DCH – International Organization of Human Capital Managers and the Universidad Panamericana presented the DCH White Paper on Women’s Leadership.

Leadership has been widely studied since the early 20th century. Its understanding began with a perspective focused on innate traits to a more holistic one that considers the impact on people and the environment. This need for holistic leadership has required a person-centered model, which seeks to train versatile and effective leaders in change management, integrating the well-being of the members of the organizations through a flexible agenda, with the priority on building empathy and better collaboration among others.

In this context, female leadership has gained relevance, promoting management models based on collaboration, empathy and organizational development. Their growing participation in top management not only transforms corporate dynamics, but also fosters equitable and inclusive work environments. However, there are still data and studies that show a substantial gap between men and women in leadership positions.

A group of researchers from the Universidad Panamericana, Guadalajara campus, undertook an exhaustive investigation with the purpose of analyzing this phenomenon in depth. In order to guarantee the validity and reliability of the results, rigorous methodologies supported by scientific approaches were used, thus ensuring a study based on criteria of precision, objectivity and certainty.

The conceptual framework of this work team resulted in a definition with a person-centered approach, defining female leadership as the capacity for personal assimilation of the set of competencies of women, who lead effective projects in business, government or society, through the timely articulation of all the forces involved, promoting the overcoming of the challenges of justice that the world poses.. This concept is distinguished by fostering equity, collaboration and inclusion, generating a positive impact on organizational culture and company performance. This new perspective prioritizes individual and collective well-being, promoting management based on empathy, emotional intelligence and talent development; it reinforces the importance of shared leadership, favoring innovation and adaptability in complex environments.

To validate this conceptualization, interviews were conducted with HCD members belonging to leading companies in strategic sectors such as services, consumer goods and consulting in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Spain, Mexico and Paraguay. These organizations, both national and transnational, have a global impact in more than 200 countries and have an average annual turnover of US$20 million per year.

The main finding of this exercise was a shared vision of the main challenges faced by women in leadership positions; that is, despite the advances in policies and regulations on equity, there are still structural, social and organizational barriers that limit their development, as described below:

1. Self-concept: Many women set higher performance standards than their male counterparts, which can lead them to turn down opportunities if they do not feel fully prepared.
2. Lack of support: The scarcity of support networks, mentoring and strategic sponsors hinders their career advancement.
3. Disproportionate burden of family responsibilities: The lack of flexible organizational policies perpetuates a work model designed under traditional male patterns.
4. Unconscious biases and stereotypes: Perceptions of leadership differ between genders, affecting the evaluation of competencies and hindering access to key positions.

In order to understand what factors influence the development and exercise of women’s leadership, it was necessary to use an analytical tool that would allow a structured and quantifiable approach to identify and evaluate the elements that influence women’s leadership in an objective manner. One of the effective methodologies for this purpose is the Analytic Hierarchical Process (AHP) developed by Thomas Saaty. This multi-criteria decision making method made it possible to decompose a complex problem such as female leadership into factors and sub-factors, which were consulted through a survey of experts, and the consistency of their judgments was analyzed to obtain the weights of each factor and sub-factor.

This analysis facilitated the determination of the most relevant traits and their impact on strategic decision making, providing a rigorous framework for understanding and strengthening female participation in leadership.

The empirical analysis of women’s leadership revealed that, although there have been advances in labor equity, there are still structural barriers that limit its development. Since its inception, leadership has been conditioned by gender perceptions that have shaped women’s access to positions of power. However, over time, the definition of leadership has evolved towards a collaborative and person-centered model.

One of the most relevant findings of the study is the need to overcome the comparison between men and women in leadership evaluations, focusing on specific competencies and the elimination of cultural biases. The participation of actors with managerial experience made it possible to define a conceptual model that characterizes female leadership, validated by AHP, which prioritized the ten most important traits for its exercise.

Among these traits, strategic vision stood out as the most predominant trait, underlining the importance of organizational knowledge and the ability to inspire teams towards clear objectives. Within this factor, magnanimity was the most relevant sub-factor, highlighting the need to legitimize female leadership through generosity and commitment to the organization.

Another key factor was service, indicating that female leadership should be based on empathy and collective well-being. In this context, humility emerged as a determining trait, emphasizing the importance of fostering cohesion and continuous learning within the teams.

The science factor was also considered essential, highlighting the importance of evidence-based decision making. Within this criterion, mastery was positioned as the most significant sub-factor, reflecting the need for personal clarity and self-confidence to face organizational challenges.

In addition, traits such as self-governance, unity and consistency were identified, which reflect the ability to maintain emotional stability, manage sensitive information and translate strategies into tangible results. Communication also stood out as a key strategic mechanism for fostering connection and understanding within teams.

The analysis of the AHP judgments allowed structuring a framework to prioritize these traits, while the interviews with experts revealed critical aspects for the formation of future leaders. Organizations can benefit from this model when designing interventions that strengthen strategic and human competencies, recognizing the diversity and specific challenges of the current context.

Finally, the study underscores the importance of overcoming confrontational narratives to focus on the development of inclusive and dialogue-based leadership. Gender equity in leadership is not only a matter of justice, but also a determining factor for the competitiveness and sustainable development of organizations. To achieve this, the commitment of all stakeholders is necessary, promoting a structural transformation that allows the full participation of women in strategic decision-making.