The Latest Insights from Leading NOW

"If I'm in my office alone with a woman, she might file charges against me." "I don't dare take a protege out for lunch, she might accuse me." "Now I can't compliment a woman or shake her hand without being taken to court!" These are comments we hear when working with managers on closing the leadership gender gap. The comments are especially prevalent when we talk about the importance of mentoring women. And we aren't alone. Articles from the worlds of law, finance and beyond, publicize men's fears and the #MeToo backlash.

Happy Labor Day to all of our friends in the United States! And happy start of Fall to the rest of friends around the world. Yes, yes, I know that Fall actually begins on 23 September, but we all know in reality by tomorrow you will be back into the normal swing of things and that Summer is over. Now that you are back at your desks and starting to plan for next year, we at Leading Women would love to be there to help support your organization close the leadership gender gap. Leading Women's proprietary research creates innovative solutions that deliver unique insights, actionable tools and a business focus. Consultation, live programs, online content and virtual interventions will move your organization forward in 3 major areas:

This blog is a departure in this way. Because it is a capstone for one of our Reverse Mentoring programs, it is a compilation of articles written by women and men on what it takes to be a great male ally for women in STEM. And rather than focus on who male allies are, the positions they hold or an academic definition of the term "male ally," here we focus on what male allies (and others) do to support the creation of level playing fields for women (especially those in STEM).

Leading Women is committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. We have updated our Privacy Policy to make our policies more clear to you, and to comply with the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) law in the European Union (EU). Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with our data collection and storage policies and our commitment to keeping your information secure. If you have any questions or concerns please contact us at info@leadingwomen.biz.

Here's a fact about closing the leadership gender gap that might surprise you.

Today's blog post comes from our friends Brittney Laryea & Kali McFadden at MagnifyMoney & Lending Tree. Their new study focuses on the best U.S. cities for working women in 2018. They used the 50 largest metros to figure out where the average working woman has the best (and worst) opportunity for equal pay and advancement in the workplace. Do you live in one of these metro areas? Read ON!

Equal Pay Day in the United States is 10 April this year, but what does this actual mean? On the surface it means that the average woman in the United States needs to work 15 months to earn the same amount that their male peers earn in 12. But this does not paint the full picture.

2018's International Women's Day campaign theme is #PressforProgress. "Individually, we're one drop but together we're an ocean. Commit to a "gender parity mindset" via progressive action. Let's all collaborate to accelerate gender parity, so our collective action powers equality worldwide."

Just in time for International Women's Day, Worldwide Business with kathy ireland® announced an exclusive story featuring our CEO and Founder, Susan Colantuono. Susan will be discussing the importance of closing the gender gap that exists within various industries, sectors and companies on Sunday, March 4, 2018 (check your local listings for times). photo credit: Leading Women Appearing on the set of Worldwide Business with kathy ireland®

In advertising, it's the transition from managing the client to managing the business. In construction, it's the transition from managing the project to managing the business. In professional services firms it's the transition from delivering client services to advancing the business by revenue generation. In your company, it is likely the transition from managing managers to running a business.