Unraveling the Mystery of Female Leadership: What Do Women Want?

That's the kind of Table She Wants to Create! Inclusive, All In.

Ask me, 'What do women want?', drawing from my consulting background I’d say ‘It depends!’. Contrary to popular belief, women do not want complicated things! Although, women may seem to want a wide range of things at an individual level, but at the most fundamental plane, they need stability, respect, acknowledgement, equity, personal fulfillment, meaningful relationships, safety, and a sense of agency in their lives; this includes being valued for their opinions, being treated with kindness, having opportunities for personal growth, and feeling supportive & supported in causes they find worthy to pursue, whether in their careers or personal life. 

Speaking of Women in Leadership positions, does it matter to ask 'What do women want?' or does it matter to ask 'What do women want and how do we (men & women) best support them?'. Before any of these questions are answered, one must gain a better understanding of

1. What are the top leadership qualities that are essential to become an empathetic, high-performing, and influential leader?

2. How does such leadership map to the % distribution of feminine & masculine characteristics it needs to exhibit?

3. What are the specifics within those characteristics that one can focus on developing?

   
   

Refer to the table below for details. Source & references from Sex & Gender differences in leadership.

Leadership Qualities	What is it?	Requires Feminine characteristics	Requires Masculine characteristics
Emotional Intelligence	The ability to understand and manage one's emotions and empathize with others. This involves active listening, demonstrating compassion, and creating an inclusive and supportive environment.	60%: Empathy, Nurturing, Active listening	40%: Decisiveness, Problem-solving
Authenticity	Leading with integrity, transparency, and honesty. Authentic leaders build trust by being true to themselves and encouraging others to do the same.	55%: Compassionate, Inclusive, Supportive	45%: Direct, Assertive, Strategic
Resilience	The strength to navigate challenges with grace and maintain a positive outlook. High-performing women leaders adapt quickly, learn from setbacks, and inspire their teams to persevere.	65%: Patience, Flexibility, Resilience	35%: Action-oriented, Competitive, Strong-willed
Visionary Thinking	The capability to see the big picture, set clear goals, and inspire others with a shared vision. Influential leaders articulate their vision clearly and align their team's efforts towards achieving it.	50%: Intuitive, Imaginative, Collaborative	50%: Analytical, Goal-oriented, Bold
Collaborative Leadership	Fostering a culture of teamwork and cooperation. Empathetic leaders value diverse perspectives, empower others to contribute, and lead by example in promoting collaboration and mutual respect.	70%: Mentoring, Encouraging, Team-building	30%: Leading by example, setting Expectations, Driving results

This data showcases that,

1. Agnostic of gender, for any leader embracing their feminine characteristics is needed.

2. Women exhibiting specific feminine characteristics within work dynamics can showcase more potential to be considered for leadership positions.

3. Anyone who is looking to pursue a leadership position can start being coached on these characteristics to build their strengths and keep their growth areas known for better collaboration.

Overall, the focus on characteristics over gender, this way of thinking is not about expecting females or males as genders to rise, resulting in unnecessary rise of competitive undercurrent and unhealthy work dynamics. But it supports everyone who can focus on personal growth, build characteristics to support business goals, and bring value to customers & world at large.

It is an eminent fact that more women in leadership are needed to continue a good legacy of healthy contribution in this world along with having an integrated working culture. Existing models that support patriarchy derived functioning need subtle remodeling to include more women in leadership. Yes, the rise in women leadership needs new models of functioning at work and assessments of age-old defined outcomes. While we'll discuss our perspectives on this, ever wondered 'What women want to assert themselves in leadership positions?'. Here are some thoughts,

1. Equity based Opportunities, i.e., considering functional & soft skills, experiences, strengths & growth potential, et al.

2. Considering Role to Outcome alignment based on life-stage demography, i.e. early to senior career, marital status, motivations & priorities, et al.

3. Support network of quality Mentors / Coaches & Allies at work for leadership grooming, both men & women.

4. Longer-term support system to bring ease into primary caregiving responsibilities & build organization affinity.

5. Trained workforce to provide Respectful working dynamics and culture at all levels of organization.

Explore more here for detailed methodologies and strategies to address this in new-age workplaces.

When all of it comes together along with an appropriate amount of Authority, Autonomy, and Accountability provided by the eco-system, on the ground, feminine nature is often seen excelling in action. Some areas where an immediate impact of such empowerment is seen are:

1. Resilient hands don't find themselves leading alone but leading with a tribe who is ready to show up when support or help is asked for. Asking for help & support is the first step in maintaining resiliency at team level. Add a bit of sincerity and that makes it all worth the efforts!

2. Actionable Self-awareness goes beyond not only having to understand one's internal world while managing the external world. Self-awareness in action means having courage to address the problem at hand, knowing when to seek the right help, and staying consistent in putting efforts to make the change happen inside out.

3. Crisis management by getting people together, growing over the false ego, and keeping the larger vision in mind. Instead of rushing through all the obstacles without support from the surroundings.

4. Handling setbacks, the feminine subtle nurturing characteristics can come in handy and can hold a team strongly together when all efforts & hard work do not yield the results as expected.

5. It's all about energy! To continue for a long haul, while it is needed to arrange external world chaos with order, planning, and organization, but it can sustain only with infusion of sincerity, compassion, humor, maturity, and honesty.

Finally, to all the women who exhibit and honor their innate gift of feminine characteristics and moderately align with either of the feminine/masculine nature, here is a word of inspiration to continue our deepest level of authenticity until it becomes a new normal. In all humility!

I was once afraid of people saying "Who does she think she is?" Now I have the courage to stand and say, "This is who I am." ~Oprah Winfrey, an American talk show host, television producer, actress, author, and media proprietor

Wishing you all a Happy Women's Day 2025, make it count!

About Author: Tejal Rathod (she/her) is a 'Management Psychology & Workplace Well-being' Peter Drucker Management Excellence Award-winning expert Success Coach & Therapist, Author, Speaker, and Founder at eDC (www.elementsdcoach.com), having over two decades of diverse corporate work experience. She believes in leaving a legacy of positive work culture through personal growth and elevating one’s consciousness for meaningful success in life. Tejal engages with Individuals, Professionals, and Organizations worldwide while specializing in Work Dynamics & Culture, Executive Coaching, Leadership Development, Behavioral Transformation, Professional Skills Development, Mental Health & Emotional Well-being, and Holistic Lifestyle Coaching.

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