Too often, when a woman enters a leadership role in the workplace, she may be the only woman of influence in the room. While studies show that the number of women in executive and administrative roles has increased from 15% in 2019 to 26% in 2021, there is still much work to be done regarding the upward mobility of women in the workforce.
However, that’s not the case when it comes to the association community. Unlike other industries, the non-profit sector is well advanced in empowering and elevating female leaders. In 2017, an Association Community Manager Compensation and Salary Survey found that nearly half (46%) of all community association management CEOs were women. This was showcased last week when I attended the Women’s Executive Forum, surrounded by hundreds of women in leadership positions within their organizations, communities, and industries. As a first-time attendee, I was blown away by the level of support and appreciation in the room and deeply encouraged by the achievements of my fellow female colleagues.
The primary theme of this year’s forum was Transformation in the Face of Disruption. Coming out of the global pandemic, both organizations and their leaders will need to evolve and change to accommodate for the increased demand in diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. The sessions were spearheaded by “disruptors,” or women breaking barriers within their industries, who shared inspirational stories and guidance for transforming associations. Some of my favorite topics of discussion were:
While being surrounded by other women who valued bringing forward-thinking ideas to life, my biggest takeaway from the Women’s Executive Forum was how to lead with authenticity. Having worked in other industries outside of the association community, as well as being in an executive role for almost a decade, I’ve realized that there are a lot of expectations put on women to be something that we are not. We repress certain characteristics that may be confused for weakness, compared to male colleagues. It was refreshing to hear encouragement from other female leaders who challenged us to lead with compassion, to be strategic in the workplace, and to maintain and prioritize a healthy work-life balance. I encourage more women to participate in discussions like these, and for us to continue to inspire the next generation of female leaders.