Susan Lucas-Conwell is a powerful woman in leadership with a vision to create a world where women are equal in power and opportunity. This book provides the lessons that she learned in her journey to leadership. She also discusses some challenges women face and how to overcome them.
Lessons learned from Susan Lucas-Conwell
If you are an entrepreneur or leader, you may be interested in learning about the lessons learned by a successful businessperson. Susan Lucas-Conwell is a successful CEO, entrepreneur, business development executive, and marketing professional. She has worked in senior roles at companies like General Mills and Cartier International. In addition, she holds a Master’s degree in Economics from John Hopkins University. She currently lives in Palo Alto.
Challenges women face on their path to leadership positions
Women often face difficulties advancing to leadership roles. They face a lack of exposure and opportunities usually presented to men. Furthermore, women are less likely to be recognized when they receive promotions, and their abilities are often perceived to be lower. Yet, some solutions can help women overcome these obstacles and reach their full potential.
One solution is to address the systemic biases that limit women’s advancement. For example, men have long dominated many industries, and many qualities that make an effective leader are perceived as masculine. As a result, when women demonstrate these traits, they are often viewed negatively and disqualified for the role. This creates a biased environment against women, leading to low expectations and workplace harassment.
In some countries, women’s participation in the labor force is low, particularly in the Arab world. While Oman is a strong example of a country committed to women’s rights, its participation rate is meager, with just 9% of women in leadership positions. The country ranks 127th out of 135 (National Center for Statistics and Information, 2014).
The public is generally skeptical about women’s ability to advance in leadership positions, and many businesses are not yet ready to hire women. But despite the obstacles, only three-in-ten women believe these factors hinder them from attaining their goals.
Ways to overcome obstacles
Women often face internal obstacles when they enter leadership roles. For example, they often wonder if people will accept them or if they will be given the support they need. They also struggle with issues such as asking for money and negotiating salaries. In addition, they may experience issues such as perfectionism that can keep them from achieving their goals. Overcoming these internal challenges requires tenacity and perseverance.
The key to overcoming gender bias in organizations is to change the societal mindset that labels specific roles as “male” or “female.” This mindset has to change for women to be empowered and allowed to advance. Companies must also identify the specific skills required for leadership and establish mechanisms to help women advance in those roles. Additionally, technological advancement is creating new roles and industries that need women in a leadership positions. Women in these fields need the appropriate training and development to succeed.
Aside from these specific barriers, women may also face “push” and “pull” factors that can limit their advancement. These barriers may be overt or hidden behind another agenda. For example, a woman may be passed over for a leadership role because of her family responsibilities. Because of this, women must proactively manage their careers to succeed.