Core Leadership Attributes to Embrace Sustainability in Your Business

Embracing sustainability is not just a responsibility for individuals, but also for businesses. As a leader, it is important to not only advocate for sustainability but also to model the behavior and instill it in the corporate culture. Here are some core leadership attributes that can help your business embrace sustainability:

  1. Visionary: A leader who embraces sustainability should be a visionary with a long-term perspective. They should be able to see beyond their immediate needs and be able to visualize the future impact of their actions on the environment and society.
  2. Authenticity: The leader should be genuine and authentic in their commitment to sustainability. They should not just use it as a buzzword but truly believe in it and model the behavior.
  3. Transparency: A leader who embraces sustainability should be transparent about the impact of the business on the environment and society. They should share the information with stakeholders and be open to feedback and suggestions.
  4. Collaboration: Sustainability is not something that can be achieved alone. It requires collaboration with stakeholders, suppliers, customers, and communities. A leader who embraces sustainability should be able to build and maintain collaborative relationships.
  5. Innovation: Sustainability requires innovation and creativity. A leader who embraces sustainability should be able to encourage and support innovation that drives sustainability.
  6. Responsibility: A leader who embraces sustainability should take responsibility for their actions and the impact of the business on the environment and society. They should be accountable for implementing sustainability initiatives and for continuous improvement.
  7. Empathy: A leader who embraces sustainability should have empathy towards the environment and society. They should be able to understand the impact of their actions on others and take steps to minimize negative impact.

In conclusion, embracing sustainability is not just about implementing eco-friendly practices, but it requires a change in the mindset and culture of the organization. A leader who embraces sustainability should model the behavior and instill the core leadership attributes mentioned above to drive sustainability in their business.

Breaking Barriers: Overcoming Challenges to Achieve Gender Equality in Leadership

The 21st century has witnessed significant progress in technology, communication, networking, socialization, and other areas. However, women continue to face several barriers to leadership, including women of color, LGBTQ+ women, women with disabilities, and chronic mental illnesses, who experience perpetual discrimination and abandonment in the workforce. Despite women accounting for 47.7% of the global workforce, women are still underrepresented in management positions, and women of color continue to lose their representation at every level.

Women leaders have voluntarily pursued C-suite leadership roles and have taken responsibility for employee wellbeing, corporate orientation, and nurturing organizational values. Studies have shown that women are more effective managers and are better at driving employee engagement. However, men and women have different perceptions of female leadership, with women being more positive about women leaders than men.

The Women In Workplace 2021 study shows that men significantly outnumber women in receiving promotions to managerial positions, indicating that there are fewer women to be promoted to higher positions. Women tend to experience more burnout than men, with the COVID-19 pandemic triggering the burnout experience for women. The major barriers to female leadership include a lack of confidence, insufficient resources/support, and unequal opportunities.

Overcoming gender-associated barriers to women’s leadership requires addressing cultural and organizational barriers. The emergence of female leaders can potentially become the central point for harboring positivity and development. Women possess several qualities that make them suitable for undertaking C-suite roles, including higher emotional intelligence, ethical and civic-mindedness, a passion for their work, and the championing of diversity and issues of equality.

It is crucial to continue breaking barriers and overcoming challenges to achieve gender equality in leadership. By doing so, women can become powerful leaders in their organizations and instigate changes through technological advancements and policies. It is time for women to receive the recognition and opportunities they deserve, as this will help in building a more inclusive and diverse workforce.