I am a woman with ambitions to lead a development organisation, but I find I am hitting a glass ceiling. How can I break through?
You need to be determined! Sadly the glass ceiling can still be a reality – even in many progressive organisations. Unfortunately, talent and commitment are often not enough if you're a woman, and we need to keep working for change if we want women and men to have equal opportunities for leadership.
My advice to you would be to think carefully about the skills and experience that chief executives need, and then get an honest appraisal of your own strengths and weaknesses; taking feedback from colleagues, peers, family and friends. It's vital to talk to someone who understands what's needed and who will help you be honest with yourself about the areas you need to work on. Your current employer may support you in identifying a coach or a mentor.
Then, look for opportunities to build your confidence in relation to the skills you don't get to use in your current role, or where you need to improve. For instance, you could look for a secondment internally or externally, or take on some non-executive trusteeships or community work, and through that fill any gaps in your skills and experience. I also suggest that you be prepared to make sideways moves in order to get to where you want to be – be willing to take an unusual route.
You should also spend time building your network. Too often people consider networking as superficial, and perhaps even slightly grubby. I prefer to see it as an opportunity to learn more about the world and the people in it, and to offer my own support, perspectives and experiences. So engage in it positively and make connections in which you offer something to others. It helps to know your signature strength too. What are you really good at? If you identify and hone those strengths, you can be clear about what you can offer and that helps grow your confidence to take on new challenges.
Finally, I think there is a lot of pressure on women to believe that we can have it all – or should only have senior leadership roles if we can carry all the other roles expected of us as well. In my case, my husband's willingness to take the lead at home makes it possible for me to carry such a big professional role and I have to live with the fact that I don't do some things that so many people expect wives and mothers to do. By acknowledging our limitations, we can make informed and practical decisions about how we want to use our time and skills.
Loretta Minghella is chief executive of Christian Aid. Follow @christian_aid on Twitter
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