What is leadership – women in leadership roles

Leadership is more than just setting goals or tasks, or assigning workloads. Good leaders define a

vision and inspire others to achieve it. Women in leadership roles are particularly good at setting an

objective and directing a group to achieve the goal in a cohesive manner. A good leader shows the

way and will create an environment where all members of the group feel listened to and invested in

the project.

Women have a fantastic ability to form strong emotional connections, be empathic and supportive.

While these are wonderful traits, women in leadership positions need to be careful not to blur the

lines.

What makes a good leader?

There are several common personality traits that women in leadership roles demonstrate.

1. Good listener

A leader needs to take charge, but a good leader also listens to the input of others. Being

open minded and listening to the ideas of team members keeps all team members engaged.

A good leader makes sure everyone in the group feels heard and has the opportunity to

contribute.

2. Be focussed and motivated

A strong leader is motivated and enthusiastic, not just for the task at hand, but also about

their role as a leader. People respond to passion, and a good leader keeps the team

motivated by leading by example.

3. Be available

Women are often more empathic than men, and as such are more ‘available’ to their team.

Team members need to feel they can approach their leader and speak freely. Scheduling

regular team meetings keeps the group engaged, and creates an open forum where progress

can be discussed, and issues can be raised.

4. Be decisive.

Sometimes compromise can’t be reached no matter how good a listener or negotiator you

may be. Women in leadership positions must be decisive and capable of making a ‘final’

decision. Its just not always possible to satisfy everyone, infact usually it isn’t. Strong

leadership means being decisive enough to make the decision and follow it through.

5. Be confident

Good leadership often involves making ‘the tough decisions’. A good leader is confident and

does not vacillate. Portraying confidence and self belief will inspire those qualities in others,

and bring out their best.

6. Be Strategic.

A good leader needs to keep the ‘big picture’ in mind, while breaking the issues down into

smaller, manageable steps. A good leader will assign priorities and tasks to the members of

the team best suited to them, and set appropriate milestones.

7. Be tolerant

When setbacks occur, a good leader keeps a cool head and recognises this is all part of the

process. During times of uncertainty, people look to the leader for reassurance, and will find

security and confidence when the leader remains calm, composed and focussed.

8. Take responsibility.

As the person in the leadership role, the buck stops with you. So if things go wrong, take

responsibility - not the blame! Taking responsibility is about assessing the situation, finding

where the problem occurred and taking steps to resolve the issue and ensure it doesn’t

recur.

what is leadership? https://www.advancingwomen.com.au/tip.asp?tipID=111