While the world celebrated International Women’s Day on March 8, many women are still struggling to be seen, promoted and paid equally to men. Acquiring the right soft skills can help.

 The good news in the latest McKinsey Women in the Workplace report is that women’s representation in the C-suite – the group of executives responsible for running an organisation – is the highest it’s ever been and has increased from 17 to 28% since 2015. But progress in the middle of the pipeline is keeping parity “painfully out of reach”.

 “At every stage of the pipeline, women are as committed to their careers and as interested in being promoted as men,” says the report, compiled in October 2023 from 276 organisations employing more than 10 million people (https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/diversity-and-inclusion/women-in-the-workplace). “And young women are especially ambitious. Nine in ten women under the age of 30 want to be promoted to the next level, and three in four aspire to become senior leaders. Yet women represent roughly one in four C-suite leaders, and women of colour just one in 16.”

 What’s more, it says, the pandemic showed women that a new model of balancing work and life was possible. Now, few want to return to the way things were. Most women are taking more steps to prioritise their personal lives—but at no cost to their ambition.” And nearly three in four HR leaders say that DEI—diversity, equity, and inclusion—are critical to their companies’ future success.

 “These and other soft skills are today as important as the hard skills derived from technical and other training,” says Philip Sykes, founder and principal of the British School of Excellence (BSE), who designs and delivers internationally accredited training programmes. “They give an edge that makes a significant difference whether women are entering the workplace, or returning after working from home in the pandemic, or after life events like marriage and motherhood.”

 Men can access powerful networks and confidently build their own after years of social conditioning rooted in patriarchal systems. But until there is a critical mass of women in the C-suite as role-models and mentors to bring about widespread change, women can be at a disadvantage. There are, however, ways women can hone their critical soft skills in areas such as negotiation, assertiveness and change management to empower them to get ahead and acquire leadership roles, Sykes says.

 This entails building on their traditionally acknowledged strengths, such as empathetic communication, which are more important than ever at a time when technological advances and automation are putting a premium on such human skills.

 Sykes says women employees with potential should receive leadership training. “Training is important to give them the confidence to accept their leadership styles and vocabulary, to ignore old conventions that see a woman who is well-spoken or opinionated as ‘aggressive’, to build trust in themselves and push that ‘can-do’ attitude further.” This requires looking and sounding as though you mean business and putting yourself out there in the nicest possible way.

 The BSE offers a range of courses to support this, starting with a one-day Social Etiquette Course, either in person at their Mayfair training venue in the heart of London or online via Zoom or Skype. This course gives tools to create a positive impression when meeting people, whatever their culture or gender, the art of introductions and easy conversation, and the finer points of etiquette to get ahead in today’s diverse social and work settings.

 “From dressing appropriately for every occasion to mastering written correspondence, mobile phone etiquette and body language, our course covers it all,” Sykes says. “It’s about cultivating emotional intelligence, developing a growth mindset, and gaining the skills you need to be the best version of yourself.”

The BSE also offers a specific Business Etiquette Course, which is another one-day course. “Whether you’re attending meetings, networking events, or interacting with clients and colleagues of different backgrounds, this programme provides women with the skills and knowledge to flourish in any professional setting. It’s equally suitable for seasoned professionals and those just starting their career and will take women on a transformative journey towards greater confidence, success, and excellence.”

 A third option is The Polished Professional Course. “People who present themselves well are perceived as more credible and trustworthy; their opinions and insights are more likely to be valued and taken seriously,” Sykes says. “A polished professional demeanour gives women confidence and can open doors to promotion and leadership roles – employers want employees who can represent them well.”

 This course covers image consulting, professional etiquette, public speaking, emotional intelligence, and dining etiquette in eight modules. “You’ll learn to communicate effectively, ensuring your ideas are conveyed clearly and compellingly, enabling you to build meaningful relationships in diverse settings and exude confidence in any situation.”

 To secure your place or for more information on these and other BSE courses, visit https://thebritishschoolofexcellence.com/courses/tpp/