Guest Editorial by

Ms. Hiroko Tatebe
Founder & Executive Director
Global Organization for Leadership and Diversity (GOLD)


Caliper, a management consulting firm, found that women executives have several positive attributes that could help them perform more effectively in leadership roles than men. According to this study, women were more persuasive and persistent, ignored rules and took greater risks. They had a more inclusive team-building and decision-making leadership style.

The Catalyst study shows that Fortune 500 companies with the highest percentages of women corporate officers experienced, on average, a 35.1 percent higher return on equity (ROE) and 34.0 percent higher total return to share holders (TRS).

Yet, comparatively few women reach top executive positions.

In reality, despite women comprising more than half the workforce, they only make up 3 percent of chief executive officers and 13.5 percent all executive-officer positions among Fortune 500 companies (Catalyst 2009).

Under the challenging current global economic conditions, it’s critical for Human Resource managers to address how we can narrow this gap, not only because it’s unfair, but also because companies have increasingly urgent need for competent leaders.

What does it take to change this picture? What should Human Resource managers do?

First and foremost, you must get buy-in from top management and persuade them to commit to change leadership behaviors through a transformation program.

McKinsey & Company’s study, “Women Matter 2” identified three initiatives for implementing an effective gender diversity program:

1. Implementing gender diversity indicators

Corporations should first seek to establish a diagnosis of the situation and identify gaps and bottlenecks. Indicators may include the proportion of women in the company’s various business units, at each level of management and among recruits. They may also include pay levels and gaps, as well as attrition rates, between men and women in similar functions. The ratio of “women promoted” to “women eligible for promotion” is also a key indicator in building awareness of existing gaps.

2. Redefining human resource management processes and policies

Corporations need to ensure that their recruitment, appraisal and career management systems are gender-neutral and performance-focused, and that they do not hold women back in their professional development. Human resource functions also have an essential role to play in ensuring that there is at least one female candidate on every promotion and recruitment shortlist for senior positions. A flexibility program should not be a women-only policy, but should be an integral part of the company’s overall talent development model.

3. Helping women to master the dominant codes and nurture their ambition

Coaching and mentoring programs can be highly effective in raising women’s awareness of self-imposed limitations and enable them to manage their careers in a male-centric environment. Women also need to be made more aware of the crucial importance of networking.


These initiatives may seem obvious. Yet many of us face huge challenges implementing a successful program. Because workplace demographics are unpredictable, and we are facing economic uncertainty, we are entering an era where the best talent will consider alternatives. This is why we can no longer wait, but must take action to increase gender diversity for business survival.--HT