Leading with Purpose: Women and Leadership

Women have always shown capability in leading with purpose. However, history has overlooked this capability. Men have always dominated leadership positions in the past. This belittles women’s efforts in providing good and effective leadership.

Thankfully, more people are realizing the importance of having women in positions of power. Business owners, government officials, and other positions that lead others will greatly benefit from having women. This is because women provide a different and fresh perspective, generating more innovative ideas.

In this article, we’ll talk more about the importance of women in power. We’ll also discuss the effects of having women in leadership positions and how to

overcome different challenges that come with this.

Women: Breaking Stereotypes and Leading With Confidence

In the past, society has limited what women can do. They can’t vote, they can’t go to school, they can’t own credit cards – women are basically limited to household duties. This created the notion that women can’t be in positions of power. However, women have indispensable qualities that make them a crucial part of any organization or workspace.

It’s important for women to take a stand and take space in different organizations. Women continuously break through stereotypes and prove their worth in the corporate world. They’re just as capable as men, whether it’s taking on more responsibility or challenging the status quo.

Furthermore, we now see how women demonstrate leadership by establishing their own enterprises and how women set the bar in the tech industry. An increasing number of women are utilizing their creativity and passion for developing products that solve problems, push limits, and positively impact society. They have consistently challenged stereotypes and demonstrated confident leadership.

Why It’s Important to Have Women Leaders

Now that more women are breaking barriers when it comes to leadership let’s explore why it’s important to have women leaders:

1: Creativity

Women are known to tap more into their creativity. They’re more imaginative, which helps them think out of the box. This tendency greatly benefits companies and organizations. Creativity and imagination help a company develop solutions to difficult problems.

When an organization is presented with a challenge they’ve never encountered before, they need open-minded people. Women provide a different perspective to the table than if an organization is only composed of men.

2: Collaboration

Women can be an asset when a team needs to collaborate. A collaborative approach is essential to stay ahead of the competition. For example, you need to reach out to different people to expand your organization's network.

Hiring women can improve your team’s collaboration. Women operate from a community-oriented mindset. This means they’re better at working with others to achieve their goals. They’re team players who help get everyone focused on what they must do.

3: Communication

Communication is a must-have skill – whether it’s inside or outside the workplace. Women are also good at communicating since they tend to be more descriptive. They know how to talk more eloquently to effectively pass on messages to others. This is highly important in any organization.

Women are also known to be more empathetic than men. They’re better at understanding emotional cues, allowing team members to be more comfortable working on a project. This helps ensure that everyone in the organization is on the same page and that tasks are being completed efficiently.

4: Diversity

Hiring and employing more women shows that your organization makes an effort towards diversity. Working towards creating a diverse environment will create a safe environment for more people.

Diversity is more than just seeing different people in power. It’s also understanding everyone else’s needs so they can create a more welcoming environment. If you have women in leadership positions, they’re more likely to understand the woes of other female employees. This helps create a working environment where everyone feels seen and heard.

Possible Challenges of Having Female Leaders

Although having women in leadership positions is beneficial, we still have a long way to go. It’s inevitable to encounter various challenges as more companies and organizations embrace this change. The corporate world is still predominantly led by men, making it challenging for women to advance into higher positions.

One of the many challenges women encounter is discrimination or lack of support from their male counterparts. This hinders their ability to achieve success because they feel like their efforts are being undermined. Organizations need to create an environment that promotes respect and support for everyone.

Here are some strategies organizations can use to promote gender equality and ensure equal opportunities for women.

Have transparent recruitment and promotion policies that don’t rely on gender.
Create flexible work hours that take women’s experiences into account (e.g., maternity leave)
Provide mentoring programs where female employees have access to experienced female leaders.
Encourage your male colleagues to take a stand against discrimination and sexism in the workplace.

The Bottom Line

Women have come a long way in terms of leadership, and more and more female leaders are emerging. This benefits any organization as female leaders bring valuable skills and perspectives to any team.

Organizations need to create an environment where everyone is respected and supported. This will help ensure that women are given the same opportunities as their male counterparts.

Author bio: Bash Sarmiento is a writer and an educator from Manila. He writes laconic pieces in the education, lifestyle, and health realms. His academic background and extensive experience in teaching, textbook evaluation, business management, and traveling are translated into his works.