Desert flower blossom

By Anj Handa

High performing organisations know that diverse businesses deliver up to 35% better results, but there is a leaking pipeline of female talent.

It frustrates me that smart, creative women continue to be under-represented in the workplace at a senior level. In fact, the dialogue on diversity hasn’t changed significantly, and the problem appears to be getting worse!

Worryingly, the gender gap (especially at senior level) is widening. Directorships remain largely a man’s world. It takes a certain kind of woman willing to operate in that space. Share on X

It’s time to try something different!

Women’s barriers to progress are diverse. Standard executive development courses or positive action alone won’t address this gap. Often it’s because you don’t know what your female staff are dealing with.

One in three women reported that they feel disadvantaged in the workplace in a recent survey. The additional issues faced by ethnic minority women add another layer to this complex picture.

By suppressing their true selves, their innate skills – empathy, flexibility, creativity and intuition – are underplayed at work. Not only that, but I’ve seen many women leaders shoehorn themselves into an image of how they believe they should dress and act.

As an experienced Non-Exec Director who is Indian, female and often younger than my Board counterparts, I’ve had to seek the tools to build my own resilience. I want other professional women to benefit from the support that I lacked.

A common trait amongst women leaders that they have an inner strength. By investing in the resilience of your female talent, you can develop your own highly effective women leaders.

One of the programmes that I’ve developed to help develop aspiring women leaders is LOVE (You). The programme is delivered flexibly through a range of modules to develop exceptional Influence and Communication skills. Get in touch to learn more.

Anj Handa is the Founder of Inspiring Women Changemakers. She helps women to speak up: for themselves, for others, and for social issues.