I recently had the opportunity to speak at TEDxRockCreekPark, an independently organized TED event. It was a phenomenal experience to share the podium with incredibly diverse thought leaders, including neuroscientists, film makers and even a 13-year-old entrepreneur. The theme of the event was The Hero’s Journey, based on the idea by Joseph Campbell that each of us is on a hero’s journey. At times in life we find ourselves in a challenging situation, experience a revelation, and are transformed by the experience.

At first glance, the hero’s challenges appear to be external. Yet in actuality, the challenges heroes face are most often internal – it is their self-limiting beliefs and behaviors that prevent them from achieving their goals. Once they address and overcome these internal challenges, they are positively transformed and find the success they seek.

I am fascinated by this topic because I see the hero’s journey as the same journey many of us face in our ascent up the leadership ladder. This is true for men and women, but particularly so for women. I’ve spoken to and worked with thousands of women over the last 20 years, and I’ve seen this play out time and time again. I’ve experienced it in my own leadership journey. The times I didn’t get promotions or special projects, I rationalized hundreds of reasons why I was passed over, and few of those reasons had anything to do with me.

But then I found a great mentor who was candid with me and pointed out that while there might be legitimate external reasons why I wasn’t advancing, I really needed to look at what I was doing – or not doing – that might be holding me back. Suddenly I realized that even more important than the glass ceiling is what I now call the Sticky Floors.

Sticky Floors refer to the self-limiting beliefs, assumptions, and behaviors that prevent us from advancing on our leadership journey. We tend to think it is the external issues that hold us back – other people, the company, “the glass ceiling.” However, the truth is that just like the hero, it is most often our internal issues that keep us from advancing to higher levels of leadership. We must overcome our Sticky Floors if we want to continually grow and develop as leaders. There are a handful of Sticky Floors, which I have personally been and have observed many talented and smart people get stuck on. One Sticky Floor could be perfectionism versus embracing good enough, or not speaking up when we have something important to say. Others could be failure to build strategic relationships with people who can be helpful mentors or sponsors and give you important advice and feedback or confidently asking for what you want and need.

If you find yourself stuck on your leadership journey, remember that you have a choice. You can look outward and blame others, or you can look inward at what might be your Sticky Floors. And, if you think you might have some beliefs, assumptions or behaviors that are getting in your way, be encouraged, because you have a far greater ability to affect internal issues than external ones. The resources exist to help you get unstuck and advance to the next level.

When you look back on your life and your career how are you going to measure your success? What will be your legacy? Whether it’s rising to greater levels of leadership, being the best parent you can be or reaching out and helping others along the way, know you are a hero on a leadership journey, and you have complete control over your destiny. When you face and overcome your internal challenges, more doors will open for you and you’ll have many more opportunities. And then…anything is possible!

Have you ever felt “stuck” in your career, thought you’d hit the “glass ceiling?” Becky Shambaugh illustrates what really stops us – “the sticky floors.” Hear how to transform the beliefs, assumptions, and behaviors that aren’t working for you anymore...to achieve your wildest dreams! View Becky’s talk at TEDxRockCreekPark

What Sticky Floors might be keeping you from advancing on your leadership journey?

Learn more about SHAMBAUGH’s upcoming Leadership Programs, Becky Shambaugh’s Keynote Offerings, Sponsorship Consulting and Professional Development, Integrated Leadership – Leveraging the Gender Differences, Coaching and our signature Women In Leadership and Learning Program (WILL) by visiting www.shambaughleadership.com

There has been a great deal of debate recently about Sheryl Sandberg’s book, Lean In (Knopf). Kudos to Sheryl for re-igniting the conversation about the shortage of women in senior leadership and for drawing national attention to this incredibly important topic. Now that we have debated the whos, the whys and the hows, it’s time to move forward. It’s time to move from conversation to action – to stop talking about advancing more women into senior leadership and start doing something about it.

If we want to make real progress in advancing women, we are going to have to rethink the methods we’ve been using. Why? Because the evidence clearly shows that these traditional approaches – such as diversity quotas, leadership development programs for women, women’s networks and forums, etc. – simply aren’t working. These initiatives have been around for decades, yet women still only comprise about 15 percent of executive leadership and corporate boards.

