Why Indian women need a place in Indian boardrooms

Men and women are different and that's the truth. Thus having an ecosystem consisting of either all-women or all-men is completely unhealthy for the smooth functioning of a company. Women leaders are as essential as their male counterparts to a boardroom. They bring in new perspectives, think differently and encourage more women to climb the corporate ladder. Sadly, Indian boardrooms have some of the lowest number of women leaders in the world and the few that do, the women are often family members who are given a negligible role in the day-to-day affairs. If you look at other countries such as Norway or the US, boardrooms are thriving on contributions by strong, confident women leaders. These women are more than just another face for regulations sake.

The reason for our skewed boardrooms is two-fold. Firstly, and I can't stress this enough, we need more training and mentors available for mid-level women to build up their self-confidence. It is often the women themselves who are hesitant to take up a position in the boardroom due to a complete lack of exposure to the work done by boards. If you aren't aware of what your job will be, if you are sidelined in leadership activities and if you don't have proper guidance, then it's natural to lack the confidence needed to step up and take a seat on the board, especially when you already stand to be the minority voice in the room.

Secondly, men too have to play a much more active role in promoting a healthy gender ratio on the board. Men are often conditioned to treat women differently and the only way the mindset at work can be changed is if the societal mindset itself is changed. So start with your own wife or daughter - give them the personal support needed to rise to senior leadership positions at work. Set an example for your son. And if you are on a board yourself then promote gender sensitivity throughout the company. I also feel that the SEBI guidelines should increase the mandatory number of women on boards. A complete change in societal behaviour towards the concept of gender equality coupled with strong role models and mentorship can help to turn the myth into a reality.

(As told to Sonali Acharjee.)