It’s good for a business to run like a girl
Like them or not, events like the buzz over the Fearless Girl statue and the domestic success of Wonder Woman point to a cultural shift.
The narrative of women in positions of strength and leadership is increasingly common in the United States, and it’s reflected directly in our workforce.
And as having women in leadership positions becomes more common, it also gains more research attention — which has shown some really cool trends among large corporations, for example:
- Having a woman on the board is associated with better performance.
- Having more women in leadership is associated with higher returns on equity, valuations, and payout of dividends, as well as better stock performance.
What’s different with women in leadership?
As we see more female leadership and the bottom-line benefits, it makes sense to ask where the difference comes from.
Women can contribute a vital voice that challenges traditional practices which may not have seemed like problems, even though they were unintentionally holding progress at bay.
Ruben says, “Something I’ve seen in working at 8 Signal with Tiffany as business partner, and having Sharon and Amanda in leadership roles, is that they bring a totally different perspective to the table. There’s also better communication flow. There have been so many times when I thought I heard the client say something, but Tiffany will bring up that it was the complete opposite, and 9 times outta 10, she’s right!”
Due to a complex cocktail (probably a cosmo) of biology, social influence, and history, businesses are finding that women in leadership are more likely than men to:
- Consider qualified women for leadership positions (click here for more)
- Work collaboratively to find solutions, and mentor future leaders ( … and here for more)
- Multi-task without dropping the ball (last, but not least, click here for more)
- Take risks that make sense (changed my mind. One more. Women’s prerogative, right? Click here)
But what about regular businesses?
Non-Fortune 500 businesses also benefit big time from having skilled women in leadership. The same tendencies toward collaboration and skilled multi-tasking benefit companies of all sizes.
“At 8 Signal, two of our strongest assets are our Content & Support Manager, Amanda, and our Project Manager, Sharon,” says Tiffany.
These strong women are moms, multi-tasking fiends, and excellent communicators. They keep the 8 Signal heart pumping and collaborate thoughtfully with our team members to make sure we continue to give our clients the best possible service.
“Another area of strength I’ve noticed about women in leadership is that ego doesn’t get in the way often. For example: if a client is upset about something, I’m more likely to get defensive, build a position as to why it’s not my fault, and then try to convince the client. Whereas with Tiffany, tends to immediately shift gears to clarify the problem and make it right with the client, regardless of whether or not it was our fault,” says Ruben.
Female customers respond to female perspectives
There’s been a fascinating trend in advertising, as the perspective has shifted from being predominantly focused on “fixing” women (more here), to celebrating and empowering women.
A shining example of this was the hugely successful Dove “Real Beauty” campaign, that not only generated a whole new generation of loyal female Dove users, but may even have influenced a movement among women that broadened long-held definitions of beauty.
While we’re talking about influence, there’s also a movement among female business owners that not only celebrates the female perspective and its role in making businesses stronger, it makes a literal space for it!
Click here to read about the Hivery, a co-working space that buzzes with women helping boost each other’s creativity and network.
Lasso of truth time: What are your strengths and needs?
Whether you’re a girl-powered company or not, 8 Signal has a team of marketing experts that would love to help you grow and succeed in reaching both your male and female customers.
Contact us today to set up a free 2-hour business consultation to gain a better perspective on your business’s areas of strength and potential.
Wonder Woman photo courtesy of Pixabay, via ErickaWhittlieb.
