The Confidence CornerstoneSample

Women Are Leaders Too

There is a significant gap between the number of women and men in leadership. Even today, women represent less than 30 percent of those in the most senior levels of leadership. Although women may have the necessary skills and experience, they face greater opposition to climbing the leadership ladder. 

Studies show that if a man walks into a room, he is typically assumed to be competent until he proves otherwise. For a woman, it’s often the other way around. At one point, several of the businesswomen I met through networking confided that they wished they could figure out how to be more like a man so they could be successful. That broke my heart!

Let’s look at what God has to say. In Genesis, God said: “Let us make mankind in our image … so he made mankind in His image. In the image of God, He created them. Male and female He created them. And God said, be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and subdue it.” And God said it was very good.

God created both man and woman in His image. In fact, the word God used to refer to Eve as a suitable helper for Adam is Ezer Kenegdo. Ezer means strong or powerful. It is used in other parts of the Bible to refer to God as Israel’s helper and to military aid. Woman was not created to be the weaker or inferior gender. She was created to be a powerful partner with strengths where Adam was weak.

Throughout the Bible there are many instances of strong, courageous women leaders:   

• Deborah was a judge and warrior.  
• Esther saved her entire nation from their enemy.  
• Lydia was a businesswoman and provided for the early church out of her means. 

Today, organizations with at least one woman on the board outperform organizations with no women by 26 percent. We need more women in leadership contributing their critical skills, working alongside their male counterparts collaboratively. It’s not a competition. It’s time for a transformation.

What skills has God equipped you with so you can make a difference and lead at work?

Prayer

Father God, thank You for blessing me with gifts to make a difference in the world and bring You glory. Help me to tap into Your Holy Spirit to be the leader You created me to be. In Jesus’ name. Amen.