The Quiet Role Models
These days more than ever we need role models. There have been too many female founders who have built their businesses with a lot of bravado. They have taken to the social media airwaves creating a brand for themselves and their companies.
Too many of these women have taken an unattractive tumble. It pains me. They have built businesses with the mantra do what I say not what I do. Most of these women have created toxic work environments. Their management skills have been tone-deaf to building happy inclusive places where people are excited to be part of the company.
Women network differently, they toot their horns differently and many of the exceptional women who have built businesses are not the ones that are out there tooting their own horn. They are the quiet role models.
How do we amplify those women? How do we make sure that every environment that is backed by investors is also paying attention to the company culture? How do boards start to dig further into the company past the board meeting? We need to listen with eyes wide open.
Women founders have come a long way in the past decade building businesses and getting funding. We still have a long way to go. When too many of the mighty have fallen it creates a void of female leadership. The women that do find themselves in a position of power as an entrepreneur who have been funded with a solid board around them needs to take note.
Put your ego in check and pay attention to how you got there. Treat your employees like you would want to be treated with empathy, grace, and role model leadership. Build diverse companies. Get a coach early on. Otherwise, you are pulling us backward not moving us forward.