Perception is a powerful thing. And, it is true that for many people, perception is reality. We form perceptions based on our first impressions, observations, past and current experiences, values and beliefs, and biases and stereotypes that we may hold. For women in particular, perception can negatively affect promotion and career advancement. 

Women are often held back in their career pursuits due to a number of different barriers. These barriers include lack of access to informal networks, lack of female role models, lack of male sponsors, gender bias and stereotypes, role congruity beliefs, societal expectations about breadwinner and caregiver roles, and even women holding themselves back. 

Today, women account for more than half of the U.S. workforce and outpace men in the number of bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees awarded. Despite these achievements, only 4 percent of CEOs at Fortune 500 companies are women. In fact, men outpace women in leadership roles across every sector in the world—corporate, not-for-profit, government, education, medicine, military, and religion. The role of women in today’s global organizations—and the development of tomorrow’s leaders—is arguably the most pressing talent development issue we face. 

So, why is it so important? There are a number of compelling reasons. From the data, it is clear that organizations are not tapping the talent of a majority of their employees. With so few women in leadership roles globally, only a small fraction of women are being developed for top spots compared with men. Companies are not upholding the promise of equal opportunity. If organizations did a better job of leveraging talent, they would have an increased pool of candidates for succession planning—without having to do additional outside recruiting. Moreover, having more diversity in leadership roles is more representative of the diverse global society we live in (and we’re becoming more diverse every day). Further, shareholders expect that a company will appropriately manage their talent. Finally, there is a strong research connection between diversity and organizational financial performance.  

Numerous studies point to the fact that companies with diverse and inclusive workforces: 

• Achieve stronger business results. 

• Retain and cultivate the best talent. 

• Increase employee satisfaction. 

• Strengthen customer orientation. 

• Improve problem solving and decision making. 

• Increase their competitive advantage and enhance their image. 

• Drive more innovation. 

Emotional intelligence (EQ) is another factor that affects perception. EQ assessments have found men and women to be strong in different areas considered gender-specific—and these differences can lead to bias toward both male and female leaders.  

Finally, men and women are raised in different cultures. It begins in childhood and carries into the workplace. Research shows clear differences in how men and women work within a structure, network, conduct meetings, interpret information, take risks, communicate, work in teams, and lead. These differences affect both perception and promotion, especially for women. 

Fortunately, there are many strategies to help organizations increase diversity and inclusion practices. And, there are many strategies to help both men and women improve EQ and overcome barriers. To explore these issues more fully, join me for the Career Week webcast titled The Power of Perception: Leadership, Emotional Intelligence, and Gender, on Tuesday, September 20, at 1 p.m. ET. During the webcast, we will examine the current leadership gender gap statistics, barriers to leadership, gender-specific EQ competencies, gender culture differences, recommendations for organizations to improve leadership diversity, and practical strategies for individuals to advance in their careers.