Training Industry Magazine - Winter 2014 - (Page 21)
WOMEN,
LEADERSHIP
AND
EMOTIONAL
INTELLIGENCE
by DR. SHAWN ANDREWS
W
omen leaders are still a minority in the business world. During the past three decades, women
have achieved parity with men in both number of employees in the workforce and positions
in middle management-women now represent 58.6 percent of the labor force in the United States
and occupy 51.4 percent of all management, professional and related occupations according to the
U.S. Department of Labor. However, women hold only 14.3 percent of executive officer positions of
the Fortune 500 companies, and the number of female CEOs at these companies is 3.8 percent (and
this number has barely budged in 10 years).
To further complicate these statistics, research in the past decade identifies an individual's emotional
intelligence (EQ) as a key aspect and driver of leadership effectiveness. Emotional intelligence
assessments have found women and men to be equally as intelligent emotionally, but they are
strong in different areas or attributes that are considered gender-specific. The significance of these
statistics and the implications on leadership is cause for discussion.
TRAINING INDUSTRY MAGAZINE - WINTER2013 I WWW.TRAININGINDUSTRY.COM/TIQ
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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Training Industry Magazine - Winter 2014