Old-Boy Network
Probably the most significant obstacle to women in business leadership is the “old-boy network”, shutting women out of top management. This old-boy network consists of males who have been educated at the same educational institutions or universities or have climbed the business ladder together. The “old boys” tend to promote those who are like themselves in this respect. Traditional gender roles are also barriers to women climbing up the business ladder. Ultimately, women fail to get to the top because of this systematic discrimination. against them
Sex Discrimination
Sex discrimination is a serious obstacle facing women in leadership. Women are presented as not aggressive enough, lacking the self-confidence required for the job, and not being serious enough about their careers to climb the corporate ladder. But prejudices and gender stereotypes persist because they allow males to protect their privileged status and keep women in their place. Despite overwhelming evidence that these stereotypes are wrong, they persist.
Lack of Mentors
Another barrier to women in leadership is the lack of senior or visibly successful female role-models and mentors. Mentoring generally involves a person in a leadership position providing guidance and assistance to an individual in a more junior position. Given the old-boy network that has been central to men's mentoring and advancement, women traditionally have had fewer mentoring opportunities open to them than their male colleagues.
Initiatives that must be put in place to rectify these attitudes toward women include training in:
gender awareness diversity, and combating sexual harassment.
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