 | | Sara N. King |
Leadership Coach Sara N. King Says American Industry Is 'On the Cusp of Change'
Number of Women in Top Leadership Positions Will
Accelerate Soon
On January 1, 2013, there will be 21 female Fortune 500 CEOs, with the addition of Marillyn Hewson at the helm of Lockheed Martin. Within the top residential furniture manufacturing companies, however, the count remains at ... one. Flexsteel's new CEO, Karel Czanderna, is among the first to crack the glass ceiling within the nation's largest home furnishings companies.
Now, studies are showing that the gender imbalance in corporate leadership may be costing companies where it hurts the most: the bottom line.
A Harvard Business Review article on "The Female Economy" in 2009 examined the significant buying power of women worldwide. The authors concluded that, without women in senior-level positions to help direct product development and marketing, many companies are missing out.
"This article captured the attention of CEOs like Muhtar Kent at Coca Cola, who recognized that female heads of households were the main purchasers of his products," states Sara N. King, author and principal at Optimum Insights Inc., an executive training and coaching firm. Kent recognized that he had an imperative to both select and develop women for key positions in his organization.
"Others are following suit," King points out. "Beyond the financial considerations, McKinsey research (October 2012) is showing that many CEOs believe that having both women and men involved on boards and executive teams results in better decisions than a group dominated by men."
Sara King will be facilitating WithIt's first Leadership Development Institute February 28, 2013, at the Greensboro-High Point Airport Marriott.
Since the 2009 Harvard Business Review article, more research has been published, more organizations have been created to focus on women's advancement, more internal women's initiatives have been launched and the issue has received attention at the Economic World Forum. Still, says King, progress is slow.
"This has become a complex global issue with few simple solutions." Nevertheless, King says she is hopeful for the future, given recent trends.
"There have been increased requests for leadership development programs and mentoring and network opportunities for women. There have also been more internal organizational goals set to increase the numbers, and more data about what it will take to create a pipeline of women poised for the C-suite," says King.
"I believe we are on the cusp of change where the numbers of women in top leadership positions will begin to accelerate."
King spent 23 years at the Center for Creative Leadership, a top-ranked, global provider of leadership education and research, before launching her own consulting business. As a thought-leader on executive development and leadership training, she has authored several books, including "Discovering the Leader in You."
At the February 28 Leadership Development Institute, King will focus on the critical success factors for women leaders. The all-day program is available to WithIt members for $295; the cost for non-members and other Piedmont Triad-based professionals is $325.
To reserve a seat for this important leadership development opportunity, visit www.WithIt.org.
Lodging at the Airport Marriott is available at a discounted rate of $129 on Feb. 27-28.
| 
