United We Stand: Why Women And Men Need To Collaborate For Success

Many of us are well aware that there’s a  serious gender imbalance in the workplace, particularly across  leadership roles and particularly in technology. But this imbalance  doesn’t have to define women.Rather  than engage in divisive tactics, isolate ourselves at female-only  events, or openly complain about an issue that needs to be addressed, we  can all practice what I call complementary collaboration: simply  recognizing, respecting, and embracing the fact that men and women bring  different but often hugely complementary skills to the table that, if  nurtured and developed, can be a very powerful and highly successful  combination for any business.It’s worth pointing out that this  isn’t just a “feel good” thing. Businesses should be looking at the  issue pragmatically to truly understand the significant impact women can  have on a company’s bottom line.Not only do women bring unique  talents and complementary skills to the boardroom (and every other  position for that matter), we hold tremendous purchasing power. Today,  women make or influence a staggering 85% of all consumer purchases across all categories.–– ADVERTISEMENT ––Considering  the influence and importance women have in the purchasing process,  their perspective should be more than just nice to have for companies  that want to tap into a market’s full potential. Business leaders who  recognize the power of understanding their entire customer base and who  work hard to listen and make women’s voices heard will ultimately come  out on top.So what can we all do to help right the gender  imbalance for current and future generations? Here are a few simple tips  to help drive complementary collaboration:

1. Be Authentic

Women  and men often feel they have to act a certain way in the workplace in  order to be successful. This is particularly common in female leadership  roles where people wrongly assume you need a tough-as-nails attitude to  get ahead, especially in male-dominated environments. However, a lack  of sincerity can be felt a mile away and only perpetuates the problem,  so it’s best to choose the authentic route and just be yourself. You’ll  be surprised how much more receptive others are as a result.

2. Embrace and Play to Your Strengths

According to Google,  women-led tech companies achieve 35% higher return on investment, and  when backed by venture capital, deliver 12% more revenue than their male  counterparts. Most women, irrespective of their position, bring a high  level of perceptiveness and emotional IQ that’s critical for leading  teams and growing a business. So, rather than worrying about the skills  they don’t have, women should recognize their talents and double down on  them, while men can help ensure more women are part of the mix from the  onset for optimal business success.

3. Support One Another

It’s  important for women to have each other’s backs and foster a supportive,  positive work environment. Try to make an effort to connect with other  women in your company and industry by attending networking and skill  development events, or by simply organizing your own casual meetups–and  be sure to involve men in some of these activities as well.

4. Introduce and Lead Change

Merely  complaining about something you could absolutely play a hand in  changing, or at least improving, isn’t helpful. Instead, take the bull  by the horns and pave the way for change. In my opinion, women are  natural born leaders, and the “matriarch mentality” can be a strong  positive force within any business.The key is to have both men  and women align behind this mindset and drive change collectively. In  this vein, let’s move past all the talk about whether Sheryl Sandberg is  in touch with the realities of average women and instead celebrate her  efforts to raise awareness for the issues we face. Collectively, at all  levels, we can make a difference.We can all do so much more to  lead by example and help foster complementary collaboration and a better  balance between men and women in the workplace. As women, we have a  responsibility to help other women succeed and so we can all play our  part, no matter how small.Men share the same responsibility, so  to those men who have worked with great women and seen firsthand what we  can bring to the table, spread the word!