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Over the years, society has witnessed a significant shift in recognizing and appreciating the leadership qualities possessed by women. As traditional gender roles evolve, women are being recognized as outstanding leaders, excelling in various domains and industries.

So, why do I need to jump on my soapbox? Well, in my line of business, I have found men within organizations are still accelerating faster to leadership roles than women. And according to research conducted by organizations like Catalyst and McKinsey & Company, women continue to be underrepresented in senior leadership positions. Factors such as gender bias, societal expectations, and organizational barriers contribute to these disparities. Women may face obstacles related to advancement opportunities, unconscious bias, stereotypes, and lack of access to mentors.

The amazing thing is we have some organizations actually reach out to Theatre of Public Speaking because they notice this disparity and want to intentionally mentor and help bridge the gap. Which we LOVE!!!

What we found in our last three years of working with corporations is that males are more likely to speak up and not focus on the internal questioning of their ideas while some women hold back sharing because they want their idea to be perfectly thought out. The crazy thing is while some women are muting themselves, inevitably someone else in the room shares a similar idea and gets praised for it!

So how do we adjust this in our line of work as public speaker trainers?

Well, it’s a combination of a wide variety of strategies based on each human and their personal needs. It could be anything from a neuroscientific approach of building new cognitive or behavior patterns to leadership development methods to high stakes Q&A strategies. The key lies in identifying the underlying cause of their current hurdles and offering them the appropriate framework to unleash their empowered voice.

What’s incredible though is once we remove that hurdle, the transformation is palpable to everyone involved. Just in the last 2 weeks, one of the leaders we work with earned recognition because they grew their division by 5x over the expected goal! Another one earned a massive leadership promotion and another was hired for a global keynote spot at a HUGE conference. And note, she has never had a keynote spot before.

As a leader, you can make a difference by actively seeking out and prompting diverse talent, providing mentorship and training opportunities to build their path to success. Reflect on the opportunities you are providing for all of your team. Can your team’s success be enhanced by investing in their ability to effectively communicate the company’s vision, inspiring buy-in from within your organization and among prospects?

We are halfway through the year, how can you accelerate the growth of those around you?

Hopping off the soapbox now 😉 Wishing you an outstanding 2nd half of the year!

Don’t forget to unmute yourself and unmute your team.

Much Love,