Why don't women seek CEO positions?

Patricia Arboleda

February 8,2023 at 2:22PM UTC

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Why don't women seek CEO positions?

The reason lies in the fact that many women do not consider this a realistic goal. According to a study by Korn Ferry, in which they interviewed several female CEOs, until a challenge comes their way, and they take it on, they do not believe they are capable of achieving complex tasks; much less to play roles of greater visibility or power.

But to reach this conclusion, we need to dig deeper. This inability to recognize our potential and take risks has its roots in how our thinking has been shaped over many generations and how we position ourselves to the outside world.

Countless talented women have missed out on valuable opportunities simply because they didn't feel they were enough for a role.

So the task for us as leaders is to develop those soft skills that allow women to keep pointing toward a future of steady growth and, above all, to do it from the bottom up.

We need to rally our efforts and really invest in coaching and mentoring to strengthen the workforce and achieve more balanced, diverse, empathic leadership with broader opportunities for all. I assure you that this brings many more benefits than you can imagine, both for women employees starting their careers and for the company overall.

That is why my work focuses on supporting female talent, we have a lot to contribute, and if we do not work on bringing it to light, we will lose from all spheres.

What do you think about it?

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Megan RussellFebruary 8,2023 at 2:36PM UTC
I was recently talking with a recruiter, and she said in her experience "Men apply for positions before they are ready, but women wait to apply after they know they are ready." I definitely agree that it is how we are conditioned.
AnonymousFebruary 8,2023 at 5:36PM UTC
I once heard (can't remember where) that men are hired for potential, women are hired for past performance.
Patricia ArboledaFebruary 9,2023 at 2:39PM UTC
That's interesting and a completely truth.
Jessica PastorFebruary 8,2023 at 6:22PM UTC
I've had employees tell me they don't think they are the best qualified and I've encouraged them to throw their name in the hat to get the opportunity to share what they bring to the role.
I had one person who took me up on my advice and ended up getting the job. It takes courage but can pay off!
Patricia ArboledaFebruary 9,2023 at 2:45PM UTC
Yes, it happens all the time. It is interesting to see how we have been culturally taught to be too cautious, to not take risks... The lack of confidence we have is a result of these misconceptions.
Maggie SmithFebruary 8,2023 at 8:13PM UTC
How many role models and mentors are there to guide us? This is probably one reason. Also, at home we typically switch to working the second shift. So it becomes overwhelming to even stay afloat. I attended a special leadership program for women and it was interesting how many differences there are in how we are approaching things than men and also perceptions of us.
AnonymousFebruary 9,2023 at 5:27PM UTC
I'm not sure I agree with the reasons why you list that women don't become CEO's. Often its lack of opportunity and the fact that unlike men the power grab is not quite so appealing. Women don't necessarily need only women mentors, they just need mentors that are open to sharing knowledge for success. If we make it all about gender it only remains all about gender, and not about true accomplishment. We're also smart enough to know when being a CEO will not be the position where you can most influence a company or a business or a mission. Sometimes it can be in other aligned roles where your impact may be less public but far more long reaching.
Patricia ArboledaFebruary 14,2023 at 2:04PM UTC
Thanks for sharing your thoughts.