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How Women Can Use Business School to Hone Their Leadership Skills

Diplomat. Nurturer. Advocate.

You’ll find those roles normally ascribed to female leaders. In a business climate desperate for problem-solvers and communicators, you’d think women would thrive. And many are…just not in the upper echelons.

According to Catalyst, a nonprofit focused on expanding opportunities for women, 4.6% of Fortune 500 CEO positions are held by women. And you’ll find that same percentage in the Fortune 1000.

Alas,the gender gap is alive and well. But business schools are one place working to close it. In the words of Nancy Rothbard, an associate professor at Wharton, business schools are helping to “even the playing field.” Here are some examples:

Specialized Courses: The Simmons School of Management has designed a curriculum to help women navigate male-dominated workplaces. For example, Dean Cathy Minehan cites courses like negotiation and organizational behavior, where women master tricky skills like being assertive in groups and establishing a “presence.”

Role Playing: Arika Smith, who graduates from Fuqua in May, observes that some women struggle to take constructive criticism. To combat this, the school’s Center on Leadership and Ethics holds groups where students must evaluate each other. “You do a lot of…critiquing each other,” she tells U.S. News & World Report, “about how you worked on the team, what things you can improve, what things you did really well. It’s designed to emulate what’s going to happen in the workplace.”

Student Organizations: Clubs also provide an outlet for women to take on leadership roles. Just as important, according to Rothbard, it enables them to connect with other women who may face similar workplace challenges.

To read about the best MBA programs for women, click here.

Source: U.S. News and World Report