ThePeopleAlchemist Edit: Smashing the Glass Cultural Ceiling

The Gender Equality Index 2017, published by EIGE (the European Institute for Gender Equality), showed that gender equality had improved little across Europe as a whole between 2005 and 2015. The glass ceiling still exists, with only France, Italy and Sweden having at least 30% women on the boards of large organisations. But is race and gender a double killer when it comes to smashing the glass ceiling?

Cracking the Glass-Cultural Ceiling - Future-Proofing Your Business in the 21st Century shows that the glass ceiling is even tougher to crack if you happen to be from culturally diverse background/s. The research carried out comprises a review of international and national research. Together with an online survey of 366 female leaders and aspiring leaders from a diversity of backgrounds. Plus four Think Tanks with 54 culturally diverse female leaders and emerging leaders. And 15 individual interviews with culturally diverse women in high-profile, very senior roles. Of the 366 female leaders and aspiring leaders surveyed, 70 per cent of culturally diverse women strongly agreed that they planned to advance to a very senior leadership role. Compared to 52 per cent of their Anglo-Celtic counterparts. About half the culturally diverse women surveyed had asked for a promotion (53 per cent) or pay rise (42 per cent). Culturally diverse women still only make up just 2.5 per cent of the 7,491 directors of ASX-listed companies in 2015. And culturally diverse women in ASX-listed companies only make up:

1. 15 out of 1,482 CEOs
2. 44 out of 2,327 senior executives
3. 188 out of 7,491 directors
4. 55 out of 1,350 CFOs.

But is this only pertinent to Australia?

RACE AND GENDER A DOUBLE KILLER

Unfortunately, US and UK data show similar underrepresentation (Delivering through Diversity by McKinsey&Company - January 2018). Incredible if only one considers that gender diversity is correlated with both profitability and value creation. Firstly companies in the top quartile for gender diversity on executive teams are 21% more likely to outperform their national industry median on EBIT margin. And secondly 27% on EP margin. Finally, organisations with the most ethnically/culturally diverse Boards worldwide are 43% more likely to experience higher profits.

Gender policies and Ethnic Diversity policies have both been around for a considerable amount of time. But the two have not really been looked at holistically. More integration is needed to ensure that equal opportunities mean just that. Equal - irrespective of 'whatever'..... No race and gender double killer.

 

Personally, I'm passionate about inspiring/empowering/helping women make the most of their circumstances with the tools they have available and grabbing the opportunities that life presents - without using excuses of why they can't and providing real-life role models is critical.

Role models can shape you, motivate you, inspire you, push you and show you what is possible. It is all about taking ownership of your own life. Not accepting no for an answer. And not letting societal, religious and/or family paradigms determine who you can be. It is all about mindset. "Believe in yourself, You Can",

#SMASHYOURCEILING #hustle "STOP IT! It's all in your head" is available on Amazon both in paperback and kindle and, of course, you can buy it from moi.