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Over the past few weeks, I have had some women engage with me concerning their leadership development. I could hear the hands wringing and stomachs turning at the thought of investing time and money on their development. Heaven forbid!
Why should a woman invest in herself; more importantly, why should the company invest in a woman's development? Let me quote Ms. Ursula Burns, CEO of Xerox.
"As I've progressed in my career, I've come to appreciate — and really value — the other attributes that define a company's success beyond the P&L: great leadership, long-term financial strength, ethical business practices, evolving business strategies, sound governance, powerful brands, values-based decision-making."
— Ursula Burns, Chairman and CEO
Note the first attribute she commented on was great leadership. Ladies, there is no such thing as a born leader. All have to learn to lead. The first thing every leader learns is how to lead oneself. That means having a personal vision and develop ethical standards, also mentioned in Ms. Burns' statement.
Ladies and Gentlemen, women, make the best leaders. Ladies, take the time and invest in you. Gentlemen and Ladies in supervisory positions spend the money and time to develop your high-potential women. It is right for your business. If you don't have any high-potential women, you may need a new head of HR.
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