50% of professional women feel slowed down in their careers due to self-limited biases: Survey

India Leaders for Social Sector (ILSS) conducted a survey with women professionals (eight-15 years of experience) and found that 50 per cent feel held back because of their own self-limiting biases. Such biases often stem from social and cultural conditioning, which leads to a sense of inferiority. At a time where global conversations are taking place about increasing the representation of women in leadership roles, the survey aims to understand the gaps and challenges faced by women. It highlights the presence of socialised beliefs, such as imposter syndrome, with 50 per cent of women leaders experiencing it.

There is a lack of women leaders at senior management levels, compared to their presence at entry to mid-level roles. There is also a predominance of women in ‘program-specific’ roles, as opposed to strategic, organisation-building roles, as they are perceived to be more suitable to be doing ‘care work’.

The survey points out that women feel a desire to build crucial cross-functional and management skills that includes negotiation, conflict management and effective communication. About 75 per cent of respondents feel the desire to build a personal leadership style – build their own attributes of empathy, collaboration and inclusion. As per the report, 84.1 per cent of respondents believe that a tailored capacity building program would enhance their leadership journey. Mentorship has always been a crucial element to amplify leadership path, and the report states that women feel men have better access to cross-sectoral networks and mentorship opportunities with leaders as compared to them. Nearly 73 per cent of emerging women leaders believe that continued mentorship and networking support would boost their leadership ambitions.