During the Covid-19 pandemic, there has been an increase in the proportion of female managers and female leadership worldwide, reaching 31%, compared to 29% in 2020, surpassing the 30% tipping point needed to drive genuine change in the gender gap.
However, there is still a significant gap in terms of financing between businesses with female and male leadership: according to the Inter-American Development Bank and Finnovista, companies founded by women have 15% less funding than those founded by men.
With the intention of addressing this financing gap and boosting businesses led by female talent in national and international trade, three measures have been proposed to help companies with female leadership grow:
- Expand financing options and make them more accessible. One of the main limitations to business growth is the flow of capital. Now, considering that women often face greater limitations in accessing financing, reversing this can help them avoid insolvency and accelerate their growth.
- Increase support and inclusion programs of women in business by chambers of commerce and business organizations. It is important to strengthen these actions and include educational programs for young female entrepreneurs and those who will hold important positions in family businesses or even in the business world.
- Financial educationEducational institutions, both traditional and the online schools that have boomed as a result of the pandemic, must increase lessons focused on inclusion and training for women entrepreneurs, as well as on business finance management, so that new entrepreneurs can not only start businesses, but also maintain and grow them.
More and more women are venturing into the business world. The important thing is to support them so that, as entrepreneurs, they have the same business and financing opportunities.
Similarly, a woman's leadership style differs from a man's, as their characteristics and motivations can be distinct. Therefore, for a company, the most beneficial approach is to combine female and male leadership, having leaders of both sexes who can pool their energy and ideas and work side-by-side.
Female leadership is characterized by its effectiveness in creating work teams and by its ability to make decisions in times of crisis. Therefore, it should be a priority for every company to develop, train, and give women the opportunity to lead employees, thus demonstrating their full capabilities to lead a work team.
Furthermore, in general, women tend to offer a more personal approach and exhibit more sociable characteristics, placing greater emphasis on cooperation and teamwork. This fosters a more natural work environment, thanks to their greater expressiveness and approachability, which allows them to cultivate a stronger commitment from their team to their leader. They also highlight different values that enhance the effectiveness of collaborative work. Additionally, their innate ability to act and make decisions on multiple issues simultaneously is a key trait that makes them attentive, committed, and dedicated leaders in every aspect of their work.
The integration of female leadership alongside male leadership represents the future and progress towards achieving greater equality of opportunity, and also towards achieving greater effectiveness and stronger potential for female business leaders.
Within GDI We have a sales team led by women, who demonstrate daily their abilities and skills to guide their teams.
We are proud to know that within GDI We have female talent that seeks to grow and be in constant innovation, supporting their team to achieve their goals.