Who runs the world? Female Leadership!
“When women support each other incredible things can happen!”
I started at the other end of the scale…. And learned a lot as a result. Especially about the patriarchy in all of us.
I had a female supervisor who told me “Elena, when the cake talks, the crumbs have a break!” (it’s a german saying) — This was an “in my face — eye-opener” for me, and I promised myself that I would do things in terms of leadership differently from then on.
Unfortunately, my next female supervisor wasn’t quite as supportive. She labeled me as an “assistant” (even without using my name in her phone) and made my life pretty tough. It’s like they were always suspicious and on the lookout for trouble. Ugh.
Then there was the female supervisor who yelled at me over small things and tried to place all the blame on me. And prefereably other women in lower positions — never against men.
The Queen Bee Effect (that’s what they call it in psychology) has happened over and over again in my past. And I think that’s such a shame.
I’ve often sensed frustration and bitterness in those who have fought their way up in the “it’s a man’s world” TV/music industry. Mostly with masculine behaviors that end up making you tough. Female leadership qualities were not welcomed in women. Too emotional.
Instead of supporting each other and celebrating our successes, we sometimes end up tearing each other down. We should be asking each other how we did it, not trying to make each other feel small. And it’s not just about being “better men” or “better women” — we need feminine qualities in the business world.
Therefore, I see the Women’s Day rather as a call to the female leadership qualities such as:
- Empathy: being able to understand the needs and concerns of team members. This can help them create a positive and supportive work environment.
- Collaboration: be collaborative and inclusive, valuing the input and perspectives of all team members. This can lead to more creative solutions and better outcomes.
- Emotional intelligence: which allows them to recognize and manage their own emotions and the emotions of others. This can lead to better communication, conflict resolution, and team cohesion.
- Resilience: resilient and able to persevere in the face of challenges and setbacks. This can inspire their team members and help them navigate difficult situations.
- Vision: Female leaders often have a strong sense of vision and purpose, which they communicate to their team members. This can help inspire and motivate their team to work towards a common goal.
- Authenticity: be authentic and genuine, which can help build trust and respect with their team members.
- Creativity: leads to innovation, able to come up with new and unique ideas that can drive the success of their team or organization.
We all have these qualities in us — whether masculine, feminine or diverse. Man in a woman’s body — woman in a man’s body. It’s just an energy.
In the end, what we all really want is just a motherly hug, even if we’re at the CEO level. So let’s bring some softness and humanity to the business world and find that balance between power games and pressure.
That’s what Women’s Day means to me — a call to embrace our feminine qualities and use them to make the world a better place.
