There’s that old saying: “do you want to speak to the man in charge or the woman that knows?” As much as it may have elicited a few giggles, there’s a larger truth here. Women have always led from behind the scenes, that’s an incontrovertible fact and it’s precisely what our quote alludes to.
Equal rights in terms of working and voting have been in place for a few decades but it’s taken some time for the social dynamics and cultural programming to make way for real change.
Now, slowly but surely, we’re seeing how each new generation of females enters the business world with a greater awareness of their own worth. Women are rising and it might be the most beautiful combination of power and compassion the business world needed.
Today, we’re sharing some of the observations from a female entrepreneur, Sonia Gibson. Sonia is a Chartered Accountant and she’s also the owner and director of Accounting Heart, where she brings compassion and warmth into the world of cold precision in finance. Here, according to Sonia, are the real reasons women are starting businesses:
Women are not bossy – they’re natural leaders
Women tend to lead exceptionally well. In family dynamics, women tend to run the household and woe to any man that argues. Women are less likely to be coercive in their leadership style, instead, combining compassion and instruction to motivate others. In their own lives, this has been a driving force for women as they lead the progress in their careers. When faced with challenges around managing a desk job and a household with children, women often turn to entrepreneurship, knowing they can remain productive and parent simultaneously. Not many employers offer them the opportunity to prove this, thus, they step into that role on their own.
Females and flexibility: Women can wear many hats (beautifully)
Traditional employment positions tend to be rigid. Working hours are non-negotiable, often this even applies to industries that could run on a task-based system. In a task-based system, an employee is expected to achieve a certain level of productivity rather than clocking a certain number of hours, creating flexibility. Women who want to embrace family life and still progress in their careers find it easier to do this as an entrepreneur. Flexibility enables mothers to attend school events and enjoy vacations, working their career tasks around that and remaining as productive, if not more so, as their employed counterparts in the same industry.
Women claim paying power in their own salaries
We’re seeing women rise to claim their worth. While the wage gap argument continues, the truth is that whether there is a disparity between male and female salaries is irrelevant when a woman decides that she can earn more, faster, if she earns it herself. Female entrepreneurs no longer wait for equality in the workplace, they’re claiming it. Rather than working under a brand, many females want to be the brand. With a flair for creativity and a business-savvy approach, females are creating memorable brands that are relatable and accessible to their target audiences.
To advance their careers
The glass ceiling has become a frustration for many females in the business environment. Waiting and working towards that promotion that never actually materialises. A self-employed woman will rise in the business world in accordance with the work she puts in. It’s no longer a decision that lies in the hands of a superior.
What does the rise of femininity mean for the workplace in general? Time will tell but thus far, we’re seeing a greater level of equality, sensitivity to the needs of working mums. Plus, we’re also seeing a sympathetic approach to HR management.
This post was written by Sonia Gibson, Director at Accounting Heart Chartered Accountants.