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- Disruptive landscape. Where male leaders see the threat of disruption, women see opportunity, according to a new report by the consulting firm AlixPartners.
Across 15 disruptive forces—regulation and geopolitics, social concerns, interest rates, the environment, aging populations, data privacy, and more—women business leaders consistently see more opportunity than threat compared to their male peers. AI is the only issue where women and men see equal opportunity. The highest gap is on regulation, policy, and geopolitics, which 19% more female leaders than male leaders identify as an opportunity, followed by social concerns at 15%.
That's not due to a rose-colored view at what these megatrends mean for business and society at a tumultuous time. Alongside their optimism, women leaders expect more significant changes to how their businesses "operate and deliver value" in the coming year. Respondents to this survey were 3,000 executives at director level and above across nine countries at companies with at least $100 million (and half of which were at least $1 billion in revenue).
So the question is: Does an optimistic outlook lead to better results?
Optimism can be an advantage, argues AlixPartners managing director and partner Kathryn Britten. "Their positive view of disruption means they are more likely to embrace and adapt to change, looking beyond challenges to seize opportunities," Britten says. "Viewing change as a threat risks stagnation, but our female leaders expressed confidence in navigating disruptive forces."
She hypothesizes that female leaders are already familiar with disruption in their personal lives and careers. They've been affected by career breaks, the ebb and flow of work and family commitments, as well as gender bias in the workplace. "Today’s female leaders have built resilience on their journeys, helping them recognize and seize opportunities presented by disruptive forces," she says.
Emma Hinchliffe
emma.hinchliffe@fortune.com
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