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As the Covid-19 pandemic and responses to it heighten vulnerabilities and exacerbate inequalities, there has never been a more critical time to advance more inclusive and representative leadership.  Diversity of thought is essential to harness our collective intelligence and build trust, resilience and sustainable solutions to the pressing security challenges we face.

Increasing interdependence and uncertainty demand effective leadership for successful collective outcomes in all spaces and places - at local, national and international levels, in communities, organisations and government.  Yet, one of the most stubborn barriers to this goal is the equal and meaningful participation and leadership of women, particularly in politics, governance and ‘hard’ security.

Whilst there has been patchy progress through policy measures such as parental leave, flexible working, quotas and equal pay certification, globally barriers for women have risen.  The anticipated time to achieve gender equality slid back by a generation to over 135 years according to the World Economic Forum Global Gender Gap Report 2021, with the health emergency and economic downturn impacting women more severely than men.

The reality is that our political-socio-cultural environment makes it harder for women to advance in their careers.  From norms of how a leader ‘should’ look and behave, and the continuing roles and expectations upon women in the home to the infrastructure and tax systems to support family life, the environment we live in is not ‘enabling’ for many, especially women living with social and economic insecurity.  Furthermore, the epidemic of violence against women now permeates not just physical but online spaces.  Sexist comments and abuse slide towards insults, threats, intimidation and physical violence, particularly towards those who engage in public life, impacting on their safety and ability to speak up.

All of this means that women need unique skills, tools and strategies to lead effectively, to build confidence and resilience, and to overcome the harmful mental models and social norms that hold them back.  

The GCSP supports women across sectors with a tailor-made course designed around ‘The 7 Themes for Women to Succeed’.  We give women the time and space to reflect, learn and grow with a team of expert facilitators and a group of inspiring women.   Leadership is both an art and a science, and we bring creativity, wisdom, as well as powerful practices evidenced by research.  We help our participants to deepen their own self-awareness and build authentic, deep and meaningful relationships of trust within their teams, organisations and wider network.

Over 5 years, hundreds of incredible women from diplomacy, politics, security sector governance, civil society, academia, humanitarian and international organisations, and the private sector, have benefited.  Many are part of our LinkedIn community and all are eligible to join GCSP’s alumni events and unique offerings, as well as access further insights and tools offered by the Gender & Inclusive Security Cluster, such as our free Mentoring Guide. 

Partnerships with the KAIPTC, the UN, the EU, Arab League and national governments have enabled us to offer a customised-made course to many women advancing peace and security across Europe, the African continent and Middle-East and we look forward to building our global community further with more online and in-person offerings.

Why are women’s leadership programmes important?

Answer:  Leadership programmes for everyone are important to continuously upgrade our thinking, our skills and tools and unlock our full potential.  Leadership programmes for women are particularly important to allow them to benefit from the latest leadership insights, and to identify their personal strategies to develop confidence, influence and resilience to rise above harmful political, social and cultural norms. 

Why is having female leaders important?

Answer:  Each leader brings unique experiences, perspectives and talents.  Some are shaped by their intellect and skills; many are shaped by the roles that they have performed.  Roles are often gendered and therefore we need all genders represented in decision-making and leadership if we are to develop more effective and responsive policies that meet the health, education, economic, social, political and security needs of the whole population.  How often do we flip this question and ask ‘why is having male leaders important’?

How do you empower women politically?

Answer:  There are a range of measures including: 1) Financial and technical support to be able to stand for office and run campaigns; 2) Robust accountability mechanisms to address violence and intimidation in person and online; 3) Learning and development opportunities to develop knowledge and skills; 4) Role models and networks of support to shift perceptions and support resilience; and 5) Quotas to ensure political parties nominate women, and women are encouraged to step forward.

What are female leadership barriers?

Answer:  Some barriers are common to all women such as sexist attitudes, violence, intimidation, and perceptions of how leaders should look and behave.  Others are shaped by intersectional factors including socio-economic status, race, ethnicity, religion, disability, sexual orientation, language, age, relationship status, or indeed caring responsibilities.  It is not a woman’s identity that presents a barrier, it is society’s treatment of that woman and the systems of education, healthcare, tax, and social infrastructure which present barriers or indeed opportunities.

What are the qualities of a female leader?

Answer:  The qualities, character and competencies of all leaders vary and indeed it is diversity that brings richness and possibilities.  In our polarising, complex and uncertain society, leaders that can build trust, lead collaboratively within their organisation and with partners, and identify a purpose and vision that unites people and inspires commitment from them are critical qualities.  This requires IQ (intelligence quotient) and EQ (emotional intelligence), authenticity, confidence, presence, strategic thinking, political savvy and a range of influencing and management skills.

How can a woman become a leader?

Answer:  How do we define a leader?  Women are often leading informally without having the official title of ‘leader’: they are influencing, inspiring and motivating others towards a common goal.  A woman can become a leader through both formal and informal means – by gaining skills, qualifications and experience to perform certain roles, as well as by building relationships and informal networks of influence.

Why is women’s leadership important in our world?

Answer:  The inequality that is growing has a gendered face – more women live in poverty and are vulnerable to economic and social insecurity and so women’s leadership is essential to ensure that we develop more equitable policies and systems of governance.  Where women are under-represented such as in hard security, science and technology, women bring diversity of thought and skills, supporting more effective outcomes.  Women are also shown to bring a higher average degree of emotional intelligence and support higher collective intelligence and team performance.

Are female leaders effective in organisations?

Answer: Absolutely!  All female and male leaders have equal potential to be effective leaders depending on the competencies and character they bring.

Why should women train in leadership?

Answer:  Leadership is an essential but under-recognised skill.  Many people are promoted for their expertise, but this does not mean that they have the capacity to lead and manage others, which is critical for collective success.  Taking the time to train in leadership is important for everyone who wants to develop in their careers.  For women in particular, exchanging with other women who have experienced similar challenges can be helpful for both strategies and support.

How do you empower women in leadership?

Answer: Empowerment starts with self – women investing in their own growth and development, and extends to building relationships and influence with others.  This often requires organisations to invest time and money for women to learn, opportunities for them to ‘stretch’ through assignments and promotions, and networks for them to cross boundaries of hierarchy and gender through mentoring, sponsorship and social gatherings.

What are the main challenges for female leaders?

Answer:  Some challenges start within ourselves – our thinking is shaped by social and cultural norms which are often outdated and unhelpful, and we need to reflect on our own mental models and develop ways of thinking which serve us now and in the future.  Some challenges lie with others or systems which discriminate against women – and this requires women to develop courage to speak up and invest their time and energy in influencing and changing socio-cultural norms and systems.

Why do women need leadership training?

Answer:  Rarely do women have the time and space to reflect on how they arrived at their present situation and then develop a positive personal purpose and vision and identify ways to achieve it.  And we know this exercise is far more powerful when done socially.  We provide a structured journey to guide women through the effective mindsets, skills and tools of leadership; and facilitators and fellow participants provide personal feedback and insights to support individual reflection, learning, accountability and success.