Many cracks were made in the glass ceiling in 2014. This year we saw Malala Yousafzai win the Nobel Peace Prize for evangelizing for women’s equality on the international stage. Beyonce splashed “FEMINISM” all across TV screens during the VMAs. Iowa and West Virginia elected their first female senators. The NBA got it’s first female coach. We can expect 2015 to bring more groundbreaking events like these. Hopefully, we will see this spill into the business world too.
Mintigo recently conducted an original study on the differences between male and female led companies. Using their proprietary database of B2B intelligence, and machine learning Mintigo analyzed
millions of companies. The results are fascinating, illustrating how the mere 17% of companies with female CEOs perform differently from their male led counterparts.
The Difference Between Male & Female CEOs
Female leaders appear to be more likely to rise to the top in the healthcare and non-profit industries, on the east and west coasts, and in the B2C space. On top of that, the study found that women tend to achieve better results than men in companies with over 1000 employees. Larger companies led by women are on average 18% more profitable.
Most important to note are the differences in the way that women and men run their organizations. Companies with female CEOs tend to focus more on creating a strong social & marketing presence.
Specifically, they have bigger and stronger publicity, events planning, social and digital marketing teams.
The data speaks for itself; strong communication and collaboration skills are helping women put more cracks in the glass ceiling in business. As humanizing the enterprise grows in importance and connecting with a customer through lots of noise becomes more difficult, so will the skills needed to do that effectively.
What you see is women harnessing social, digital, & 1-to-1 marketing functions more readily, driving revenue, and joining the C-suite as a result.
What Are Women Leaders Doing Differently?
Another study suggests that men are more willing to ask for what they want. This could account for the gap between male & female CEOs. How do you get that number to go up? What will women do in 2015 to close this gap? Here are some ways to create some more cracks…
Have a clear mission
Ariana Beil, VP of Customer Success at Mintigo, suggests having a plan. “The clearer and more specific the mission for your career, the better,” she says. Don’t listen to that little voice that tells you you’re not good enough. Believe in your abilities and shoot for the moon.
Do your homework
“Practically speaking, if you want to be taken seriously and advance your career, read the daily news and your industry trade magazines to be a part of the big picture conversations with
decision makers,” suggests Linda Pasinli, Director of Total-Apps. “Many times I was considered a subject matter expert because I had the historical knowledge of the situation and knew of the key players involved.”
Step out of your comfort zone
Women tend to be less likely to take on a job they don’t feel qualified for. “Push yourself to take on roles and responsibilities outside of your comfort zone,” suggests Meagan Einsberg, Vice President – Customer Marketing and Demand Generation at DocuSign. “If you even think you are partially qualified, you are more likely fully qualified. Go for it.”
Collaborate with your team
“The future is connected and collaborative,” says Lindsey Nefesh- Clarke, Founder of Women’s Worldwide Web. “Increasingly, success arises out of creative collaboration and it’s crucial to create smart collaborative networks: internally, within a company, harnessing talent at all levels; and externally, within one’s sector and across sectors.” Basically, if your team does well – you’ll do well. Set them up for success.
Be bold!
Lisa Joy Rosner, CMO of Neustar reminds us, “You don’t get what you don’t ask for; the worst thing that can happen is people will say ‘no.’” We’ve all heard that word before. The best way to advance is to keep asking for what you want no matter how big or bold. You will be surprised at how many yeses you will get!
Expect an even longer list of exciting events advancing women in business in 2015. Don’t just spectate this year, take 2015 by the horns, and get cracking on your seemingly far-off goals and dreams.