Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
As a result, women often devise solutions that benefit many, and applying this
mindset to innovation and leadership can bring about powerful and broadly
beneficial outcomes.
I have come across remarkably inspiring stories of female achievers, both
historic and current. In the course of this topic we will look at a few of them,
from all over the world and from different eras. These stories strengthen my
belief that women can excel in any role they wish to take on. I have included
these stories in this topic because the history of successful women leaders is the
bedrock upon which we must build. Throughout history, women have persisted
against all odds and often have had to work much harder than their male col-
leagues, breaking away from gender stereotypes and teaching many of us that
we can succeed. These trailblazers provide leadership examples of women who
fought against the norms of society, who proved that their goals were achiev-
able, and who set benchmarks for other women to follow.
A study conducted in 2005 by Aurora, an organization that works to uplift
women, and Caliper, a management consultancy firm, found that “women
leaders mainly possess the following qualities: they are highly assertive,
urgent, persuasive, collaborative, and intelligent risk-takers.” Interestingly,
women leaders do feel the sting of rejection more than their male counterparts
but they rapidly develop an “I'll show you” attitude. The study also noted
that female leaders possess an inclusive, team-oriented style of problem solv-
ing and decision making, and are more likely than their male counterparts to
ignore rules and take risks
[7]
. This study should be encouraging, and even
empowering, to women. A willingness to take risks is an essential element in
leadership and innovation, and usually we eagerly apply this sentiment to per-
sonal environments. We may not be so willing to do this in our professional
environments, however, but that is exactly what we need to do: confidently
and eagerly take risks to achieve our objectives in professional settings. We
clearly know how to do it. It's just a matter of recognizing that it's acceptable,
expected, and even encouraged for us to do so on a daily basis in our careers.
PERSPECTIVES FROM OTHER WOMEN
Women in Industry
For many STEM professionals, the ideal career path leads to corporate leader-
ship at the highest levels of a company. An example of this pattern is seen in the
historic appointment of Virginia Rometty, CEO of IBM. A STEM professional,
Rometty holds a Bachelor of Science degree with high honors in computer
science and electrical engineering from Northwestern University. In a
New
York Times
article Ms Rometty shares a story of how her husband's, Mr Mark
Rometty's, input has been of value to her in her career ascension. Ms Rometty
credits her husband with a crucial insight that helped to shape her corporate
ambitions at important decision-making points.
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