Classroom vs. Boardroom

Recently, I read an article on the Forbes website about "Why Girls Lead In The Classroom, But Not In The Boardroom" by Samantha Walravens. It opened my eyes to the importance of developing those "soft skills" and being able to promote ourselves in the workplace. At school, we do not spend nearly enough time learning these skills, so I hope that through these bi-weekly blog posts I can link articles and discuss crucial information about preparing us girls for the workforce.

In this article, I noticed a key pattern in the problems that are pointed out: you are not born with certain skills, but rather you must learn and practice them. In short-form, leaders are made, not born. Some steps need to be taken to change the classroom experience to one that is more conducive to creating leaders, rather than perfectionists. Walravens highlights that girls actually "earn higher grades than boys across all grade levels and academic subjects." As a result, girls have a "7% higher high school graduation rate" and a little over half of college students are female. The classroom environment teaches students to simply be disciplined. To excel at school, girls put more emphasis on living up to the school's expectations perfectly whether that be taking perfect notes or obtaining perfect scores on tests. However, this environment is not replicated in the workplace. "Out-of-the-box thinking" and taking risks are needed for a company to succeed. Because of this "perfect" mindset, girls are not rewarded through promotions just for completing work; the visionaries who inspire others and have leadership skills go on to secure higher-level positions.

We need to adapt. Dr. Carol Kauffman, the founder of the Institute of Coaching at Harvard Medical School, expresses, "These outdated academic approaches are doing girls a disservice in a world that requires them to have grit, resilience, strong leadership, and a sense of self to succeed." Most importantly, you are not born with these qualities. To become a strong leader, you must learn the skills and continue to practice them, just like a muscle. The leadership "muscle" needs consistent exercise. Additionally, we are taught math and science, so why should we not be taught leadership as well?

Now, it does not stop there. It is essential to showcase more amazing women who can inspire young girls. These women remind them some trailblazers have made it possible for us girls to pursue our dreams. Furthermore, the article emphasizes, "While glossy images of smiling female athletes, astronauts, and political figures are a step in the right direction, girls must have the opportunity to learn from the ‘whole person’ and the ‘whole story,’ which is often messy, filled with fear, failure, mistakes, and setbacks.” Despite what is often shown in the media, these women are not perfect and have not lived perfect lives. Instead, they teach us to persevere and be courageous. We will always face adversities, but what defined these women and what will define us girls is our reaction to them. I hope that the books and biographies categories on this blog will demonstrate this.

To read the full article, click here