Effective Traits of the Modern Female Leader

While the corporate business sector has been largely predominated by men for decades, we’re starting to see a reinvigorating shift in the acceptance of female leadership roles in recent years. This is refreshing and motivating, to say the least; young women can look to role models for tips and tricks in an ever-evolving society.

Traditionally, women had been seen as weak leaders due to a larger emotional capacity; however, modern-day business leaders are starting to realize the great potential for these positive traits. Women, though not all the same, tend to have a wider perception of the workings of a company. There are previously overlooked areas for consideration in the corporate hierarchy, such as the emotional stability of employees and how employees are treated.

1 - Empathy
This is not to say that men lack empathy - every individual is uniquely different and has experiences in life that affect their ability to read emotions and identify with others. On the whole, however, women tend to be more in tune with the emotions of the people around them; this gives us a unique leg up on the competition when it comes to keeping a team motivated and well-cared-for. Employees who feel valued and understood are more likely to perform at their maximum.

2 - Balance
Successful women in business know how important it is to be able to balance empathy with strength. While some consider emotion to be a downfall of female leadership, what we’re seeing is quite the opposite. The best leaders must be able to see employees as unique individuals; women are uniquely gifted at reading people and can easily identify which approaches work best with which employees.

3 - True
The most successful modern female entrepreneurs know that to thrive you must stay true to yourself. There is a uniqueness that women bring to the leadership role that shouldn’t be denied; women that resort to male “tried and true” leadership tactics often find themselves less respected than they would expect. While women aren’t expected to be weak, there is certainly a delicate balance that must be struck to set the proper expectations in the workplace. If you are a natural leader, let your true self shine - don’t try to put on a show or be anything you aren’t!

4 - The Win-Win Scenario
Females are typically much more open to concessions in which multiple parties walk away with a sense of accomplishment. Generally speaking, male leaders tend to take an all-or-nothing approach which can lead to stalemates and halted negotiations. Women are exceptional at analyzing situations and reading people to glean information about what each party would need to feel satisfied with the proceedings. Successful businesswomen see the big picture and know when it’s best to give in a little bit for gain in the long run - especially with relationships.

5 - Resilience
There’s something to be said about the steady rise of female leaders across the world. Women have a history of being silenced and their abilities assumed for them; however, the world is starting to awaken to the strengths and unique views that female leaders can bring to a company. Resilience in the face of adversity is a commendable trait that women all seem to share, as is the case with most oppressed groups. This feature we all share prepares us for leadership roles without us even realizing it!

Who is your female hero? How do they inspire you to achieve great and powerful things? There’s a certain rock-hard beauty to the way women have risen and turned the status-quo on its head; we’ve made amazing progress, but it’s still your time to shine. Be the strong, courageous female leader you would like to have looked up to as a kid - you can do anything you set your mind to!