Challenges of Women in Leadership

By Pris Nelson

Not everyone knows the story of Alice In Wonderland so let me begin by giving a brief overview of the story and, if you will, a few metaphors which seem appropriate.

Lewis Carroll wrote this story in 1865 about a little girl who travelled into a magic world in chase of a white rabbit that she followed down a rabbit hole. She meets numerous characters such as the Mad Hatter, the Queen of Hearts, the Mock Turtle, the Cheshire Cat and the March Hare; all guests at a fantasy tea party. Each character contributes to a myriad of opportunities with complicated scenarios and outcomes. It’s a delightful children’s story and it has served as the topic of many management studies. Numerous analogies have been drawn between the misguided decisions of Alice and modern day lessons in leadership.
If we were to ask Alice as an adult with a child of her own, about the decisions she had taken in this “Fantasy”, she would most likely agree that she would have benefited from more training in problem solving. One choice she might rethink would certainly whether or not to follow an unknown white rabbit down an equally unknown long dark hole.

Lesson #1:  Following someone who cares more about “how they look” or “getting things done” rather than getting things done right, can lead to a deep hole.
I recall when the United States was going through its struggle with equal rights and women in the workplace challenges, changes didn’t happen overnight. Women followed unspoken rules to get ahead often loosing an important part of them in the process.

Many women choose career over family, recognizing that at that time in our history, it would be challenging to have both.  Nuclear families rather than extended families were a reality. The extended family system, as it exists in India as well as other parts of Asia, allows for support to working mothers, although there are still expectations that women hold a dual role and specific expectations about those roles in the family.

During this time in our history, in the U.S. and in India, women would routinely complete their educations and when it was time for a family, leave the work force. The introduction of programs such as “job sharing” and “maternity leave” helped significantly in bringing about different options. Women began realizing that despite the challenges, they could have a family and a career. Such programs are now becoming more acceptable as global organizations face increasing challenges with knowledge worker shortages and more women coming into the work force.