Women make the difference in championing change; how women are shaping the future of business

While there are certainly challenges that women in business face, there are also many positives to focus on. We can also fi­nd many examples of businesswomen and entrepreneurs who are making important changes, accelerating their careers and helping to shape the future of business.

Here are some ways women are helping transform business for generations to come:

Brings new improvements

As women gain more power and influence in the business world, they will bring with them new ideas and innovations. Across many sectors, greater gender equality will help create new products, services and businesses.

This not only bene­fits organizations but also consumers by providing more relevant options to them. There is also evidence that companies are more profi­table when women hold more than one in three management positions.

Add a new approach to leadership

Although the proportion of women in management positions remains an issue, it has improved in recent years. Additionally, women in these positions bring unique skills and competencies that can help create change.

In addition to the technical skills necessary for management and senior management positions, it is the soft skills that can make the difference. A 2016 study also found that women performed better than men in most emotional intelligence skills. These include qualities such as conflict management, adaptability and teamwork, all of which are essential for leadership roles in the workplace.

When you dig deeper into the reasons why women might not think about or pursue a career in a traditionally male-dominated space, there are several points that frequently arise. Confi­dence and self-belief often play a role.

Women are often less likely to self-promote or self-advocate at work, usually through fear of receiving a negative response. The research ­finds that this is the case even when there is no gap in ability of performance between men and women.

It’s worth noting that recognising this confi­dence gap is not a way of pinning the blame on women for not being confi­dent enough to go after what they want. It’s a societal criticism – if women are treated differently and afforded less opportunities, they are likely to lose con­fidence, and this is a rational response.

Inclusion and diversity remain one of the biggest challenges in the business world. However, as more women fi­nd their way into and advance in the corporate world, they become more represented. As a result, the more role models and inspirational women there are in business, the more attractive the industry becomes to others