Corporations across Europe share the same problem: a dramatic gender gap in leadership. Although the size of this gap varies from country to country, men far outnumber women in senior business leadership. What makes the most senior positions in business so inaccessible to women -- even in countries where there is considerable government and social support for gender equality? Senior women leaders across Western Europe tell us that gender stereotyping is an important barrier to consider; and our research supports it. While solutions are often sought through policy and engineered approaches, the real barriers to change may be much more personal and insidious. The companies that focus on tackling deep-seated bias and making their organizations safer for mavericks -- who are less concerned with fitting in and more on making a contribution -- may be the most effective in fixing the gender gap and, more critically, in business. Eleanor Tabi Haller-Jorden has led Catalyst Europe since 2006, when it was established to work with corporate and academic members in Europe through thought-provoking events and programs that reflect the cultural diversity of the region. Under her direction, Catalyst Europe engages members and selects partners who are committed to developing creative solutions around organizational inclusion and innovation with the aim of being a learning lab that supports workplace innovation by practicing it. Apart from her European responsibilities, Eleanor Tabi ...
Added Nov 30, 2012