Developing Leadership Aptitude: To Promote Gender Equality in Leadership Positions

Developing Leadership Aptitude: To Promote Gender Equality in Leadership Positions

Sylvia M. Corbin Berry | 2018

Abstract

The purpose of this Doctoral Project is to design a leadership curriculum targeted at male and female professionals in leadership or management positions. The curriculum aims to build leadership aptitude in managers and leaders equipping them with the skills to identify and develop women for management positions. Studies and research have exposed a detrimental perception of women being unsuitable for leadership positions in comparison to their male counterparts. Regardless of a woman’s educational or skill, women face barriers and stereotypes that prevent them from reaching career goals in management. This paradigm is prevailing throughout the United States in leading companies and reaches across cultural boundaries.

The curriculum provides an analysis of issues and problems facing women in precluding them from transitioning to a leadership position. The pedagogy offers leaders an awareness of the benefits to the organization and community when women are empowered to become leaders. Women often face barriers to leadership because of organizational culture, hidden biases, and stereotypes. Leaders can promote equality among potential leaders by developing a strategic plan that changes corporate culture and leader’s propensity to recognize and advance women to professional positions. Leaders will acquire skills to build their capacity to promote equality in the organization. The curriculum is designed in four modules as follows:

• Module 1: Awareness and Overview of the Problem Research shows that women are equally as qualified to hold leadership positions in businesses; however, there are consistent barriers (language and stereotypes). The module will provide awareness and an overview of the issues and obstacles that prevent women from holding leadership positions.
• Module 2: Benefits of Empowering Women for Leadership This module will provide the data that illustrates the benefits of hiring and training women for leadership positions. Organizations that empower women to become leaders are growing in the 21st century; however, it is at a slow rate. Developing and hiring women for leadership positions not only benefits the organization but it also improves the quality of life for females, with increased income and benefits.
• Module 3: Strategic Plans for Resolving Inequality in Leadership This module will provide a strategic plan for hiring, developing, and empowering women to become leaders. The module will provide diagnostic tips on changing organizational culture and gender bias, train leaders in recognizing how culture is transmitted and created by leadership, the importance of learning how to manage multicultural groups that are inclusive to empowering women leaders.
• Module 4: How to become a Cultural Agile Professional This module will provide leadership development training for becoming a cultural agile professional to include the benefits of cross-cultural experiences in working in countries in areas that practice gender bias in leadership. The participant will develop a model or plan of practices to commit to preventing gender biases and promote equality in the workforce.