The Female Board Index, an annual survey tracking women in top positions, reveals steady but painfully slow growth in female representation on executive and supervisory boards. So why the sluggish progress? Leading women themselves have clear answers.
It's not children per se, but entrenched stereotypes about family and motherhood that hinder them. Three prominent executives voiced frustrations in NRC Handelsblad, decrying employers' biases. A woman in her thirties applying for a senior role? Assumptions fly: she'll soon start a family, cut hours, and falter on high-stakes tasks. Has she sorted childcare perfectly?
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“Stop it,” they urge. “Don't spare us!” These expectations imply it's unnatural for women to thrive at the top. Constant reminders erode confidence, creating a self-fulfilling prophecy. The fix? Treat women like men—no loaded questions.
Yet I can't help wondering. Interviews with female professors, powerhouse lawyers, and board chairs—some in their forties, even single moms—leave me puzzled. How do they manage? As a professional lyricist in my forties, I shape my workday around school runs and childcare, wrapping up by 8 p.m. Am I just not cut out for it?
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No burning desire for professorship or CEO title here—ambition gap noted. But energy too? Lawyer Liesbeth Zegveld, a self-proclaimed early riser, starts at 5 a.m. Not me. These women orchestrate home lives flawlessly, though it means limited kid time. State Secretary Sharon Dijksma once shared she sees her family only on weekends, commuting from Enschede to The Hague. Extreme, but their choice.
Most women I know wouldn't trade that way. Men have for generations, often with spousal gripes. Fair enough—women who want it deserve the shot. Ditch the biases. Let them lead!
As long as it's not me 😉
Image via Shutterstock