I believe traditional approaches are missing a key piece of the puzzle: MEN. Conventional methods for advancing women involve women of course, as well as organizations. However, they leave out the other key players – the men who make up 80 percent of senior leadership. If we are serious about advancing women, we must engage men in the process. Through my work at SHAMBAUGH, I have the opportunity to talk with male leaders all over the country. When the conversation turns to the topic of how to advance more women into senior leadership, this is typical of what I hear:

• I’m willing to help, but quite frankly, no one has invited me in or seems interested in having me help.
• I’ve thought about giving some of the women in our organization some constructive feedback, but I’m concerned I might say the wrong thing or offend them.
• I always here that it’s a man’s world or “old boys” network and sometimes I feel I have to apologize for being a man.

Ironically, in trying to resolve this problem of excluding women from leadership, we have excluded men as part of the solution. Real change will only come from a cohesive, united effort that includes women, organizations and, yes, men:

1. Women must be receptive to the unique value men have to offer. Since they represent the vast majority of leadership, men can be excellent coaches, mentors and sponsors. Furthermore, many of women’s Sticky Floors (self-limiting beliefs and behaviors) happen to be men’s strengths, such as developing strategic relationships, asking for what you want, taking risks, getting out of your comfort zone and managing organizational dynamics. This creates an optimal coaching dynamic.
2. Organizations need to invite men to be part of the process and be intentional about engaging them. For example, when included, men are often the most valuable speakers in women’s leadership forums and panels. Organizations should also provide men with coaching in how to appropriately give women feedback and help them apply it.
3. Men must see themselves as part of the solution, as champions of developing and advancing the next generation of leaders. They need to be willing to step up and play an active role in sponsoring top talent by seeking out aspiring, high-performing women who don’t have the access and visibility to be considered for leadership and growth opportunities. If organizations desire to thrive rather than merely survive, they must have integrated, gender-balanced leadership teams, and building these teams is everyone’s responsibility. If we want to Make Room for Her, we must also make room for him.

Learn more about Integrated Leadership for the 21st Century by registering to attend SHAMBAUGH’s May 9th Leadership Program in Atlanta, GA!

For more about SHAMBAUGH’s upcoming Leadership Programs, Becky Shambaugh’s Keynote Offerings, Sponsorship Consulting and Professional Development, Coaching and their signature Women In Leadership and Learning Program (WILL) visit www.shambaughleadership.com.

At a recent event in Washington, D.C. for my latest book, Make Room for Her: Why Companies Need an Integrated Leadership Model to Achieve Extraordinary Results (McGraw-Hill), I was honored to have in attendance senior executives from such highly successful companies as Marriott, Merck, IBM and PPD. Several of these executives shared their insights and perspectives on leadership and what it’s going to take to lead effectively in the 21st century.

I opened the event by highlighting the dramatic shifts taking place in our work environments and across the world, as well as the business case for Integrated Leadership, which calls for embracing and leveraging the broader spectrum of human intelligence in our organizations and teams. Dottie Brienza, Chief Diversity Officer and Head of Talent Development for Merck, then shared some terrific thoughts on Integrated Leadership and the importance of having balanced leadership teams: “Numerous research studies show that organizations with a greater number of women in senior executive positions are more profitable, have greater market share and are better able to compete and grow. Businesses that have fewer women, frankly, are leaving money on the table. It simply doesn’t make good business sense to leave women out. This is not because women are better than men. It’s because women bring something fundamentally different to the table that allows businesses to operate more holistically.”

Dottie makes a great point. What is concerning, however, is that we have been talking about the need for more women in leadership for decades, and yet we still haven’t made as much progress in this area as we should have. Only 4.2 percent of the Fortune 500 companies have women CEOs. That’s only 20 women compared to 480 men, and astoundingly, 11 of those 20 women were appointed in 2011 and 2012. At this rate, women won’t be equally represented in senior leadership for decades.

