Women Leadership Seminar, JHB Theatre 13/09/2013 Dr Nozi Mjoli

Transcription

1 Women Leadership Seminar, JHB Theatre 13/09/2013 Dr Nozi Mjoli

2 Do we have a common understanding of the meaning of gender mainstreaming? Commitment of the SA government to gender equality Business case for gender diverse leadership Creating a gender sensitive workplace Conclusion

3 Gender = women Gender equality = treat women the same as men Gender mainstreaming women s problem, appoint women to fix their problem Gender quotas appointing women with no qualifications to leadership positions

4 Gender diversity fosters creativity and innovation because of diverse perspectives, experiences and backgrounds that women and men bring to the decision-making processes.

5 Signatory of the MDGs Signatory of the SADC Protocol on Gender & development (target for 50:50 gender representation in decision-making structures in public and private sector by 2015) SA Constitution guarantees gender equality Employment Equity Act National Gender institutions are in place (CGE & Ministry of Women etc)

6 EEC Annual Report % of economically active people are men 45.2% of EAP are women Between 2002 and 2012, male representation in top management decreased from 86.2% to 80.1% During the same period female representation in top management increased from 13.7% to 19.8% (6.1% increase)

7 % of men in senior management decreased from 78.5% to 69.2% between 2002 and 2012 % of women in senior mgmt increased from 21.6% to 30.7% between 2002 and /12 Budgets allocated to Gender Equality institutions DWCPD budget allocation = R million CGE budget = R55.15 million

8 What is working? Contributed to the increase in the participation of women in political leadership positions at all levels of government in SA - 38% in 2011 LG election Created opportunities for women to be appointed to top leadership positions in government and SOEs in SA

9 Too much focus on legal compliance without acknowledging female leadership qualities Tokenism - women are appointed to meet the quotas without addressing structural barriers Lack of capacity building programmes for preparing women for the new roles limit the positive impacts of including women in decision-making positions Women are expected to adapt to a workplace culture defined by men to meet the needs of men

10 Focus on fixing women so that they can lead like men Gender mainstreaming programmes not treated as a strategic priority but lumped with other programmes such as youth, people with disabilities, HIV/AIDS etc No initiatives implemented to change the attitudes of men towards gender mainstreaming

11 Drivers of change Globalization Advances in information and communications technology Knowledge economy

12 Traditional top down leadership style or Command & Control -redundant Organizational charts of the 20 th century that are characterised by linear and organized silos are not suitable for employees who work best when they can network and collaborate The 21st century business environment is characterized by rapid change and high levels of uncertainty that require quick decision-making The internet connectivity has increased the competition for talent

13 Leaders must be life-long learners Leaders must be service oriented Leaders must be authentic and have integrity Strategic thinkers with ability to adapt and innovate Inclusiveness engaging employees in decision-making to draw from diverse perspectives Transformational leaders that inspire all employees to give their best

14 Women are the majority of the population in SA Women represent 50% of the talent pool More women are becoming better educated than men in 2010, women accounted for 60.7% of new university graduates (93 224) Women are the source of fresh innovative ideas Women dominate the market in every sector Women make the majority of purchasing decisions because of their growing economic power

15 Robust work ethic they consistently work hard and give more than 100% Results orientation they focus on adding value and improving the bottom line for their organizations Persistence in getting feedback they have a mindset of accepting criticism that helps them to grow Team leadership they inspire and motivate their teams to give their best to the organization

16 Men are usually motivated by power and desire to control resources (human& financial) Women are motivated by the following: Desire to make a difference Women are attracted to companies that contribute to greater good for society Desire to be recognized for their contribution

17 Increase in innovation multiplicity of ideas and diverse perspectives lead to better outcomes Increased productivity inspirational & persuasive leadership and higher social sensitivity Increased employee satisfaction creation of a people-friendly working environment Improved competitiveness better insight on the needs of the female and male market Improved bottom line better services to the different target markets

18 Indicator Company A Company B Male Female Male Female Board gender diversity Executive mgmt diversity Profit/ (loss) (R2 billion) R2.05 billion

19 Change mindset of men and women Top leadership must champion gender diversity Eliminate all gender biases in HR policies Offer mentoring and coaching for high potential female talent Eliminate disparity in remuneration for men and women in same positions with similar qualifications and experience

20 Fortune magazine s 100 best companies to work for are people friendly and gender sensitive (Google was ranked no.1 in 2012). The following factors appeal to women and men: Learning organisation encourages employees to work on projects that have global impact Creates a sense of belonging for all employees Supports work/life balance for all employees

21 Trust promote innovation through encouraging employees to take risks Treat employees as assets they nurture their employees because they believe that happy employees are more productive Support personal development for the employees by creating a win-win situation for the employer and employee

22 The changes in the workplace of the 21 st century are providing women and men with the opportunity to write new workplace rules that are based on values and interests of women and men. The unique feminine leadership qualities that women bring to the workplace must be recognized and acknowledged by male and female employees.

23 LET US BECOME ADVOCATES FOR GENDER DIVERSE LEADERSHIP FOR A BETTER WORLD THAT WORKS FOR WOMEN AND MEN!!!