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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/feb/09/campaign-women-top-jobs-man-sir-philip-hampton-business-leaders
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| So a drive to get more women into top jobs will be led by a man. How insulting | So a drive to get more women into top jobs will be led by a man. How insulting |
| (7 months later) | |
| The government announced the appointment of top businessman Sir Philip Hampton on Sunday to lead a review into why we have so few top businesswomen at Britain’s biggest companies. I pointed out that a key element in this worthy project was missing. Good initiative; but a huge lost opportunity to lead by example. Someone contacted me on social media to explain that a male appointment in this case made sense because “qualifications count as well as symbols”. | The government announced the appointment of top businessman Sir Philip Hampton on Sunday to lead a review into why we have so few top businesswomen at Britain’s biggest companies. I pointed out that a key element in this worthy project was missing. Good initiative; but a huge lost opportunity to lead by example. Someone contacted me on social media to explain that a male appointment in this case made sense because “qualifications count as well as symbols”. |
| It was a neat summary of why the business secretary Sajid Javid got this one wrong. By appointing (another) man to lead (another) project into making more female business leaders, he’s perpetuating the myth that women don’t make good business leaders. “Of course he couldn’t have put a woman in charge! She would only have been there as a symbol, not because she was good enough.” And so on. Narrowing the gender gap at work could add $28tn to the global economy by 2025, according to a recent report by McKinsey, which has also published research showing companies with diverse staff reach diverse audiences and perform better. It’s a clear message – more women means more profits. And yet, even amid economic instability and market turmoil, it’s one our businesses still haven’t fully taken on board. There are only seven female CEOs running FTSE 100 firms, and none at all at the top of FTSE 350 firms. | It was a neat summary of why the business secretary Sajid Javid got this one wrong. By appointing (another) man to lead (another) project into making more female business leaders, he’s perpetuating the myth that women don’t make good business leaders. “Of course he couldn’t have put a woman in charge! She would only have been there as a symbol, not because she was good enough.” And so on. Narrowing the gender gap at work could add $28tn to the global economy by 2025, according to a recent report by McKinsey, which has also published research showing companies with diverse staff reach diverse audiences and perform better. It’s a clear message – more women means more profits. And yet, even amid economic instability and market turmoil, it’s one our businesses still haven’t fully taken on board. There are only seven female CEOs running FTSE 100 firms, and none at all at the top of FTSE 350 firms. |
| With British business overlooking a huge resource to the detriment of us all, the government is right to try to address this. And yes, it’s crucial that men, who make up most of our senior business leaders, are asked to help. But let’s not overcomplicate this. Much of the above can be summed up thus: we need male leaders to make space for women to lead. Think how powerful it would have been if Sir Philip had, instead of appointing Dame Helen Alexander as his deputy, suggested he deputise for her instead? | With British business overlooking a huge resource to the detriment of us all, the government is right to try to address this. And yes, it’s crucial that men, who make up most of our senior business leaders, are asked to help. But let’s not overcomplicate this. Much of the above can be summed up thus: we need male leaders to make space for women to lead. Think how powerful it would have been if Sir Philip had, instead of appointing Dame Helen Alexander as his deputy, suggested he deputise for her instead? |
| It’s time to insist that space be made for women to lead and contribute their creative power, for the benefit of all | It’s time to insist that space be made for women to lead and contribute their creative power, for the benefit of all |
| Without wishing to suggest this never crossed Sir Philip’s mind – and acknowledging the male CEOs who are championing change – it seems unlikely that we will see businesses introduce such dramatic equality measures any time soon. A recent survey by the Fawcett Society found that while seven in 10 men believe equality between women and men would be better for the economy, six in 10 people believe men in top jobs won’t make room for women unless they have to. | Without wishing to suggest this never crossed Sir Philip’s mind – and acknowledging the male CEOs who are championing change – it seems unlikely that we will see businesses introduce such dramatic equality measures any time soon. A recent survey by the Fawcett Society found that while seven in 10 men believe equality between women and men would be better for the economy, six in 10 people believe men in top jobs won’t make room for women unless they have to. |
| The recent (Mervyn) Davies report suggesting 33% should be the correct board representation by 2020 for 51% of Britain’s population made this point equally well. | The recent (Mervyn) Davies report suggesting 33% should be the correct board representation by 2020 for 51% of Britain’s population made this point equally well. |
| Leaving it to business leaders to resolve this issue hasn’t worked. In any other aspect of business, a strategy that failed so consistently would have been put aside. It’s time to put this one aside too. It’s time to insist that space be made for women to lead and contribute their creative power, for the benefit of all. | Leaving it to business leaders to resolve this issue hasn’t worked. In any other aspect of business, a strategy that failed so consistently would have been put aside. It’s time to put this one aside too. It’s time to insist that space be made for women to lead and contribute their creative power, for the benefit of all. |
| I think there should be a race to the top to harness the untapped power of women. And I think London could be one of the big winners, which is why I’m running for mayor with plans to transform capital’s economy by giving London’s 4 million women equal job opportunities. | I think there should be a race to the top to harness the untapped power of women. And I think London could be one of the big winners, which is why I’m running for mayor with plans to transform capital’s economy by giving London’s 4 million women equal job opportunities. |
| More broadly, this is why the Women’s Equality party would introduce quotas on boards and executive committees as a short-term measure. We’re listening to senior managers whose resistance to quotas has been reduced by a long wait and a weak counter-argument that mediocrity will prevail if we stop appointing white men to every top job. We’re taking our lead from female business leaders such as Moya Greene of Royal Mail, Jane Shepherdson of Whistles and Lucy Marcus of Marcus Venture Consulting, who have all spoken out for quotas. (As Marcus said to me: “People realise that there need to be more women and they’re getting tired of hearing that it’s going to take a generation to get there. Quotas help to ensure there is an environment with independent voices and good governance. It’s a very logical argument.”) | More broadly, this is why the Women’s Equality party would introduce quotas on boards and executive committees as a short-term measure. We’re listening to senior managers whose resistance to quotas has been reduced by a long wait and a weak counter-argument that mediocrity will prevail if we stop appointing white men to every top job. We’re taking our lead from female business leaders such as Moya Greene of Royal Mail, Jane Shepherdson of Whistles and Lucy Marcus of Marcus Venture Consulting, who have all spoken out for quotas. (As Marcus said to me: “People realise that there need to be more women and they’re getting tired of hearing that it’s going to take a generation to get there. Quotas help to ensure there is an environment with independent voices and good governance. It’s a very logical argument.”) |
| And we’re representing 45,000 party members and registered supporters, who are saying it’s time to crack on. “There’s something really powerful about a man speaking up for gender equality,” I was told several times on Sunday – even as I made the same point myself. There is indeed. But there’s something even more powerful about a man creating the space for a woman to speak – rather than explaining, to her, again, why she can’t just yet. | And we’re representing 45,000 party members and registered supporters, who are saying it’s time to crack on. “There’s something really powerful about a man speaking up for gender equality,” I was told several times on Sunday – even as I made the same point myself. There is indeed. But there’s something even more powerful about a man creating the space for a woman to speak – rather than explaining, to her, again, why she can’t just yet. |