Who Is Better Suited to Lead: Men or Women?

when BayanTrade was launched

 

Recently, a journalist asked me questions about my UPAA Award for “Leadership in IT Development (Public and Private),” He felt that, as one of the pioneer women leaders in technology, I could talk about whether the current environment presents more opportunities for Filipinas than during the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s.

My Story

Looking back, one of the pivotal moments in my leadership journey was when IBM asked its Philippine subsidiary to enforce the equal opportunity employment program in full swing in the US.

I was then working with an NCR spin-off (NCR was my first employer) selling second-hand accounting machines and making lots of money. IBM invited me to become its first female marketing representative.

That led to my first management position as marketing manager at the Institute of Advanced Computer Technology. From there I was invited to become VP of the Development Academy of the Philippines, vice the Father of the Internet, Dr. Bill Torres.

Soon others sought me to fill bigger leadership roles, “breaking the glass ceiling.” I was asked to be the GM of Megalink, MD of SAP Philippines, and then President/CEO of BayanTrade.

Invitations to be Deputy Commissioner of the BIR and en banc consultant to the Comelec completed my resume with more public sector experience.

I was lucky that the Philippines has a tradition of women in leadership. At the same time, organizations were looking for people who could become trailblazers since there were still no examples of successful computerization.

My grit and determination to get things done must have begun to show. Having come from humble beginnings, I developed a strong belief that nothing is impossible. That may have been the specific ability they needed to implement their pioneering projects.  

The Trend in Women Leadership

Leadership involves multifaceted skills. Both men and women possess the qualities necessary for effective leadership: communication, problem-solving, decision-making, and emotional intelligence.

Thus, it is not gender that is important. Rather, it is that people’s specific abilities are matched to specific job requirements. And that they are allowed to advance to positions of power and influence.

Unfortunately, as of 2023, women leaders have not yet risen to the same status as men. In the US, women occupy approximately 27% of the seats in the US Congress, 8% of CEO positions at Fortune 500 companies, and 36% of college presidencies.

In the Philippines, women hold approximately 25% of seats in the Philippine House of Representatives, the same as in the US. We fare better in the private sector: 20% of CEOs are women. Data on academic leadership is limited and not as good.

Studies have found that traditional gender stereotypes can influence perceptions of leadership. Women are often seen as more nurturing and compassionate, while men are more decisive and assertive.

In our culture, like others in the East, this has led to more of an earlier tradition of women in leadership. This may be the reason we have better numbers of private sector CEOs. However, I don’t understand why the academic sector is lagging.

The good news is that research has consistently shown organizations with greater gender diversity in leadership positions tend to outperform those with less diversity. Opportunities for women in senior leadership positions are increasing.

Leadership in the Technology Sector

What concerns me, however, is a 2023 study by McKinsey. It found that in technology companies, women in senior leadership such as CEOs and CTOs, have declined since 2017.  The following factors have been cited as contributory: stereotyping, lack of mentors, issues of work-life balance, and unconscious bias.

The same thing may be true in the Philippines. I have only scant anecdotal evidence though. During my time, women leaders like Marife Zamora, Riza Mantaring, and Mariels Almeda Winhoffer rose to be CEOs of Convergys, Sun Life of Canada, and IBM, respectively.

Unfortunately, the first two entities have male leaders today. Even my seat in SAP is currently occupied by a male. Only IBM Philippines still has a female leader in Aileen Judab-Jiao.

But the Philippine technology sector may be different from that of the US which is dominated by the supply side.  The US is the source of the world’s major R&D in technology. The Philippine technology sector is perhaps different and more demand-centric.

Companies powered by technology such as Concentrix, GCash, Grab, Shopee, Lazada, etc., have risen to prominence. A new crop of women tech leaders such as Rachel de Villa, Janette Toral, and Jennifer Ligones have thus emerged.

Such a business landscape presents a huge opportunity for women. They can dig deep into their imagination and nurturing and compassionate traits. They are uniquely positioned to exploit technology in services that could meet underserved local needs. They can also export our workforce’s talent to meet global demands.

The most important thing to consider in choosing who to lead is that specific skills and abilities must match the job requirements. The question of who is better suited is not a matter of gender. It is a matter of merit and now, imagination, too.