This is not about advancing women to the senior leadership ranks because it’s the right thing to do. Organizations should build gender-balanced leadership teams because it leads to better decision making, better outcomes and better business results. Dottie concurs: “Men and women each represent only have of the leadership equation, and we need both. How many businesses would survive in the long term if they were missing half of their sales forecasts or half of their manufacturing deliverables or half of what’s been promised to investors? If we operate only from half of our knowledge, half of our insights, half of our intuition, we will be limited. We will be able to relate to only a narrow slice of the world, and we’ll miss all kinds of opportunities that are crucial to our success. And as a result, we will miss a critical chance for the continuous learning that will keep us at the top of our industry and give us that competitive advantage we need to remain there in the future. That’s why I believe every organization needs Integrated Leadership.”

Dottie is just one of many business leaders who recognizes the importance of leveraging the full spectrum of human intelligence. Successful organizations, now and in the future, will be led by fully engaged, balanced teams of men and women working together synergistically to produce extraordinary results. It’s time to change the paradigm and focus on what men and women can do together. Our organizations cannot thrive without the diverse insights, perspectives and thinking that both men and women bring to the table.

Does your team include a wide enough spectrum of leadership traits, thinking and behaviors, and are they able to capitalize on the broader spectrum of human intelligence?

Make Room for Her is available wherever books are sold.

Learn more about Integrated Leadership and its Connection to the Broader Spectrum of Human Intelligence by registering to attend SHAMBAUGH’s May 9th Leadership Forum in Atlanta, GA!

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

When I decided to write my latest book, Make Room for Her: Why Companies Need an Integrated Leadership Model to Achieve Extraordinary Results (McGraw-Hill, December 2012), my goal was to start a dialogue about the lack of women at the top levels of leadership. According to a recent New York Times article, Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg and former top State Department official Anne-Marie Slaughter have the same goal. The need for this dialogue is clear: after decades of talking about gender diversity, women are still grossly under-represented in the senior leadership ranks. Even though women make 80% of purchasing decisions, comprise 51% of the workforce and hold close to 50% of all managerial positions in the Fortune 500, they represent as little as 15% of the executive suite and corporate boards.

In her forthcoming book Lean In (Knopf, March 2013), Sheryl Sandberg argues that the primary reason women are not advancing to the senior ranks is because they often inadvertently sabotage themselves. On the other side of the debate is Anne-Marie Slaughter, who places the blame for the lack of women in senior leadership with the organizations who employ them and with policymakers who fail to enact legislation to support them.

So, who is responsible for the gender gap at the top? The reality is that it’s not “either-or,” it’s “and.” It’s not either women or the organizations they work for. It’s both…and it’s men as well! As I share in Make Room for Her, Integrated Leadership – building gender-balanced leadership teams that produce better business results – requires a holistic approach. It’s not about “fixing” women, women’s leadership development programs or diversity quotas. And it’s not just the responsibility of Human Resources, although they will certainly play a key role. Integrated Leadership is a three-legged stool – women, men and the organizations for which they work must all play a role in the solution.

I concur with Sheryl Sandberg that women often hold themselves back. In fact, my first book, It’s Not A Glass Ceiling, It’s a Sticky Floor (McGraw-Hill, 2007) focuses on what I call the “sticky floors” of self-limiting assumptions, beliefs and behaviors that prevent women from realizing their potential and moving into mid-level leadership. In Make Room for Her, I explore a different set of challenges that hold women back from more senior positions, such as leveraging their natural strengths, showing up strategic and utilizing sponsorship.

I also agree with Anne-Marie Slaughter – the importance of the organization and its top leadership cannot be underestimated when it comes to building gender-balanced leadership teams. Organizations must communicate the business case for Integrated Leadership, create an inclusive culture that values the broad spectrum of human intelligence and proactively seek ways to advance more women into senior leadership. I recommend a systematic approach that uses a company’s HR strategies (succession planning, talent management programs, measurement and recognition programs, leadership development process, etc.) as a foundation.

