I recently attended a well-known lecture series featuring Richard Reeves who masterfully addressed the question about whether men and boys are falling behind, presumably in the wake of so much attention being given to women and girls over the last decades. The short answer is yes! And, women still have a long way to go.
We absolutely need more representation of men in fields Reeves refers to as the "HEAL sector" which includes professions in healthcare, education, administration and literacy. And..we still need more representation of women in leadership roles in government and industry, etc.
I've been practicing Human Resources for many years - decades at this point. I've been a student of organizational behavior and human dynamics. One thing I know for sure is that representation matters. Not because it's the right thing to do, or the politically correct (or incorrect) thing to do, but because when men and women work effectively together, the end result is better.
It is not enough to have one woman, one person of color, or one man in the room, at the table, or included in strategic meetings, because one voice among many is rarely effective. It is when multiple perspectives are granted attention, and reasonable debate is encouraged, that the magic happens.
Some of the best leaders I've served over the years are not the ones who think about it when recommendations of inclusion are raised. The best leaders are the ones who do something about it.
Do you have what it takes to lead in the 21st century?