Brains will lead women to the top (January 2008)

Maastricht, January 16th 2008.

“More women will have top positions in the future. This has all got to do with brains”.

Although stimulated by several constitutions and rules to increase the number of women at top level, there is another reason why women can be successful. The statement above was made by Jan-Willem van den Brandhof, expert in the field of brain training techniques, and is based on the fact that the brains of women generally have 20 to 30% more connections between the left and right sides. A good cooperation between these two sides is crucial to increase the effective use of the brain.

Male and female brains are different. Why? Multiple biological differences exist between the brains of men and women, some of which are determined by the hormonal system. For example, for women the left cerebral cortex is thicker and the corpus callosum that connects the sides of the brain is more developed (up to 30 percent more nerve fibers) than in a man’s brain. This more developed area ensures that women are capable of using both brain parts simultaneously.

"Just as a brain works best when the left and right sides are mutually supportive, the board of an organisation performs best when women and men are mutually complementary. An equal representation of both sexes has now become indispensable." says van den Brandhof. “Equal participation is key. A larger number of women than men on the Board could mean that the ‘guts’ might disappear and fewer risks taken. Typically, men take more risks than women. It’s the combination that works best"

Despite the fact that a growing number of scientific publications show that companies managed by women have better results, there are still few. Only 8.5% of all board member of the 300 largest European companies are women. Within the top-500 U.S. companies this percentage is 14. Of the 89 members of the boards of the largest Dutch companies, there are only four women. None of them are Dutch.

Are these women untraceable or should companies improve their search?
The specialist task force, Frijns, published a report in December 2007 in which they wonder why business leaders in the Netherlands are not focused on what is best for their company. They still search amongst male candidates for top positions. They say companies should be more open to flexible work and career interruptions due to maternity leave etc.

The Norwegian government decided that from 1 January 2008, 40% of all board members of Norwegian companies should be female. Companies that do not meet this requirement could risk their right to exist. “This is not the solution for the Netherlands” van den Brandhof points out. "The change must take place from within the organisation and not be obliged by law. However, I am convinced that women will catch up."

Harry Mintzberg once said: "Women are better suited for management positions because they have combined intuitive and analytical skills. Men mostly have one or the other."