You bet we’re just as capable as men of leading in the workplace. So why aren’t we? Recent figures from the Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency show that the number of women on boards and in executive management positions in Australia’s top 200 companies has dropped from 12 per cent in 2004 to 10.7 per cent in 2008

We’re not just hurting ourselves by steering clear of that corner office with a view – a study from Melbourne’s Swinburne University found that company profits are more likely to rise under a female management team, because women have greater emotional intelligence – we’re better able to suppress negative feelings, more intuitive, and more likely to display good leadership skills.

Feeling inspired? To help fuel your ambitions, we grilled a bunch of smart, successful women for their leadership tips.

Alter your perceptions
Forget all those articles you’ve read about glass ceilings and boys’ clubs – they’re not doing you any favours. “Women are almost conditioned from birth to expect bias in the workplace,” says Gillian Fox, Director of Altitude Consulting. “Don’t get preoccupied with these sorts of perceived obstacles. Today, women are actually seen as highly capable. So don’t go into self-doubt – back yourself.” WH stress less expert, psychologist Dr Suzy Green says that even where bias does exist, don’t let it stand in your way.

“Women so often tell themselves that it’s all too hard,” she says. “But a woman who sets herself a goal, believes in her ability to reach it, and persists in her efforts won’t let this stop her.”


Take risks
The winner of the 2008 National Telstra Business Women’s Award, Naomi Simson, was 35 when she stepped out of her high pressure corporate life eight years ago, to set up her own business. She is now CEO of the hugely successful gifting retailer RedBalloon. “Women, by nature, tend to be more conservative than men,” she says. “But a calculated risk can lead to amazing things – I took a huge financial risk, but it was worth it.” If you do start your own business, you’re in good company. According to Dr Karina Butera, a sociologist who specialises in workplace gender issues: “Sixty-five per cent of new businesses last year were started by women.”


Believe in yourself
Fox recalls a story of a man and a woman both in line for the same promotion: “She had around 90 per cent of the job specs; he had maybe 50 per cent. She thought she wasn’t ready and so didn’t go for it. He jumped at the chance and got the job.” Enough said, really.


Speak up – clearly
“Men and women communicate differently,” says Dr Butera. “Women tend to take a more collaborative approach, and can have difficulty dealing with the more forceful way men tend to communicate.” But rather than dwelling on these differences, work with them. “Be direct,” Dr Butera says. “Say, ‘I’m not very good at speaking out. What can we do to make it easier for me to communicate?’ Put the onus back on them.”


Warning: don’t gossip
“Do not – under any circumstances – gossip,” Dr Butera warns. “It’s dangerous. If you have to offload, talk to someone uninvolved. Or, if you have something constructive to say, put it out there. Be willing to articulate it, or it will just fester.” But Fox points out that you’re not here to make friends. “Separate your desire to be loved with your desire to be an effective manager,” she says. This doesn’t mean you need to turn into a ball-breaker. “Some women in upper management become ruthless – it’s their strategy of dealing with the pressure,” Fox says. “It can work for them, but I don’t think they make good role models.”


Deal with it
It’s true, we are emotional creatures. But rather than trying to suppress your emotions, manage them. “If you are stressed, angry or frustrated it will impact your behaviour and damage output,” Fox says. “Engage your mind on how to deal with it rather than being overwhelmed.” Then there’s the C-word. “Crying can make men uncomfortable,” Fox admits. “While women understand that sometimes it can make you feel better, it’s best to avoid it if you can.” But there is also an upside to being emotional. “Emotion also means laughter and playfulness,” Dr Butera says. “Work doesn’t have to be boring and lifeless. And positive emotion equals positive energy.”


Get a mentor
According to the 2006 Business Review Weekly Australian Female Entrepreneur Report, which surveyed 100 female entrepreneurs running fast-growing companies in Australia, after good staff, the next most important ingredients for success are a supportive spouse (67 per cent) and a good mentor (54 per cent). “There have been so many people who have mentored and coached me,” Simson says. “I’m always asking questions, asking for input.” Fox agrees that you should never be afraid to ask for help. “Any good leader knows they don’t know it all,” she says. “A good leader is always curious, always willing to learn, and able to take lessons on board. And it’s important to have people around you that you can turn to – even just someone to bounce off ideas.” Simson highlights the importance of networking: she’s an active member of Entrepreneurs Organisation (eonetwork.org), a global peer-to-peer online networking group. “A group of us meet once a month to talk about issues,” she says.

All proof that with the right support and enough self-belief, you can achieve anything.


The road to eureka: Follow these tips for more fruitful brainstorming

Organise a quintet
Invite up to five people to your brainstorming session, and then close the list. People tend to ramble away on unproductive tangents in larger groups, says Sam Harrison, author of Zing!: Five Steps and 101 Tips for Creativity on Command. Research also shows that group productivity wanes when too many people take turns talking instead of spewing out ideas as they come.

Warm up
Begin each brainstorming session with a five-minute unrelated exercise, such as tackling an imaginary problem (eg, how to light a house with one bulb). “Creativity doesn’t flow unless people can forget about work and get comfortable with one another,” says Harrison.

Encourage wild ideas
“The only way to know if you’ve gone far enough is to go too far and then step back,” says Jack Foster, author of How to Get Ideas. Still, it’s important to focus on a goal. “Brainstorming is a type of improvisation, but even improv needs structure,” says Harrison. As music legend Quincy Jones put it: the more boundaries you set, the more freedom you have.

Judge not
A new idea is delicate, the Roman poet Ovid once noted. It can be killed by a sneer or a yawn, or stabbed to death by a quip. Phrases such as “We’ve tried it before,” “It won’t work,” and “The client won’t like it” should be avoided. “Also never say ‘Let’s try to come out of here with at least one great idea’,” adds Harrison. “Brainstorming is about quantity, not quality.”

Let your ideas percolate
Schedule an editing session for a later time, allowing an incubation period for the subconscious to work on the problem at hand. “If participants realise there’ll be a subsequent session to evaluate ideas, they’ll be less likely to jump in with judgment,” says Harrison. “Also, never let your sessions exceed one hour. If no ideas have bubbled up by then, plan
to regroup another time.”