Could You Function With Only Half a Brain? What Organizations and Leaders Need to Do

By Becky Shambaugh

Companies that ignore the broad spectrum of leadership thinking are destined to fail. The new leadership model for the 21st century is called Integrated Leadership, and it’s based on gender intelligence – balanced teams of men and women working together synergistically to create an overwhelming, undeniable competitive advantage. In my newest book, MAKE ROOM FOR HER: Why Companies Need an Integrated Leadership Model to Achieve Extraordinary Results (McGraw-Hill), I share how organizations can harness the collective strengths of both men and women to soar to new heights.

As the 113th Congress begins, it includes a record number of women, proving that the “old boys’ network” of the 20th century is giving way to a gender-balanced leadership model. Politicians and executives who fail to tap into gender intelligence will get left behind. Consider these statistics:

§  Gender-diverse companies are 69% more profitable. (Source: Harvard Business Review)

§  Companies with the most gender-diverse management had 48% higher earnings. (Source: McKinsey)

§  Companies with significantly more women in the senior ranks had 1.7 times greater stock growth. (Source: McKinsey)

How can gender diversity make such a distinct difference? When men and women work together as equals, they tap into broader perspectives, access a wider range of skills and think more innovatively. Ironically, the very qualities that have historically kept women out of top leadership roles – emotional and social intelligence, collaboration and inclusiveness – are the very qualities organizations and their leadership teams must have to succeed in today’s challenging and complex global marketplace.

Yet women still aren’t equally represented in leadership. They comprise 51% of the American workforce but as little as 15% of the executive suite and corporate boards. That’s why I contend that organizations are using only half of their leadership intelligence. Integrated Leadership offers organizations a way to leverage gender intelligence and create a balanced leadership perspective that yields better business results.

Building an Integrated Leadership team requires a holistic approach. Everyone – men, women and the organizations for which they work – must play a role in the solution. Make Room for Her explains how to build an integrated leadership team through real-world case studies and interviews with more than 50 top executives from companies such as Marriott, Merck and IBM.

The book reveals:

§  What an Integrated Leadership model looks like

§  Why the Integrated Leadership approach is both powerful and sustainable

§  How to harness and leverage the unique leadership qualities of men and women

§  How today’s women can best leverage their energy, talents and power in the workplace

§  Firsthand advice from male leaders on how women can advance and a female perspective on how men can best coach and support them

Gender intelligence is the new competitive advantage. Do you have a gender-balanced, integrated leadership team?

Make Room for Her is available wherever books are sold.

Learn more about SHAMBAUGH’s upcoming Leadership Programs, Becky’s Keynote Offerings, Coaching and their signature Women In Leadership and Learning Program (WILL) by visiting www.shambaughleadership.com.