REPOST
Did you know three of the five partners at The Center are women? We live the value of gender diversity in the ownership and leadership of our firm.
Women’s leadership can and should also be understood as an investment concept.
Many studies have shown that women bring a unique perspective to senior and executive management roles within firms. This “secret ingredient” adds profitability, better risk preparedness, more collaboration, and more innovation to companies.
An emerging consensus recognizes that the status and roles of women may be an excellent clue to a company’s growth potential.
Despite this, a large wage gap persists between women and equivalent men in the workforce, and there’s very little gender diversity among senior management and corporate boards.
Many barriers affect female participation in management and the boardroom.
One of the most easily understood is time out of the workforce.
Women spend an average 12.6 years out of the workforce to care for children or parents, whereas men only spend an average of 10 months outside the workforce!
This pull between work and family responsibilities likely has a lot to do with the disparities that still exist. After reading Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook, I discovered that barriers within ourselves also prevent women from climbing the corporate ladder. There are days when I long to be able to spend more time at home with my daughter, but I also recognize the importance of being the role model of a woman who is happy and successful in her career, as well as enjoying quality family time. My daughter also gains the benefit of seeing a father who is very engaged and shares the responsibilities of parenting, who is a real partner to me. This rhythm works for us. Finding your family’s own rhythm and peace is of utmost importance.
Sharing ideas and our own experiences is part of the solution. Another potential solution is using your investments to express your viewpoint with your dollars. If you would like to learn more, please contact your financial planner!
Angela Palacios, CFP®, AIF®, is a partner and Director of Investments at Center for Financial Planning, Inc.® She chairs The Center Investment Committee and pens a quarterly Investment Commentary.
Any opinions are those of Angela Palacios, CFP®, AIF® and not necessarily those of Raymond James. Expressions of opinion are as of this date and are subject to change without notice. The information has been obtained from sources considered to be reliable, but Raymond James does not guarantee that the foregoing material is accurate or complete. Raymond James is not affiliated with and does not endorse the opinions or services of Sheryl Sandberg or Facebook. This material is being provided for information purposes only and is not a complete description, nor is it a recommendation. This information is not intended as a solicitation or an offer to buy or sell any security referred to herein. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results. Investing involves risk and investors may incur a profit or a loss regardless of strategy selected. Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, CFP® (with plaque design) and CFP® (with flame design) in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board's initial and ongoing certification requirements.