Breaking into the Men’s Room: Five Traits of Women Engineers with a Boardroom Seat

Abstract

The engineering industry is welcoming more women into the ranks, but few have made it through the boardroom door. It is imperative that companies incorporate more women into all levels of employment, but especially upper leadership positions, for three reasons: the labor pool is shrinking, lack of women among leadership dampens an organization’s productivity, and bottom-line results are better for organizations with women on the board. This article discusses these reasons and then describes five traits women (and men) can develop in preparation for effective leadership: persuasively communicate, lead with heart, take care of yourself, see the big picture, and know yourself.