How the successful ones do it
We are clearly at an 'era of post-post-feminism', so it can be safely said that men and women are different in some ways. Some of these can be noticed at the workplace. Hence, one can simply ask: Do women lead differently?
According to Sharon Hadary and Laura Henderson (Hadary being the founding executive director for the Centre for Women's Business Research, and Henderson the founder of Prospect Associates, a $20 million health communications and biomedical research firm), the answer is an indisputable yes. Interestingly enough, they believe that leadership by women tends to produce 'very desirable results', which includes better possibilities of profitability in the business and establishments of additional businesses that can be considered vitally 'creative and innovative'. In a research by MIT, it was found that some of the most original and dynamic groups included women.
So, do you want to know how some of the most successful women in the world lead? Let me walk you through some of the secrets.
Live by example
Most women in leading positions at some point or the other get questioned about being 'too independent', 'being single for too long', etc. However, what separates the 'successful' amongst the ordinary is that they try to be part of 'normalising success'. Their hard work shows in their accomplishments but they don't usually make a huge deal about it. They also try their utmost not to continue inequality by not treating the successes of others and their own differently.
"I always try my best to live by example and be an example for people. I do get questioned for leading myself the way I do but I don't let that get to me much. Most importantly, I try to treat everyone in my life equally," says Nicole Smartt, VP &Co-owner of Star Staffing.
They own their future
The highest achieving women usually tend to define success in their own terms and incorporate their passions and values with their high financial goals. Here, it can be pointed out that successful women usually know what they want. It allows them to be very precise and thorough. As a result, their businesses try to provide socially responsible products and services, offer opportunities for employees to thrive, make a positive difference in the community, and simultaneously create personal wealth for the owner'.
Lead like a woman
Successful women usually work on their strengths of cooperation, inclusion, and consultation. This eventually leads to a culture inside the company where everyone's ideas and visions are listened to and reflected upon the decision makings of the company. This makes the employees feel valued and hence inspires them to strive for the structural goals of the company. This is the 21st century and people will respect you for who you are. Women who have excelled in their professions didn't try to be someone they are not. Don't consider being a woman a weakness; consider it rather as strength.
Breaking the glass ceiling
Women being successful as leaders would automatically indicate that they were able to break the invisible, transparent glass ceiling that is always present in societies. The term 'Glass Ceiling' is used metaphorically to indicate that in most cases women are trapped after a certain level in the ladder of leadership. Being able to break this would allow women to slow down the trend of monopolization of men in the boardrooms. Successful women act as mentors for other women trying to break through and also form a network amongst themselves. Programmes such as The Women in Public Service Project helps aspiring leaders find a network and mentorship to rely upon and World Pulse has similar initiatives through blogging and networking.
They showcase their indomitable spirit and philosophy having got past numerous barriers to get to where they are, successful women are usually the ones with an 'indomitable spirit'. They also tend to have a distinctive philosophy which developed based upon their years of experience. Hence, as a result they try to showcase these in their work and their personalities so that others might get inspired as well.
When talking about leadership during her commencement speech at Harvard University last year, and talking about the initial struggles she had with her company own, Oprah Winfrey advised the new graduates, 'There is no such thing as failure. Failure is just life trying to move us in another direction.'
Each day is a baby step to reduce the gap. There will be great successes and some might not be so, but before we know it we will be looking back on the whole journey that we are undertaking. What we really have to realise is that success is not a one-time shot and that it is about composing a life over time. So while that is happening, enjoy life.