Summarize the essay below.
After colonialism though the scenario changed. Elmuti et al. write about numerous obstacles that remain in preventing women from obtaining high levels of leadership. Among the obstacles they highlight are organisational barriers, workplace relationships, globalisation, internal motivation and lifestyle conflicts. These obstacles are briefly clarified below. Organisational barriers: This refers to culture within organisations that prevent women from advancement. Selection process: Although there is usually a huge pool of qualified women they are not considered for leadership positions. Workplace relationship: Frequently women are unable to find suitable, capable female mentors. Globalisation: Often top executives have to relocate to new cities and countries. This can be a barrier to women with families. Internal motivation: Usually people argue that women lack self-confidence to move to higher levels within organisations. Lifestyle conflict: Women have various other roles they need to play outside the workplace. They are caretakers for their families and work roles may clash with domestic roles. Kanyoro also points out that women’s leadership has been invisible over decades because it has been viewed through ‘genderbiased lenses’. Furthermore, Kanyoro16 argues that the challenge of society is to make women leadership visible as society magnifies women leaders’ role. This includes ensuring that women pioneers in leadership have space and voice to practice their leadership in positions that commensurate with their skills. Singh and Prasad mention sexual harassment and stereotypes as being among the foremost hindrances to women managers. New organisational culture and transformational leadership Ananda writes about a concept in leadership that she refers to as ‘midwifing’ and she calls this a new paradigm. Midwifing underscores feminine leadership thereby bringing qualities such as transformation, nourishment and energy to all our organisations. Ananda adds by stating that midwifing is necessary in all organisations because feminine leaders support a spirit of cooperation not competition. In fact, much research currently supports feminine leadership qualities that are linked with compassionate leadership. Researchers have linked this leadership as transformational leadership, which they say fosters the followers’ organisational commitment. Furthermore, Verma and Krishnan20 contend that feminine style of leadership is characterised by sensitivity and cooperation. At a time when many South African schools have teachers who lack commitment, there is much need to grow leaders who are transformational in their approach. Leaders who want to be transformational or those who want to entrench a new organisational culture can utilise feminine qualities of leadership contained in transformational leadership. Schools, like all organisations need progress and achievement of learners; yet learners cannot achieve when teachers are not committed to their job. Verma and Krishnan21 argue: Transformational leaders motivate their followers to do more than they really expect they can do, increase the sense of importance and value of the tasks, stimulate them to surpass their own interests of the team, organisation on large community, and raise the level of change (Bass, 1985). Transformational leadership occurs when one or more persons engage with others in such a way that leaders and followers raise one another to higher levels of motivation and morality…Transformational leaders inspire and motivate followers in ways that go beyond exchanges and rewards. The above quote explicates a number of crucial values necessary for successful leadership. Arguably, women possess these qualities. Daniel points out that the instinctive tendency of women to nurture and take care of their families makes them dependable. Some people
have also argued that the ability of women to multitask makes them better leaders than men. ‘African women leaders have an immense capacity to positively influence the livelihoods of people. Maybe women are even better leaders compared to men due to their ability to multitask and deal with all the stresses of a family’. These abilities enable women to be effective transformational leaders who will be able to achieve organisational success in a changing society. The theory that undergirds the rebirth of Africa will want to recognise the pre-colonial abilities that were accorded to women in society. Dodo underscores the need for an African Renaissance theory based on African values and norms. For an African revival, this theory would use gender opportunities for women to advance their standing in society. Leadership and management in Africa would not be complete without the input and role of women. In the African village even great leaders (men) were successful because women complemented and elevated them.