Both Sandberg and Slaughter have good points and positive intentions regarding women’s advancement. Yet we can’t forget that one of the main reasons we have not increased women’s representation in leadership is that we have missed or neglected a key piece of the puzzle – men! Because men have been pushed to the sidelines and have not participated as co-creators of balanced leadership teams, they have perhaps become apathetic about supporting women. Yet men, who represent over 80% of senior leadership and corporate boards, are in the very best position to help women advance to the top leadership ranks. We need to tap into men’s knowledge, experience and insights, as well as their goodwill. It’s time for men to actively participate in the process by coaching, mentoring and sponsoring women and by acting as change agents within their organizations and teams.

I am both encouraged and energized by the attention this subject is garnering in the national consciousness. People are finally beginning to embrace the principle that numerous studies have already proven: gender-balanced leadership teams produce better business results. But we won’t get there by focusing solely on the role of women or organizations, or even both. It requires women, men and organizations working together to create Integrated Leadership teams.

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

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 the broaded spectrum of human intelligence will get left behind. Consider these statistics:

• Balanced integrated leadership teams are 69% more profitable. (Source: Harvard Business Review)
• Companies with the most balanced integrated leadership 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 the broader spectrum of human 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

Balanced integrated leadership teams 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.

Although we may not recognize it, we often experience Yin and Yang in business. For example, we talk about the reality of budgets versus the possibility of innovation, or the advantage of adequate analysis versus the pressure of the window of opportunity. Our tendency is to see these as conflicting priorities or divergent goals, when in fact, the integration of these competing ideas will create a natural equilibrium where problems get solved and solutions benefit the greatest good.

Many cultures outside of the U.S. have grounded their leadership theories around the Yin-Yang concept, and perhaps it’s time for Western cultures to do the same. If so, what needs to be balanced and what exactly needs to be integrated in this new approach to leadership? It’s really pretty simple: balanced integrated leadership teams.

Integrated Leadership relates to the considerable differences in how men and women operate in the workplace – how they think, lead, communicate, act, react, problem solve, make decisions, negotiate and work together. Men tend to be more competitive, evidence based, results oriented and present focused. Women, on the other hand, tend to be more collaborative, intuitive, empathetic and future focused. Certainly, both men and women can and do possess the traits of both genders, but each gender is geared toward natural tendencies.

Integrated Leadership leverages the seemingly opposite traits, skills, and strengths of both men and women. When integrated, the complementary nature of male and female leadership characteristics establishes the synergy that leads to better business outcomes. It takes both men and women, working together in unison, to fully utilize the broad spectrum of human intelligence and maintain a competitive advantage.

SHAMBAUGH has been doing work around the Integrated Leadership Model for years, and it is the focus of my new book Make Room for Her: Why Companies Need an Integrated Leadership Model to Achieve Extraordinary Results. Just last week I spoke at a conference on the topic of Balanced Integrated Leadership Teams. It’s evident from my interactions with executives that organizations are beginning to realize that they can’t effectively hit performance goals by using just half of their leadership potential – neither male-dominated nor female-dominated teams will produce desired outcomes. But a balanced team comprised of men and women creates the Yin-Yang effect that produces optimum results.

Many futurists think that our world will continue to experience complexities that will call for new ways of thinking and leading. Successful organizations of the future will be led by fully engaged, balanced teams of men and women working together. The Integrated Leadership Model represents Yin-Yang leadership for the 21st century.

Don’t miss Becky’s groundbreaking NEW book, Make Room for Her: Why Companies Need an Integrated Leadership Model to Achieve Extraordinary Results. Essential reading for anyone who hopes to lead an organization to greatness, Make Room for Her reveals:

• What an “Integrated Leadership” model looks like
• Why the Integrated Leadership approach is powerful and sustainable
• How to harness the unique qualities of men and women with an eye toward making sure female employees’ talents don’t go unnoticed.

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.

As for why Sullivan was forced out, a New York Times article suggests that although she is a talented and well-credentialed administrator, UVA’s Board of Visitors (i.e., board of trustees) perhaps felt she was just that – an administrator rather than a leader. The article further infers that Board members thought Sullivan lacked vision and a strategic perspective, didn’t possess the “mettle” necessary to make tough decisions, and didn’t fit their image of a chief executive. But after numerous on-campus protests and a significant social media backlash, the Board reinstated her. I wish Teresa well in what will undoubtedly be an awkward, if not difficult, situation going forward.

