Women ‘reluctant to promote their achievements’

Women have the skills they need to climb up the career ladder, but are often failing to capitalise on them due to not wanting to promote their achievements, according to a new study from Bizas Coaching & Consulting Ltd.

The research of 1,030 females measured women’s perceptions of their current performance and ability to do their job. The survey found that the majority felt they ‘are known to deliver’ (98.7%), were ‘good at what they do’ (97%) and ‘got results’ (95%). More significantly, abilities associated with high Emotional Intelligence (EQ) were considered key strengths. ‘Motivating others’ was highlighted as a strength by 84% of respondents, ‘making a difference to their teams’ by 95% and ‘standing with pride’ by 79%.

However, just 51.9% of women surveyed felt that ‘managing profile’ was a key development area and 45.6% said the same of ‘personal career development’. Many of the women who took part in the 1-2-1 interviews spoke of a reluctance to talk about their successes amongst their peers.

“Emotional Intelligence (EQ) is crucial in today’s business leaders because people are now working in complex and matrix structures around the world where you can no longer use command and control,” said Ishreen Bradley, Founder, Bizas Coaching & Consulting. “You have got to win hearts and minds and gain alignment. You’ve got to communicate the benefits and make sure that everyone is taken care of. People with high EQ have the qualities to create the environment needed to deliver successful work and results that impact their employer’s performance.”

“A lot of investment is being made by the Government and Industry to promote the success of women at work.  However, women are still very much in the minority – and more so with increasing levels of seniority. When you consider the type of politicking and networking needed to progress up the ranks of a company, it becomes clear that a natural modesty is a major contributor to what’s holding women back from progressing in their jobs. This is good news. Dealing with these issues is far easier than the cultural change that is being spearheaded by the government and organisations themselves,” she added.

Many of the programmes being instigated by organisations focus on work and treat women as a distinct group. However, the research shows that rather than a general one-size fits all programme, a more tailored and personal approach to individual needs would be more beneficial.

“For example, in most global organisations nowadays employees need to be available outside core working hours, but development programmes do not generally support with this aspect.  If you want to create an environment in which employees thrive, you have to take a more holistic approach – one in which work and home can flow into each other in a way that works for employers and women.”

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