Many male managers are rather skeptical about the topic of diversity management. Is served by this Behavior the myth of the “glass ceiling”. But what exactly is happening and what can you do about it?

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The myth of the glass ceiling

The Myth of the “Glass Ceilings”, too German the glass ceiling, is considered one of the main reasons for the failure of women Executives. Upon closer inspection, however, it appears to be less a glass ceiling than a leaky talent pipeline that is causing a steady decline in the proportion of women from the initial entry level to top management:

Men have twice as good a chance of moving from middle school to senior management as they do Women. In the event of a promotion from Leadership Circle's chances of becoming a CEO are five times higher for men, McKinsey found in its 2013 study Woman Matter.

Behavior changes only work intrinsically

What to do? An externally superimposed framework such as the women's rate can only have a positive and lasting effect on the basis of an intrinsic system change.

In order to overcome traditional role models, in addition to the recognition of unconscious behavioral dynamics, it is also necessary to understand that women as managers bring success factors to the table that would probably not exist without them.

Female leadership characteristics on the rise

According to Bass and Stogdill, corporate success is strengthened by nine leadership characteristics: Participation decision making, role model function, inspiration, goal orientation with bonus system, Employees Development, Intellectual Inspiration, Effective Communication, Individualistic, top-down decision making, Control and corrective behavior.

Five of the nine characteristics are observed more often in women than in men: participatory decision making, role model, inspiration, goal orientation with bonuses, employee development. Men, on the other hand, often show behavior such as individualistic, top-down decision-making, control and corrective behavior. No distinction between men and women was found in the characteristics of Intellectual Inspiration and Effective Communication. One thing is certain: we are strong together.

Mixed Leadership is not a gender marquee

Mixed Leadership is not a gender marquee but an entrepreneurial necessity. Against the background of lasting market-economy challenges, a diversification of the management style is the basic prerequisite for sustainable success.

And so we have arrived at the still unanswered question of “how”. How can we make such a change in society at all?

The principles of successful implementation

Two principles are essential in the successful implementation of a mixed leadership approach:

  1. The consistent and success-oriented implementation of a management commitment.
  2. A climate of positive co-existence, ie, a colloquative working culture.

A fundamental cultural change

The introduction of mixed leadership principles in Companies is in many cases tantamount to a fundamental cultural change, which due to its systemic nature can only be carried out top-down and with the necessary time successfully to be introduced.

He is both evolution and Revolution. Cross gender mentor programs, the introduction of sponsors and the active involvement of skeptics as mixed leadership ambassadors, for example, can create such a cultural change promote.

The step towards a future-oriented company

Collaborative working methods are usually through effective communication, goal orientation, mutual Respect and accountability. Only in a corporate culture in which management and employees focus on their product focus and treat each other with mutual respect, prejudices - especially assumptions based on traditional role models - can be overcome. Only an atmosphere of togetherness creates sustainable success.

If companies succeed in implementing this “how”, they have a realistic chance of being future-proof.