Leadership Development Starts Early
On the heels of my last blog about developing the next generation of leaders in the workplace (The Generation Gap), comes the results of a study commissioned by the Girls Scouts of America indicating the majority of girls in this country have little or no interest in taking on leadership roles when they grow up. The study may seem disheartening on the surface. But dig a littler deeper, and there are real signs for hope – as well as messages for the adults in their lives.
Groups that traditionally lag behind in leadership roles do show a higher level of interest in being leaders (African-American girls: 53%; Hispanics: 50%; and Asian Americans: 59%). But among Caucasian girls, “turned off by the conventional conception of leadership as command and control”, only 34% aspire to lead.
So, where’s the good news? The study shows that girls aren’t rejecting leadership but rather their perception of traditional leadership styles. In fact, they are redefining what leadership is to suit their values: “a different kind of leadership focused on personal principles, ethical behavior and the ability to affect social change.”
This style of being “more inclusive and serving a larger purpose” was shared by the boys in the study as well. Motives, however, were different. “Girls’ leadership aspirations were more likely to be driven by altruistic motives, whereas boys were more likely to be motivated by power and money.”
And, even at a young age (participants were 8 to 17 years of age), the Glass Ceiling/Sticky Floor issues impact perceptions around leadership. “… a strong majority (82%) of youth agreed that girls and boys are equally good at being leaders. However, 56% of respondents also agreed that ‘in our society, it is more difficult to become a leader for a woman than a man.’ And more than half (52%) of girls and boys agreed that ‘girls have to work harder than boys in order to gain positions of leadership.’ That perception was more widely held by girls (57%) than boys (44%).”
What to make of all of this? First, I think these girls and boys should be applauded and admired for their values. Good for them for rejecting the old notions of command and control and for being open, inclusive, and collaborative. Think of the progress and success that type of leadership spawns, when everyone’s ideas are valued and heard! And good for them for having the courage to say they are willing to forego power before they will sacrifice their values.
What it means for those of us who are in leadership roles today is that we need to, first and foremost, be good role models. We must show these children how they can change the world to fit these new values and how they can play a big part in that. Show them there is a place for this new leadership and that the courage and vision they exhibit now are exactly the qualities that will be needed to guide us in the future.
As we need to do with the Gen X/Gen Y employees in the workforce today, we need to embrace their values and respect the boundaries they set for themselves around work-life balance. While not specific, I can’t help but wonder if the perceptions of it being harder for women to become leaders than men has to do with the traditional family balance issues.
It is up to us to show our children the possibilities – give them a vision of their brand of leadership and encourage them to “go for it.”
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