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2014 Faculty Perspective on Women and Leadership


While there has been an enormous cultural shift in accepting women in leadership, there is a lingering second-generation bias as many Gen Y women associate leadership with perfection. They often hold off on taking leadership positions because they see it as a daunting task and have the mentality that “in order to do anything you have to be everything.” Dr. Bernice Ledbetter is an expert on gender issues in business and a practitioner faculty of organizational theory and management at Pepperdine University’s Graziadio School of Business. She advises that leadership is not about perfection, but rather it is about values and tenacity. Ledbetter can offer advice for women preparing for aspirational roles and can comment on overcoming invisible barriers – nuanced and cultural challenges that exist within the corporate world and political system. By nature, women tend to be both benevolent and achievement-orientated, which is the perfect value combination to be an effective leader. Ledbetter maintains that gender diversity is important and that armed with the right tools, it actually is a great time to be a woman aspiring for a leadership position.