Co-Authored by Pamela Carlton in 2016, the Eve of Change: Women Redefining Corporate America report is an unprecedented study of how women lead change and innovation. The Eve of Change report is the culmination 392 executive-level Everest Project interviews, a research initiative co-founded Pamela in 2014. The research discovered that women are leading transformational change and in so doing are creating cultures of innovation in their organizations. Contact Springboard to learn how we can offer your company specific insights and next steps from Everest's research.
THE PROBLEM
Current research shows that it will take more than 100 years for women to reach gender parity in the C-Suite. However, the problem is not the absence of women in the pipeline. In 2015, women represented a full 53% of all professional jobs. Yet, as women climb the corporate ladder, their representation declines to 37% for mid-managers, 25% for senior managers and a mere 4% at the CEO level. The absence of women of color and out LGBT women in the senior ranks is more stark. The problem is that women’s contributions and leadership qualities are not well-recognized, are under appreciated and are likely less well-compensated in their organizations.
THE SOLUTION
Organizations need to better recognize and value the contributions women make in driving value to the bottom line. While invention and innovation have been historically a mostly male domain, creating cultures of innovation is where women leaders are making their mark. The study findings, presented in the Eve of Change: Women Redefining Corporate America, offer a road map for how women across a diverse spectrum of backgrounds and perspectives, at the intersection of race, ethnicity, culture and sexual orientation, are using a set of leadership behaviors, qualities and skills to create cultures that are poised to innovate into the future. Senior women are executives are:
- Embracing smart risk on behalf of their organizations to champion new ideas
- Using humility backed by confidence as a power tool to accomplish big goals
- Collaborating across the enterprise in search of people to contribute new and different ideas
- Using their difference, including insights gained from gender, race/ethnicity and sexual orientation, to drive more value in their organizations
Pamela Carlton introduces the Everest Research at the 2016 Eve of Change Conference at Time Warner Center
IMPLICATIONS FOR ORGANIZATIONS AND CEOs
“In today’s global economy, having more women in senior leadership positions with unique expertise and diverse perspectives is critical to remain competitive and enhance business performance,” stated Ronald C. Parker, President and CEO of The Executive Leadership Council. He added that “[The Everest] findings underscore the value of diversity as more than just good corporate social responsibility – it’s a business imperative.”
The study offers companies a blueprint on how to create a corporate environment that empowers women to drive business value. It will help rewrite the script for business success and illuminate how women, by using Eve of Change leadership qualities, are shaping corporate cultures and unleashing creativity for sustainable innovation and transformation.
Contact Springboard to learn how we can offer your company specific insights from Everest's 400 senior executives and 85 companies across corporate America:
- Specific recommendations for aligning corporate culture to women's empowerment. Assess how your company’s leadership behaviors align with Eve of Change leadership qualities.
- Concrete steps organizations can take to add Eve of Change leadership qualities to talent development curriculum.
- Use the Eve of Change findings to assess women’s leadership development initiatives and programs. Make them part of your leadership curriculum and Lean In Circle discussions.