Leadership is not defined by age, gender, or colour. Anyone can be a leader who has a mission on their minds, vision in their eyes, and a spirit of never giving up in their hearts. Just take a look at the 17-year-old Greta Thunberg, who is leading the way in the fight against climate change. Or Alicia Garza who laid the foundation of the global Black Lives Matter movement, with millions fighting along her side. Women like them are examples of fierce female leadership who fight for what’s right, no matter what price they have to pay.
Seeing such fearless leaders, especially women, in the streets leading a march, or in a corner office leading a company, it is safe to say the world has changed quite a lot. Until a few decades ago, only a handful of women had any leadership roles. But today, they are everywhere—in parliaments, in Supreme Court, in space stations, in Fortune 500s. To put things into perspective through an example, according to a recent study: “As of 2018, there are 12.3 million women-owned businesses in the US. Compare that to 1972, when there were only 402,000 women-owned businesses”. It’s not just in the US, but in several other countries as well, where women have risen to the top.
Let’s take a look at a few leadership qualities of women that make them different and resilient in their endeavours.
Use perspectives to manage critical situations
Women have a unique ability to view a situation from different perspectives. It gives them the edge to assess critical situations and carve solutions no one else can think of. Take the example of Katie Bowman, for instance, a computer scientist from the US, who helped develop the algorithm to create the first-ever image of a black hole. After working for three years to solve this complex puzzle, her team was finally able to capture a halo of dust and gas in 2019, which also confirmed Einstein’s theory of relativity.
New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s leadership is another example of thinking on your feet. When the world leaders were still trying to figure out how to contain the COVID-19 outbreak, Jacinda was among the few who had already implemented a strict lockdown in her country. And while doing this, she used straight talk and clear instructions to support her country’s citizens. To this day, New Zealand only has 25 reported deaths.
Have a holistic, self-reflective approach
Women in leadership roles keep the end goal above their own self-interests. It was highlighted in a study conducted by a talent management company Saba Software where they found that: 60 percent of male employees expect their companies to play an active role in their individual career options, versus 49 percent of female employees. Explaining this characteristic that makes women standout, Emily He, former chief marketing officer at Saba, said in an interview, “In contrast to men, who tend to be career-centric and want to maximize their financial return from work, women view work more holistically, as a component of their overall life plan. Therefore, they’re more likely to approach their careers in a self-reflective way and value factors such as meaning, purpose, connection with co-workers, and work-life integration.”
Work-life balance is essential for women leaders because many of them juggle personal responsibilities towards their families alongside their professional roles. Striking a balance helps them maintain their well-being, reduces stress, and makes them more approachable and empathetic leaders.
Women leaders use listening as a crucial skill in their leadership approach. For instance, Mary Barra, the CEO of General Motors, used listening to navigate a crisis within the company. She held several meetings where she listened to every opinion before making decisions.
Women leaders have shown their unique ability to manage critical situations effectively by viewing them from different perspectives and finding innovative solutions.
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