The Leadership Challenge: Women in Management (Hannah Piterman © March 2008)

• Introduction
• Foreword
• 1: Executive summary
• 2: Methodology
• 3: Context
• 4: The business response to women
• 5: Strategies for change
• 6: The drivers of business
• 7: Leadership and authority
• 8: Work/life balance
• 9: Dynamics
• 10: Successful women
• 11: The diversity challenge.
• Postscript
• References
• Appendixes

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The Leadership Challenge: Women in Management

Hannah Piterman
© March 2008

The Leadership Challenge: Women in Management is a report on qualitative research developed and conducted by HPCG (Hannah Piterman Consulting Group). The Australian Government Office for Women was involved in the research on a consultative basis as part of the research Reference Group. Financial assistance for the research was provided by the Australian Government Office for Women and several other private, public and tertiary agencies.

Hannah Piterman PhD, MEc, BEc (Hons)

Dr Hannah Piterman is a consultant, and advisor to senior management and board levels in business, government and academia in the areas of organisational dynamics, leadership, and performance.  Her doctoral and post doctoral research, strategic consulting and executive development draws on more than 20 years of experience as executive in, and consultant to, business, government and university sectors.

Dr Piterman is author of numerous public reports and journal articles, and is Honorary Associate Professor at Monash University.  She has a doctorate in Organisation Dynamics and a Master degree in Economics

Acknowledgements

This study was made possible by encouragement and financial assistance from 13 private companies, three government agencies, Monash University, the women in Mining group within the Minerals Council of Australia and the Committee for Economic Development of Australia (CEDA).  In particular it owes a great deal to the contribution of members from the Reference Group, made up of distinguished corporate, government and university professionals and to the
assistance of managers specialising in diversity and related issues in their organisations.  This study would not have been possible without the advice and support in gaining access to executives for interview in their own and other organisations. 

The project was considerably more involved and intensive than originally anticipated.  Accordingly it took longer than planned to complete.  I am grateful for the patience of its sponsors.  I would like to thank a number of people who have provided support and encouragement.  Special thanks are due to Rosie Beaumont, for her assistance in the literature search, drafting, and provision of comment.  Special thanks also go to Melbourne Business School’s Professor Amanda Sinclair and Diversity Manager Coles Group, Dr Katie Spearritt, for their edits, valuable insights, and suggestions on the penultimate draft.  Thank you to Geoff Allen and Fergus Ryan who were able to make the idea of this study a reality and to Geoff who provided ongoing feedback and encouragement as drafting proceeded. 

It has been a great pleasure to work with all those involved and I thank them for their support.

Hannah Piterman
© March 2008

Reference group and organisation advisors

• AMP – Meredith Hellicar, Joanne Hawkins, Matthew Percival
• Australia Post – Linda Bardo Nicholls, Stephen Walter, Debra Dodgson
• Coles Group – Pamela Catty, Kerrina Watson, Dr Katie Spearritt
• CBA – Fergus Ryan, Barbara Chapman
• Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu – Giam Swiegers, Margaret Dreyer
• Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR)
• (previously Department of Education, Science & Training) – Lisa Paul, Dr Wendy Jarvie
• Department of Human Services (VIC) – Patricia Faulkner, Fran Thorn, Michael Debinski,
• Rachel Gold
• Freehills – Peter Butler, Andrea Bell
• Insurance Australia Group – Sam Mostyn, Michele Jackson
• Leightons – Penny Bingham Hall
• Macquarie Bank – Kris Neill, Sharon Ericsson
• Minerals Council of Australia – Melanie Stutsel
• Monash University – Professor Stephanie Fahey, Karen Haywood, Kay Gardner, Barbara
• Dalton
• Newmont Mining Corporation and Convenor, Women in Mining Group – Christine Charles
• Office for Women (Commonwealth) – Kerry Flanagan, Julia Burns, Sue Williamson,
• Lee Emerson
• St George Bank – Gail Kelly, Jeremy Griffith
• Westpac – Ann Sherry, Ilana Atlas
• The Allen Consulting Group – Geoff Allen

Note: Some members of the reference group have since left these organisations

Report terminology

To ensure confidentiality, generic position descriptions are used to identify participants.  The term ‘senior manager’ denotes executive and senior positions (CEO, managing director, general manager, partner, divisional/sectional head, senior manager).  More junior participants are referred to as ‘managers’.  Participants’ gender is also identified.  The term corporate is used generically to
include organisations in the private, public and tertiary sectors.

 

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Australian Government Office for Women
Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs – PO Box 7576, Canberra Business Centre ACT 2610

Telephone 1800 808 863 – Facsimile +61 6212 9572 – Email women@facsia.gov.au

Last modified: 14 August, 2008