The Tribune

As the Bahamas engages in a full discussion of gender equality, and ensuring that women are treated equally under the law, we must also delve into the state of women in business.

Women have certainly made their mark in the world of work within the last two generations, and it is becoming increasingly unpopular to suggest or refer to any workplace as a ‘man’s world’. With female chief executives, department heads, church bishops, leaders of families, Prime Ministers and heads of international political and social bodies, women have done it all - and quite successfully, I might add.

How, though, in such a relatively short period of time, have women been able to rise from the ashes of male dominance to places of prominence, particularly in business? Some credit the deliberate efforts of the feminist movement, while others point to a spiritual and temporal destabilisation of men, resulting in the forward movement of their female counterparts.

A popular international cable news network ran a documentary on the success of female chief executives a few weeks back and, in doing so, altered my view of women in the workplace and what men must learn as a result of their presence at the head of the table.

The documentary provided empirical evidence indicating that female chief executives are superior to male chief executives in this current age and dispensation. It highlighted a number of variables that seem to set women apart from the men in the representative sample for the study. Perhaps we should make an attempt to view these through the Bahamian lens. Here they are…

• Women are more pragmatic than men in establishing realistic goals. Men love to think big, with ‘pie in the sky’ pipe dreams and no logical methods for achieving them.

• Women test and push the boundaries. It is never good enough in a woman’s world, and even their business objectives are challenging the status quo. They are champions of change.

• Women typically demonstrate a higher degree of honesty and integrity, and have historically proven themselves to become less entangled in workplace scandals, fraud and the like.

• Women are touted for taking the initiative over men.

• Women are less intimidating, and appear to be more approachable, creating a less tense work environment.

• Women are more caring, and are better able to manage from the heart, which appeals to both men and women

• Women demonstrate higher levels of personal discipline than men, and will prepare themselves more adequately for success.

• Women have excelled in academic pursuits in far greater measure than men, and their strong intellectual prowess has catapulted their distinction in the workforce as the leader.

While the documentary focused on female chief executives, it created a balancing effect by revealing the failure of women middle managers to produce the same positive effect in the workforce. In this category, men outperformed women quite significantly.

The conclusion I draw as a mere observer of successes and shortcomings in corporate Bahamas, is that each gender must embrace and understand the natural proclivities, inadequacies and triumphs of the other as we move forward towards improving efficiency and productivity in the workplace.

• NB: Ian R. Ferguson is a talent management and organisational development consultant, having completed graduate studies with regional and international universities. He has served organsations, both locally and globally, providing relevant solutions to their business growth and development issues. He may be contacted at tcconsultants@coralwave.com.