Leveraging Feminine Strengths in the Workplace

It is said that the most effective leaders are ones who are self-aware and understand themselves deeply. We are all unique beings with special quirks and creative ideas, and I wholeheartedly believe that everyone has something to bring to the table. With that said, our ability to lead well is largely dependent on how we leverage and manage our personal strengths and weaknesses. Taking the time to holistically understand your uniqueness and what you bring into the workplace can catalyze you into a successful future.

As females continue to rise into leadership positions and become business owners, it is crucial to realize that there are specific strengths that females bring to the table. Maybe some are able to relate, but I have the tendency to act more “masculine” when I am in a leadership role. It might be a flawed mental model that doing so would help my reputation and gain the respect of the people I am leading. For so many years, leading with compassion and intuition was seen as a weakness to business leaders, but research increasingly shows that these characteristics, once considered as feminine and ineffective, are now seen as strengths!

Now, let’s be clear. It is not the gender of the leader that is significant, but it is the feminine or masculine characteristics that a leader functions with. A male could lead with feminine qualities, just as a female could lead with masculine qualities. Research shows that a balance between feminine and masculine characteristics is the sweet spot to leading effectively. A good leader is someone who fosters mutual trust and respect through honest communication (feminine characteristics), yet remains directive, confident and independent (masculine characteristics). This is not to say that all female and male leaders enter into the workplace the same way, but research shows that these qualities are typical to each gender.

The problem goes back to women trying to function as men do in the workplace. Females are not needed in the workplace simply because of their gender and the need for businesses to foster diversity. Females are needed because they bring unique qualities to the table and add value into the workplace simply by being themselves. If we can become confident as female leaders in the value we add into organizations, we can leverage our strengths and become effective leaders without sacrificing who we are.

“Females are needed because they bring unique qualities to the table and

add value into the workplace simply by being themselves.”

Female leaders are team and people oriented!

In the workplace, women are more inclined to encourage participation from everyone, and the high level of involvement that comes from team-based management leads to greater employee commitment and job satisfaction! Because female management is team oriented, decision-making is done in teams rather than individually.

Why is this a strength? Well, let me ask you this.

Are you typically more passionate about projects that you helped ideate or projects that are given to you? The majority of you will say that you are more passionate about the projects that you help brainstorm, and the fancy word for that is buy-in!

Female leaders lead with trusting relationships.

In The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni, he talks about the absence of trust being the root issue of dysfunctional organizations. Without trust, people will fear conflict, lack commitment, avoid accountability and fail to produce results. If organizations are about the bottom line and producing results, then it must be important to lay down a foundation of trust to build on.

Naturally, female leaders are wired to foster mutual trust and respect with others in an organization. Not only does this affect the bottom line, but it fosters a strong team dynamic that can become a strong competitive advantage.

Female leaders are visionaries with strong communication!

A vision is merely an idea without the partnership of proper communication. A strength of female leaders is the ability to get everyone on the same page and mobilize ideas by communicating clearly with teams. Moreover, female leaders tend to be able to manage conflict effectively.

Ultimately, when a foundation of trust is built and everyone is onboard with new projects, results are the result! Females are visionaries and strong communicators because they lead with trusting relationships and include others in the process.

These are the strengths of females in organizations, and they can be leveraged in the workplace for success. In general, female leaders are team-oriented, marked by mutual trust and respect, and they are visionaries with strong communication skills! However, you may discover the top strengths unique to you by taking the Strengths Finder Assessment.

Remember, your femininity is your strength! Don’t sacrifice it to become like anyone else because who you are is enough and valued. This isn’t just a feel-good message. Even researchers agree that women are powerful, unique, and beneficial to an organization. Here’s to female leaders and using our strengths to reach new heights!

References

Kark, R., Waismel-Manor, R., & Shamir, B. (2012). Does valuing androgyny and femininity lead to a female advantage? The relationship between gender-role, transformational leadership and identification. The Leadership Quarterly, 23(3), 620-640.

Stanford, J., Oates, B. and Flores, D. (1995). Women′s leadership styles: a heuristic analysis. Women in Management Review, 10(2), 9-16.