Author and executive coach Dr. Marisol Capellan drew a large number of women to the Miami Lakes Chamber of Commerce’s March 8 luncheon as she shared her research into barriers to their professional advancement.
“We have to also acknowledge the systemic challenges [women] face due to their gender,” Capellan told 60 people gathered at the Miami Lakes Hotel on Main on International Women’s Day.
“We have a lot of women entering the work force, but not moving up,” Capellan said.
The positive news: Women are earning the education credentials they need to succeed. The bad news: They’re not breaking through to executive suites.
“More than 50 percent of people with degrees are women,” Capellan said. “When we look at CEOs for Fortune 500 companies, 92 percent of CEOs are men.”
The professor and corporate trainer listed factors holding women back: Racism; gender bias; being perceived within traditional roles; and time away from a career for child-rearing.
One advantage women have: They tend to score higher than men when it comes to leadership.
“They are able to shift leadership styles depending on the situation,” Capellan said. Women can be empathic, but then deal with someone in a more direct matter if needed.
Some business owners and professionals at the meeting shared their career challenges with the group.
The next Chamber luncheon is scheduled for April 12 at the Miami Lakes Hotel on Main, 6842 Main St. Networking begins at 11:30 a.m., lunch is at noon.