Studies show we tend to perceive men as having greater potential than women with the same qualifications, and men as being more visionary leaders when compared to women with similar ideas. Women in small and medium-sized enterprises face additional challenges as SMEs are at particular risk of overlooking leadership potential because of such unconscious bias, possibly leading to reduced productivity and decreased revenue.

How do we break the bias that can hold women back from positions of leadership? It’s a simple concept, but can be a complex practice for many businesses. The key is to proactively build authentic, meaningful community amongst female colleagues in SMEs within your organization.

My experience as an executive coach and community-builder specializing in women’s leadership has showed me that a community of support can be the difference between a woman putting herself forward for a promotion or letting self-doubt take over and keep her back. It can be the difference between a woman choosing collaboration instead of competition when it comes to navigating relationships with female colleagues. And it can mean the difference between a woman feeling unfulfilled and under-valued instead of empowered to challenge herself and the status quo.

But building meaningful, deliberate community for women professionals takes much more structure, intentionality, and skilled facilitation than most women’s business networks provide. Four essential conditions are necessary to create the right environment for an effective community for women in SMEs within your business:

1. Women in SMES – A Shared Sense of Purpose.

This means that every member of the community can answer the question:

‘WHY are we gathering together?’

For women’s groups to be effective, there must be a greater purpose than simply sharing the same gender. You’ll want to undertake a process of reflecting on what you need from one another and how you are going to support one another so that you can establish that shared sense of purpose. Within my business, we use a set of Leadership Principles that serve to sustain a culture that is supportive of our purpose, and I recommend other SMEs do the same to help support these women flourish.

2. Rituals

To build resilient communities that hang together over time, you need to create a sense of belonging, especially for women in SMEs. The most effective way of doing that is by developing and maintaining rituals. A ritual could be as simple as taking a new hire out for lunch or as involved as an annual gala, but it must be consistent, inclusive, and something everyone recognizes as a part of the life of the community.

3. Trust

Communities thrive when their members are able to trust one another. For women’s groups within workplaces, building trust requires a certain amount of vulnerability to be enabled amongst its members. This is perhaps one of the most challenging factors of community-building, and must be modeled by leadership on all levels of the organization. Which leads us to the fourth and final condition:

4. Leaders Who Model Desired Behaviour

Leaders who are able to inspire trust through vulnerability, who consistently communicate purpose and values, and who maintain and celebrate the rituals of the community are essential to the development of strong, healthy community.

While SMEs may struggle to compete with larger corporations when it comes to benefits, wellness plans, and professional development opportunities, enabling effective internal communities for women employees is doable for all businesses, regardless of size. These changes can enhance opportunities for women engaged in SMEs.

We’re now at a turning point in history; one in which we have the ability to reshape the workplace for women and redefine women’s leadership for future generations. SMEs can play a lead role in this journey and help to ensure we’re creating opportunity and potential for all members of our work teams, particularly women in these enterprises.

Thank you to Lara Holliday of Tiderisers for this article. The Farringford Legal team is full of women who are passionate about supporting female founded businesses.