Talking about women’s leadership, a question always arises. Why is female leadership so important in our world? Women hold fewer than a quarter (24 percent) of senior roles globally. Despite more women taking the entrepreneurial plunge, they still face challenges which we have heard over and over again. Women have to work harder than men to get the same job, women face questions about “work life balance” that men would never be subjected to. Women can often be perceived as more emotional and less decisive than men. Often with a full-time role, coupled with the additional stress of raising one’s own family, it can be hard to juggle work alongside personal life.
The working landscape is changing and the business world is no longer just a man’s game
The qualities of a great leader have never been gender-dependent. Culture of the company enable organizations to be deliberate about bringing together a diversity of styles and thinking into leadership teams. An individual’s strength and personality traits make up a person’s leadership attributes, be it a male or female.
Women credit their success to innate traits such as perseverance, resilience, empathy, confidence, optimism and adaptability. Women may not always realize how composed for achievement they are in leadership roles, but their potential and capabilities are more in sync and irrefutable.
The more diverse a workplace is, the more different ideas come together, thus fuelling growth and aiding in the sustainability of any organization.
Leading by Example: Igniting the Impact
We have the most famous women leaders, who have risen to the top . Their perception of themselves as potential leaders has undergone a remarkable shift and women who have pushed beyond limits. The likes of Angela Merkel, Michelle Obama, Kamla Harris, Jacinda Ardern, Malala Yousafzai, Sheryl Sandberg, Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, Indra Nooyi etc who have paved their own paths and made a real impact to the world we are in today. They are influencing the generations with their power of hope for the future and work to improve the world and motivate future leaders.
Women leaders will paint the future
- The enhancement of teamwork : By demonstrating superior leadership values, women tend to be more compassionate, outgoing and creative.
- Communication is said and known to be among a woman’s strongest skill. Female leaders utilise this power to enhance meaningful conversations with employers, co-workers and partners, thus creating an open communication stream that creates a sense of clarity.
- Within a more diverse workplace, women leaders can provide better mentorship. Women in leadership positions can take this opportunity and begin empowering the bright young minds of the next generation.
- Ability to wear multiple hats and multitask : Women have learnt the balancing act and combined with femininity, maternal and paternal guidance women are focussed to finding solutions to real life crisis.
Women-owned businesses have grown rapidly in these difficult times. As we move through the crisis, the jarring impact of this shift will inevitably reshape what people will look for in their leaders — which should have far-reaching consequences for women. A strong economy, global competition for talent, highly visible women leaders in the public and private sectors, well-developed women’s leadership initiatives, increasing confidence and solidarity among women, and greater engagement from male allies combined to signal a strong path forward. And now is the time to rise beyond the gender stereotypes.
Article written by Jasmine Haria, CFR Global Executive Search Singapore
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