The Importance of Gender Diversity on Corporate Boards
I recently read a very interesting article about gender diversity on corporate boards on the Sustainable Brands website.The article talked about the notion of "critical mass" (having three or more women on corporate boards) and how this discussion has evolved over time.
From the article:
[Vicki W.] Kramer and her colleagues confirmed previous research findings that women bring significant value to boards and spelled out the ways that women make a difference in the boardroom. Women bring a collaborative leadership style that benefits boardroom dynamics by increasing the amount of listening, social support and effective problem-solving. Although women are often collaborative leaders, they do not shy away from controversial issues. Many of the research participants believed that women are more likely than men to ask tough questions and demand direct and detailed answers.
Women also bring new issues and perspectives to the table, broadening the content of boardroom discussions to include the insights of multiple stakeholders. Women of color add a further dimension that broadens boardroom discussions even further.
The article goes on to discuss how even though this topic has been discussed and researched over the years, the needle has not moved much and a lot of work still needs to be done. The percentage of women in boardrooms is steady at 16%.
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