Sullivan’s experience drives home an important lesson for women leaders who aspire to the executive suite: it’s not enough to have exceptional technical and leadership skills; to be successful at the most senior levels, you must have the whole “executive package.” Whether the lack of presence was the primary reason Teresa was initially transitioned out of her role at UVA, it’s one of the key reasons women often are not advanced to the senior leadership ranks. The other is not showing up strategic which links directly to executive presence. To be clear, executive presence is crucial for men as well, but it seems to be a much greater challenge for women.

While executive presence absolutely encompasses appearance, it is so much more than that. Executive presence has to do with the way one carries and conveys oneself, including confidence, composure, decisiveness, authenticity and the ability to communicate in an articulate manner. I realize it may seem shallow or “old school” that people might judge you as not being “executive material” just because you look, act or sound a certain way, but people make judgments on an unconscious level all the time. If you look and act the part, people will give you the benefit of the doubt. On the other hand, not having executive presence can be a deal breaker.

I frequently speak at women’s leadership conferences around the country. In talking with women leaders, I consistently find that executive presence is one of the biggest challenges they face, and yet they often fail to realize the importance of having it. This anecdotal evidence is supported by a Harvard Business Review report, “The Sponsor Effect,” which found that only 45 percent of women think that executive presence helps one get ahead. This problem is compounded by another factor the report’s authors discovered: women are 41 percent less likely than men to receive feedback about their image.

Unfortunately, in most organizations, there is no handbook or framework to guide women in what constitutes executive presence. Generally speaking, there are four characteristics most crucial to executive presence:

• Personal/physical – We all know by now that the largest portion of communication is non-verbal such as facial expression, eye contact, and projection of inner confidence. Be certain your dress, hygiene, posture and demeanor convey a professional, executive image.
• Communication – Speak the language of business, connect your information to the business strategy, be clear and concise, balance emotions with logic, and always add value to the conversation.
• Relational – Connect with those you’re speaking to by adapting your style and developing rapport with them. Be authentic and respectful to others. Actively listen and be open to other points of view.
• Results – Work to develop a reputation as one who gets results, is a thought leader, and goes above and beyond to get the job done. Spark insight, stir passion for important work, and engage the workforce to achieve a mission.

Don’t make the mistake of thinking that simply doing a good job and getting great results will get you that promotion into the upper leadership ranks. Proactively enhance your executive presence by seeking honest feedback from a trusted mentor who has seen you in action. Ask him or her which of the four characteristics you most need to improve. Then practice developing those skills in meetings, conference calls, and even in your email correspondence. And remember to always be intentional about the impression you are leaving with others.

What advice do you have for women leaders regarding executive presence?

Learn more about SHAMBAUGH’s upcoming leadership programs, Becky’s Keynote Offerings, Coaching and their signature Women In Leadership and Learning (WILL) Program. To learn more about the Sticky Floors check out Rebecca’s best selling book, It’s Not a Glass Ceiling, It’s a Sticky Floor, and for more information about SHAMBAUGH's Leadership programs visit www.shambaughleadership.com.

• Forty-four percent of all Olympic athletes were women (a record number), and 34 countries had teams that included more women than men.¹
• For the first time, the U.S. team had more women than men, and the women earned more medals than men (58 compared to 46).
• With the introduction of women’s boxing, women were able to compete for the first time in all the same sports as men.
• These were the first Olympic Games in which every country had women athletes on their teams.

The Games of 2012 have been dubbed “the women’s games.” Jacques Rogge, head of the International Olympic Committee, noted during his opening speech that these Olympics represented “a major boost for gender equality.” I couldn’t agree more. The Olympics have leveled the playing field for women in sports.

