Free Essay: Why Are Women Underrepresented in Senior Management?

Progressive development and restructuring in the business sector have seen an increase in the number of professionally qualified women. There are as many qualified women capable to take up leadership positions as there are men. However, leadership and senior management in most organizations are male dominated. It, therefore, becomes necessary to explore the underlying factors behind womens success in leadership. In so doing, the research question makes it possible to uncover the factors behind women in leadership and the low representation of women in leadership positions.

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Introduction

As a human rights lawyer, Amal Clooney is by all account not the only lady to experience prejudice on account of male partners (Lambert, 2015). As a female human rights lawyer, Amal has faced an array of difficulties in her career. Additionally, the Middle East has been crowded by sexism. Amals example depicts that when it comes to the desired equality at the workplace, it is hard to get away from the puzzling fact that goalposts keep on shifting. However, Amal Clooney remarkably rose to the occasion when she addressed an International Government Communications Forum in the Middle East (Edwards, 2016). As a headline speaker at the forum, Amal urged the leaders in the Middle East to shun from imprisoning protestors. The prevailing human rights catastrophe in the Middle East called for dialogue and not jail terms or imprisonments of the protestors. Successful governments should also protect human rights, be transparent, and adopt a consistent human rights communication framework.

Amal Clooneys success story and the impact of her speech at the forum presents evidence that the status of women in leadership has improved. More women are attaining a position of power, voicing their viewpoints and perspectives on global platforms, and hence narrowing the gap between men and women in leadership (Carli, 2010). Whereas the improvement is undeniable, the rate at which the progress is being effected is slow. Women representation in the workplace was reported to increase by 11 percent from the 1970s to 2009 (Caliper, 2014).

Subsequently, Amal Clooneys backdrop reflects the framing model. She illustrates admirable positive framing leadership techniques as a woman through her devotion to human rights in a region that is characterized by sexism. In so doing, Clooney suggests effective methods of combating the human rights chaos. Thus, Positive framing plays a major role in the presentation and implementation of such sensitive and important real life events (Conrad, Metros, & Shambaugh, 2013).

The Leadership Topic

Women in leadership

Despite the fact that an increased number of women continue to take up leadership positions, the business sector is till male-oriented. Success stories and impacts of women leaders have therefore changed the underlying question of whether the women can lead. Exploring success stories of the women in leadership and their impacts, such as Amal Clooneys, it becomes easier to understand the effectiveness of women in leadership. According to an American report, most Americans are as competent as their male counterparts (PewResearchCenter, 2015). So why are women underrepresented in senior management? The research leadership topic, thus, endeavors to answer this question.

Successively, a new leadership framework can uplift women to take up more senior management positions (Barsh, Cranston, & Craske, 2008). Such a leadership approach must include a centered leadership framework. In light of the fact that both men and women start their careers with the same level of knowledge, skills, and training, the positions at the top should also be equally distributed. The gap between men and women in senior management matters not just because the natural unattainable ceiling is uncalled for, but because the world has a pressing requirement for more leaders (Barsh, Cranston, & Craske, 2008). All employees with the relevant skills and passion to lead ought to be urged to satisfy their potential and leave their impact on the corporate world. They should also be presented with equal platforms and playing grounds.

Centered Leadership Model (Barsh, Cranston, & Craske, 2008)Positive Framing

Managing Energy

Meaning

Personal and Professional Context

Connecting

Engaging

The centered leadership model includes a blend of physical and theoretical qualities that drive individual accomplishment and, thus, moves others to take after (Barsh, Cranston, & Craske, 2008). Women can, therefore, strengthen their skills and adopt a self-confident approach that prepares them to take up leadership roles.

Findings, Discussion, and Conclusion

Women may be as qualified as their male counterparts, but there are a few characteristics that set them apart. For instance, women are subjected to emotional and biological limitations such as pregnancy, motherhood, and emotional factors. More often than not, these factors discourage their aspirations or slow down their growth to senior management positions hence the management gaps. Successful women leaders may be forced to choose between their careers and families. However, according to Klenke (2011), women can take up similar duties as men. The fact that it is not possible to draw boundaries between men and women on skills, intelligence, and innovation, is evidence enough that the gap in senior management should not exist. In synopsis, the backdrop illustrates that the gap in leadership can be attributed to the societal perception and not womens competence or readiness to take up leadership positions.

References

Barsh, J., Cranston, S., & Craske, R. A. (2008, September). Centered leadership: How talented women thrive. Retrieved from McKinsey Quarterly: http://www.mckinsey.com/global-themes/leadership/centered-leadership-how-talented-women-thrive

Caliper. (2014). Women Leaders Research Paper. Princeton: Caliper Research & Development Department.

Carli, L. (2010). Unlocking the full potential of women in the U.S. economy. McKinsey & Company.

Conrad, K. A., Metros, A., & Shambaugh, B. (2013). Five Dimensions of Centered Leadership . Journal of Leadership, Accountability and Ethics , 109-119.

Edwards, P. J. (2016, March 20). Glamorous Amal Clooney confronts Middle East leaders at summit urging them to stop jailing and shooting protesters to end 'an unprecedented human rights crisis'. Retrieved from MailOnline: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3501343/Glamorous-Amal-Clooney-confronts-Middle-East-leaders-summit-urging-stop-jailing-shooting-protesters-end-unprecedented-human-rights-crisis.html

Klenke, K. (2011). Women in Leadership: Contextual Dynamics and Boundaries. . Bingley: Emerald Group Publishing.

Lambert, V. (2015, September 15). Why are women still not being taken seriously at work? Retrieved from The Telegraph: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/womens-life/11874380/Why-are-women-still-not-being-taken-seriously-at-work.html

PewResearchCenter. (2015, January 14). Women and Leadership. Retrieved from PewResearchCenter: http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2015/01/14/women-and-leadership/