It’s 2006 and there still aren’t many women CEOs in America. In some countries, there aren’t even that many women executives. Why can’t women seem to get ahead in the corporate world?
The easy answer is that the corporate world is fundamentally sexist, that the men in charge don’t want women to succeed and conspire to deny them promotions, underpay them, or both. This is basically the “Men are Neanderthals” explanation, and sadly, in some countries and companies, it’s the status quo. Mainly because of culture or ingrained biases, there are men who think women don’t belong in corporate settings, and they band together to create work environments where women can’t move up even if they try like crazy. Usually this male resistance is subtle and surreptitious. Sometimes men don’t even realize they are doing it. Regardless, women pay the price.
There is a second answer that isn’t so easy. We say that because every time we mention it in speeches, the audience groans with discomfort. That answer is “biology.” There are few women CEOs and a disproportionately small number of women senior executives because women have babies. And despite what some earnest but misguided social pundits might tell you, that matters. Because when professional women decide to have children, they often also cut back their hours at work or travel less. Some women change jobs entirely, taking staff positions with more flexibility but much lower visitbility. Still more women leave the workforce entirely. A 2002 Harvard Business School survey of alumnae from the classes of 1981, 1986, and 1991 found that 62% had left the professional world. That's right, out of all those women graduates who immediately went on to jobs in consulting, finance, and line management, only 38% were still working full-time.
The choice to have children is completely personal, but like any other life-changing event, it has career ramifications. Most notably, it tends to slow down advancement.
Is that bad? We don’t think so. It’s life. Every choice has a consequence. As a working mother you gain something of immeasurable value: more time with your children. You also give up something: a spot on the fast track. In business, where bosses are paid to win and shareholders are watching, top slots don’t go to people who aren’t available.
But, you may ask, doesn’t talent matter? The answer is yes. And talent is often the saving grace for women who want families and a vibrant career. If you’re a working mother who consistently delivers dynamic results, most bosses will give you the flexibility you want. But you have to earn it. That takes time. Maybe years. Often, though, women can’t or don’t want to wait that long to be mothers. So they drop out, shrinking the pool of promotable women and contributing to yet another reason why fewer women advance.
Many good companies have made enormous strides in helping women keep their careers on track while their children are young by forging creative part-time solutions. But as long as professional advancement is based to a considerable degree on availability, commitment, and consistent performance, and as long as mothers want to spend time with their children, women’s careers will always have a different, more circuitous path than those of men.
This question and answer originally appeared in Business Week magazine on February 13, 2007.
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