The Challenge for Leaders Today

When women are asked the key characteristics of leadership, they tend to cite confidence and determination, but less than half of them feel that they have these characteristics. The challenge for leaders, then, is to instill these characteristics in others through mentoring relationships, especially to young women in academia. Training the next generation of leaders takes time and personal engagement to teach young colleagues how to plan their career, negotiate and find strong role models. Beyond gender considerations, leaders will find that issues surrounding communication and trust will play critical roles in their effectiveness at promoting an inclusive environment.