But what really struck me was that, for the most part, women were welcomed, embraced and widely supported – not simply because they were women, but because of their talents and abilities. This is a model and a mindset that every organization and institution would be wise to adopt. Forward-thinking companies (like forward-thinking countries) value women for their individual capabilities and performance. Many other companies, however, have been slow to invite women onto the executive leadership team (not unlike Saudi Arabia which begrudgingly allowed women on its team in order to compete). In our work at SHAMBAUGH, I hear a lot of leaders and organizations talk about including more women in the senior leadership ranks, but I still don’t see enough action.

These Olympic Games also demonstrated the power of sponsorship. SHAMBAUGH helps organizations develop and implement intentional sponsorship initiatives designed to help women gain greater visibility and access to advancement and growth opportunities. A similar type initiative occurred at the Olympics when the International Olympic Committee declared that every country participating in the Games must have at least one qualified woman on their team. In addition, the seven pioneering women who were the first from their Muslim countries to compete certainly must have had strong advocates every step of the way in order to reach their goals.

For me, one of the highlights of the Games was watching men and women teammates cheer for one another. From swimming and diving to cycling and gymnastics, the genders supported each other in the pursuit of a common goal – to represent their country to the best of their abilities. This is the same as my goal for the business environment: to have men and women leaders come together in solidarity to support one another and work together for the common goal of organizational success.

While the Olympic Games are over for another two years, the Summer Games of 2012 will be remembered for setting a new mark for women athletes and their male counterparts across the globe. My hope is that this will be the beginning of a new era of moving beyond gender in all professions – treating men and women as equals, leveraging each individual’s strengths and talents, and encouraging each to perform to her/his full potential.

What is your “takeaway” from the Summer Olympic Games?

SHAMBAUGH’s leadership and organizational development, employee engagement, and coaching services in addition to SHAMBAUGH’s Programs for Women, and our Women In Leadership and Learning (WILL) Program (view video highlights of SHAMBAUGH's WILL Program) have been successfully impacting the careers of women leaders for more than 17 years. To learn more about SHAMBAUGH’s integrated and holistic approach towards developing and advancing women leaders in the workplace visit www.shambaughleadership.com

 ¹ http://www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/london/story/2012-08-06/women-sports-gains-reflected-in-olympics/56814854/1

1. Identify high-potential women in senior roles who are both interested in and deemed ready to move to the next level;
2. Establish formal advocacy relationships for these women with senior executives;
3. Position sponsorship not as another program, but rather an imperative that touches everyone in the organization and must be woven into the fabric of the culture;
4. Reinforce the importance of women protégées being architects of their own careers and being proactive in developing sponsor relationships.

Although the primary goal of these programs is to provide greater visibility, exposure and opportunities for top talented women, they in fact create win/win/win scenarios. First, women benefit from formal sponsorship relationships that foster more commitment between sponsors and protégés. Second, senior executives who serve as advocates gain better insight into the business as they meet and work with leaders deeper in the organization. And third, organizations benefit from greater gender diversity throughout the organization, particularly at the most senior levels.

SHAMBAUGH’s unique consulting model for sponsorship helps clients build integrated leadership teams. We often focus on weaving sponsorship initiatives into the culture of the organization, and that starts with commitment from top leadership.  Who in the organization ultimately owns the responsibility for advancing talent? If it isn’t the CEO and the executive team, there’s a real problem. Developing talent and building a balanced leadership team doesn't happen overnight. It is an intentional and constant responsibility that executives must be thinking about every day.

Although the specifics of a sponsorship program or initiative will of course vary from organization to organization, there are common steps senior leadership can take to ensure success:

