WASHINGTON — Companies with diverse teams, from top to bottom, thrive at every metric, but there are barriers to inclusion that need to be cleared for companies to enjoy the benefits that come with diversity. At the SNAC International Women in Snacks (WinS) in-person event, Claire Shipman, author of “The Confidence Code” and “Womenomics,” shared research showing the differences in men and women’s approaches to work and data-backed ways individuals and companies can overcome and even thrive based on those differences. 

“Companies perform better by every measure when there are more women in leadership,” she said. “It’s really diversity that matters, however, not necessarily gender. … Varied groups of decision makers make better decisions. … Working with people who are different than you can be uncomfortable, but it leads to gains.” 

Although women in leadership roles improve companies, Shipman projected that on the world’s current trajectory, gender equality in leadership in business and government won’t be reached for 130 years without some significant changes. 

To paint a picture as to why a gap in achievement still exists for women in work, Shipman noted differences in men and women’s approaches to confidence as well as power. Confidence she described as more than self-esteem; it’s the ability to turn thought into action, but she pointed out research shows that women from a young age are socialized away from risk-taking and failure, which stops them from taking action. This then leads to a lack of internal confidence. Women are more likely to be rational and cautious. 

“Women need do more, take risks and think less, which sounds crazy, right?” she said. “And for men, I often say the opposite: think more, do less.” 

Shipman encouraged women that just because they may be more risk-averse doesn’t mean they have to stay that way. The best way to build confidence: start taking action and risks. 

“Practice risk-taking every day, and embrace failure as a positive,” she said.

Shipman also pointed out the difference between the historical masculine approach to power — power over — with the feminine approach — power to. 

“Power over leads with dominance whereas power to leads with collaboration,” she explained. 

The historical approach to power could also be one of the reasons women often don’t advance beyond middle management. 

“Old school power is suffering a demand problem,” Shipman said. “Women are rejecting it in large numbers. We expected that women would be leaving the workplace because there wasn’t enough maternity leave, but what we didn’t expect was a lot of women personally decide for themselves, they don’t want this power structure — not that they can’t do it, but they don’t like it.” 

She also noted that studies have shown that women are more likely to have many more different types of life goals than men, and they aren’t all tied to work. They are centered around time with friends, family and building community.

“We see them as in conflict, and we often make a choice about whether we want power or not based on the type of power we’re seeing displayed,” Shipman explained. 

She was quick to point out that these ideas around confidence and power are not boxes but a spectrum, and both men and women will find themselves at different places. And she suggested that many men are also ready for this new mindset around power, pointing to men who have been penalized in the workplace for trying to be more supportive at home at the expense of work goals. 

Shipman reminded the women present that they do make a difference and add value to their companies simply by showing up every day as themselves, confidence is a skill they can build and that by employing the power to mindset they are making a difference every day in their companies.