A new Forbes article on “America’s Most Innovative Leaders 2019” has created an uproar—not because of who it put in the story, but for who it left out of it: women. The feature identified 100 innovators, 99 of whom were men. Only a single woman—Ross Stores’ CEO Barbara Rentler—made the list (near the bottom, at number 75). In response, a growing […]
Innovation Is Key to Business Success—Yet Women Aren’t Perceived as Innovators
What number-one factor is behind a successful business? Research shows it’s innovation, and it has been for the past quarter of a century. BDC found that innovative activities have consistently remained the most important success determinant for companies, outranking all other factors including management, marketing, HR practices, and financing. Studies have also repeatedly shown that CEOs […]
It’s One Thing to Talk About Gender Equality-But Another to Act on It
Davos provides us with a look at the state of gender imbalance in a microcosm. The 2018 World Economic Forum (WEF) generated much commentary about the still-too-low number of women—just 21 percent of total conference participants—in attendance. Conference organizers looked for the silver lining in the stats, pointing out that this slim percentage of female […]
Facing Fatigue About Gender Equality? Here’s What to Do
When it comes to balancing the scales for gender equality, Corporate America has a long way to go. Yet while achieving gender parity at the executive level remains a distant goal, many are growing weary of repeatedly hearing about the issue. An article in the Wall Street Journal this month hammers home the point that […]
Together as Allies—How Men and Women Can Create a Better and Smarter World
This fall, I have been speaking at several major conferences and women’s leadership forums within organizations. While “women’s forums” have traditionally been designed as “women-only” events, I like to shake up this assumption a bit. I ask companies to have women attendees not just invite other women to attend, but also to bring along a male […]