The recent appointment of Catherine West as Nine’s new chair, following the sudden departure of the former chair Peter Costello, inevitably brings up discussions about the “glass cliff”.
But automatically labelling this as a “glass cliff” appointment mitigates Catherine West’s deep experience, expertise, and work history. It also disregards, diminishes, and undermines women as effective and impactful leaders in a crisis.
“Glass cliff” refers to the tendency to appoint women to leadership roles during times of crisis, setting them up for a high risk of failure, because their reputations are seen as expendable or they’re only given a leadership chance when things are already dire. These roles may seem like the professional version of the poisoned chalice – destined for difficulty.
Let’s check the current business environment, though; for many large companies and big brands, managing reputational crises has become business as usual, and women’s skills in these areas are being better recognised and valued.
We’ve seen this in Australia with leaders like Amanda Bardwell at Woolworths, Leah Weckert at Coles, Vanessa Hudson at Qantas, and Michele Bullock at the Reserve Bank of Australia.
Unlike the “glass ceiling,” which blocks women from top positions, the “glass cliff” places them in precarious situations where the likelihood of failure is heightened. When women finally reach senior positions, they often inherit significant challenges, increasing the risk of failure.
The narrative will hopefully shift as we witness more women like Catherine West stepping into these high-stakes positions and succeeding. It will no longer be about women being given opportunities because of crises but about women being recognised as the formidable leaders they are in times of crisis.
Women like Catherine West are appointed not because it’s the only way women will be CEOs or chairs, but because they bring a wealth of experience, education, and innovative thinking essential for navigating crises. These attributes make women exceptionally qualified for leadership, especially in challenging times. Women have repeatedly demonstrated their ability to find new solutions, tackle big questions, and manage complex problems.
Women often excel in crisis leadership due to their inherent strengths in empathy, communication, and collaboration. During crises, the ability to understand and address stakeholders’ concerns, communicate effectively, and foster a cooperative environment is crucial. Women leaders tend to:
According to researchers Jack Zenger and Joe Folkman, women excel in crucial business management areas like emotional intelligence, relationship-building, and communication.
Female managers often outperform their male counterparts in leadership competencies, explaining why their crisis management skills are increasingly recognised and valued.
A part of Zenger and Folkman’s study, published in the Harvard Business Review, women were rated as better leaders than men by their coworkers, based on data from over 60,000 leaders.
Researchers assessed 454 men and 366 women during the first phase of the Covid-19 crisis using a leadership effectiveness tool. The results showed that women were rated significantly higher than men. The gap between men and women grew even larger during the pandemic, suggesting that women might perform better in a crisis.
To understand why engagement levels differed, researchers examined what employees valued most in leaders during the crisis. Employees prioritised interpersonal skills like inspiring and motivating, effective communication, teamwork, and relationship building, where women were rated higher. These findings align with other studies showing that female leaders are more aware of their followers’ fears, show concern for wellbeing, and have confidence in their plans.
The data reveals that employees want leaders who can adapt and learn new skills, focus on employee development even in tough times, display honesty and integrity, and are sensitive to stress and anxiety.
I’ve lost count of the number of times clients have commented on how they feel when we come up with solutions — that they feel safe, comforted, and confident during their absolute darkest days. Although crisis management can come down to process and procedure, there needs to be a significant element of how it feels.
Sally Branson Dalwood is the director of Sally Branson Consulting, founder of The Suite Set, and co-founder at FOMO Alerts.
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Sally Branson Dalwood is the director of Sally Branson Consulting, founder of The Suite Set and co-founder at FOMO Alerts.
