This document presents guidelines financial institutions should have in place to support women leaders, and Guidelines "What women need to do to grow as leaders and support internal diversity", both with practice examples

Gayle Gatchalian

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This document is the result of a collaborative effort of the following members of the Women’s World Banking Leadership Community:    Janet Abzakh, HR Manager, Middle East Micro Credit Company, Jordan  Mahmood Shamsher Head of HR and Training, FINCA Microfinance Bank Ltd., Pakistan  Caroline Mulwa, Country Manager, Oikocredit, Kenya  Ruth Mutebe, Head of Internal Audit, Finance Trust Bank Ltd, Uganda  Sandy Salama, Fellow, Women’s World Banking  Sarah Buitoni, Specialist, Leadership and Diversity Programs, Women’s World Banking  The goal of the Leadership Community is to provide a space where leaders of financial insti-tutions can practice continuous learning and reflection, build supportive relationships with peer leaders, share successes and challenges and practice new behaviors. Vision and strategic plan for gender diversity – in order to succeed, diversity must be championed by the senior leadership team as a strategic business imperative  Strategy for diversity that includes targets for the desired percentage of men and women in each ca-dre throughout the organization but also maintains a commitment to finding the right talent and best fit for each position  Tracking and monitoring of key diversity statistics - including hiring, promotions, percentage of men and women at all levels, as well as gender-disaggregated satisfaction and exit data  Broad and consistent communication about the importance of gender diversity – cascade the vision for diversity beyond senior management using all channels to communicate concepts of equality and women rights; use social media to influence the younger generation and achieve long-term change  Policies  and programs that support, and are appealing to, both men and women—including clear, gender-neutral career development planning that allows employees to envision their growth Awareness that equal opportunity is not always gender-sensitive Training in technical and management skills – make sure these are equally available and equally ac-cessible to men and women staff Coaching, mentoring and sponsorship opportunities, either from more senior members of the leader-ship team or through external networks or other resources Gender-sensitivity training – both women and men may have internal biases. Training can help to re-veal and diminish these biases Policies that protect everyone and clear, safe mechanisms for reporting violations – sexual harass-ment, non-discrimination  Work-life balance programs including flex hours or remote arrangements where possible - flexible working arrangements can help women to take on and stay in leadership roles  Strategies for business continuity during maternity or paternity leave so that there are smoother transi-tions out of and back into the office Assertiveness and communication training for women – build self-confidence among women staff, help them to recognize their potential and how to communicate in a way that gets their ideas no-ticed by colleagues 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 An inclusive culture –ensure that people are living the value of diversity in their daily decisions, speech and interactions; reward desired behavior and eliminate disruptive behavior 14 Believe in yourself – everyone has the potential to be a leader Know yourself – assess strengths and areas for development  by seeking feedback to identify possible blind spots and then create an action plan for self-improvement while staying true to your values and who you are Recognize your strengths and then surround yourself with team members that have different strengths in complementary areas Build your skills in key areas – negotiations, handling difficult situations, giving and receiving feedback, communications Build the leadership skills of the people you manage – coaching and mentoring other women will en-hance and sustain gender diversity Be proactive – suggest and negotiate work-life strategies that are beneficial to women and employers, like flexible working arrangements, and share your ideas with Human Resources so that action can be taken Ask for what you want – to be included in meetings, a promotion, a pay increase, a mentor or coach, a challenging (stretch) assignment Don’t be afraid to try something new – take smart risks and show your confidence Achieve superior performance and seek continuous improvement  – if you are taking advantage of flexible working arrangements, demonstrate that you can still deliver excellent results Talk to partner/family about professional goals Pursue further training in specific areas needed – strive for excellence in your current role and develop the skills needed for your next role Build a network of support that includes men – create a diverse team of supporters Find an accountability partner – tell this person about your professional development plans and ask them to help you stay on track 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Remember that, as a woman leader, you are a role model for the next generation of women leaders - they are the future talent of your organization 14 womensworldbanking.org leadership.womensworldbanking.org @womensworldbnkg facebook.com/womensworldbanking 

Promoting Women's Leadership

https://issuelab.org/resources/21134/21134.pdf

Promoting Women's Leadership

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