And with due respect, respect for women and respect for leadership traits are two different things. We live in a world where the common person in authority has not yet evolved past pattern recognition more suited to detecting predators on a plain or traits of a good breeder. Seriously. They way I see men gawk at the form of women on a daily basis, and indeed women who break necks to see each other based on a certain look, is indicative that the form rules over the inner content.

Combine this with an incomplete understanding of the traits of a leader and you have a recipe for what the data points out.

News flash: This is not a problem for men to solve, at least not directly. The problem men need to solve directly is to resolve their understanding of what it takes to be a good leader – objectively. And women, need to do the same. But if men in positions of authority keep their ‘form over content’ and view through a keyhole’ perspective on leadership while championing ‘equality’ at the C suite, expect more of the same or else….worse.

This would be akin to asking the white population to resolve racism. It will never happen. Of course they shouldn’t knowingly and willfully indulge negative thoughts in this regard but this is hardly progressing the solution. That task lies 100% with those who experience being shortchanged.

Finding a tactful and productive way to resolving it is the real ‘stretch assignment’. And that, like any virtue, is its own reward.

Such is life.

Lastly, we must destroy the misconception that equality = sameness. A lock and a key are ‘equals’ – as it relates to the functions of securing a location and giving access to the appropriate parties – yet they are entirely opposites and complimentary. This word to the wise should be sufficient.