• Establish, internalize and communicate the business case. A strong business case which clearly outlines how a sponsorship program is not a “nice” thing to do but the smart thing to do will drive higher, more commitment to the program.
• Engage men, their experience and wisdom. Men represent the largest proportion of senior leaders and as such have tremendous value to offer women. Organizations must bring men in from the sidelines, give them the tools to effectively sponsor women and then hold them accountable for doing such.
• Tap women in the pipeline early on. It’s important for organizations to reach out to talented women in entry, managerial and emerging leader roles early in their careers and to be proactive in the conversations and actions they have with them.
• Be sure each woman has a meaningful development plan. Put together a targeted plan that includes a 360° assessment, a focus on longer-term career and leadership goals, and specific opportunities that allow for building the skills necessary for executive leadership. Then, ensure there is intentional follow-up and on-going support for their career growth.
• Create connections and visibility for them. Strengthen connections between high-potential women and senior executives or key male stakeholders in your organization. Provide opportunities for women to cross network, share ideas, share challenges and concerns, and mentor each other when appropriate.
• Ensure that women on the cusp of advancing to the next level have excellent coaching. Having coached hundreds of leaders, I know from experience that when women have “on-boarding coaching,” it gives them a better foundation for success. Coaching at this particular time helps women gain a better understanding of the context of their new role, the dynamics of key relationships and a new environment, and the skills necessary for the job.
• Provide customized learning programs. While organizations have a wealth of courses available to all employees, programs that address the specific needs of women make a tremendous difference. SHAMBAUGH’s research indicates that more than 50 percent of women who attend these programs take on greater responsibility in their organization within 12 months.

Companies that intentionally foster sponsorship of their standout women will gain and sustain a distinct competitive advantage. Here are a few questions to help you move this idea from conversation to intentional action:

• Do you hold your leadership team accountable for recognizing talented women, advocating for them and moving them through the leadership pipeline all the way to the top?
• Do you have specific plans or programs in place to intentionally and proactively sponsor high-potential women to help move them into senior leadership positions?
• Do you provide professional development, tools and best practices for both sponsors and protégées?
• Do you integrate the purpose and value of sponsorship into your company’s other talent development programs?

To learn more about SHAMBAUGH’s Sponsorship programs and consulting services and our other leadership development and coaching services visit www.shambaughleadership.com

First of all, she is exactly what Yahoo was looking for. Fred Amoroso, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Yahoo stated, “The Board of Directors unanimously agreed that Marissa’s unparalleled track record in technology, design, and product execution makes her the right leader for Yahoo at this time of enormous opportunity,”  And, as far as I know, being a mother doesn’t make a person less innovative, or less consumer savvy or less technologically gifted!

Secondly, Marissa is a very resourceful individual who, like other successful executives, realizes that no one at the top accomplishes success alone. For years, men have had a support system – both at home and at work – and successful executive women can too. Male or female, the higher you climb on the corporate ladder, the more important it is to realize that you can have it all but you can’t have it all by doing it all by yourself! I imagine Marissa is well aware of this.

I think a better way to frame the question regarding Marissa’s future success is less about her pregnancy and more about her ability to create a compelling vision for Yahoo, build a strong and creative leadership team, and create an engaging organizational culture where Yahoo’s top talent will want to work.  Not to mention that Yahoo is looking to regain their competitive advantage with an increasingly female consumer buying base and was smart in choosing a woman to lead this transformation! Maybe it’s as simple as it takes one to know one! Whatever it is, she has the knowledge, experience, insights and track-record to be successful.  It seems to me that’s the real answer to most all the questions being asked about her.

And I think her selection is setting the stage for more to come in corporate America.  Although women are currently under represented in Executive suites, we all know that the world is a very different place than it was just ten short years ago. You simply can’t run a successful company in today’s complex global marketplace with only men at the top. It takes a balance of men and women in executive positions – leveraging their unique strengths – to both grow, as well as turn around, companies in this stagnant economy.

Yahoo gives us hope that organizations are finally going to break down the glass ceiling for women and select the person best equipped to get the job done. And, trust me, women who aspire to lead organizations will figure out how to juggle children and work – like they’ve been doing for decades! Hats off to Marissa for stepping into the CEO role at Yahoo. Like many, I wish her much success as she will be the torch for so many to follow!

Rebecca Shambaugh, author of It’s Not a Glass Ceiling, It’s a Sticky Floor, is the President and CEO of SHAMBAUGH. For more from Rebecca visit www.shambaughleadership.com.

SHAMBAUGH's leadership and organizational development, employee engagement, and coaching services in addition to SHAMBAUGH's Programs for Women and their Women In Leadership and Learning (WILL) Program (view video highlights of SHAMBAUGH's WILL Program) have been successfully impacting the careers of women leaders for more than 17 years.