Societies have evolved over a period of time to see women do more than just household chores. Today, most companies have women in diverse decision-making roles. These women in leadership roles are inspiring aspiring women to pursue their dreams. According to a 2020 study by Mercer,  37% of managers and 29% of senior managers in organizations are women. While it’s good to see the gender gap narrowing, we need to make a conscious effort to encourage more women to pursue their careers and take up leadership positions. Let’s take a look at why women have better leadership skills and how some of the women have shaped the future of business in various sectors.

Why Women Excel in Leadership Roles:

women in leadership positions

According to a study, in 2022, 23 Global Fortune 500 companies were led by women—a record! In 2020, only one woman of colour led a Global 500 company. Six women in 2021! While women are steadily climbing the corporate ladder, the leadership gap remains. And to bridge this gap, gender shouldn’t decide leadership. Instead, businesses should evaluate leadership potential based on personality and strengths. Speaking about special traits that help women in leadership roles to excel are their abilities to strike a balance between their professional and personal life, inclusiveness in nature, multitasking ability, firefighting skills and their innate ability to don many hats. 

The Capability of Today’s Women in Politics:

In 2019, India appointed its first female finance minister, Nirmala Sitharaman. No woman had held such an important role in the Indian government before. Finance was considered a man’s world until many women graduated from prestigious universities with finance degrees and took up roles typically held by men. Women in leadership roles are not something India, or the world, is seeing in recent times. Back in 1966, Indira Gandhi became India’s first woman prime minister and served in office for three consecutive terms.  When COVID-19’s unexpected attack crippled governments across the globe, New Zealand emerged victorious under the able leadership of Jacinda Arden.

The reason for women to emerge as strong political leaders can be credited to the fact that they are not afraid of making bold decisions taking inclusiveness into account. This not only helps in the overall growth and development of the nation but also encourages society to believe in women power. Women’s leadership in politics can make an everlasting impact on the world. Inspiring women are all around us. We are just a few years away from being surrounded by women in leadership, and it will only lead to the growth of our society as a whole.

Women Bring Fresh Perspectives in Corporate Workspace:

Women in leadership corporate workspaceFor a long time, men have held senior positions at most workplaces. When companies started putting women in leadership roles, discussion rooms saw different perspectives and new ideas. The rise of women entrepreneurs is proof that women leaders are capable of leading businesses today.  Fresh perspectives are important for any business to excel. They lead to innovation, offering a different approach to daily tasks. 

According to a study conducted by Pew Research Centre, women in decision making roles are more honest, intelligent, compassionate, outgoing and creative than men leaders. The story also concluded that women leaders are just as hardworking and ambitious as their male counterparts. Around the world, we get to see many women entrepreneurs who are innovating and running multi-million dollar companies. Be it Mamaearth’s Ghazal Alagh or Falguni Nayar’s Nykaa, we are witnesses to the hustling spirit of women around us. Karen Lynch, CEO, CVS Health is the highest-ranking female CEO in the Fortune 500. Leena Nair was appointed the CEO of Chanel, the French luxury fashion house, this year. Roshni Nadar, CEO, HCL Corporation is the first woman to lead a listed Information Technology company in India. 

Taking a page from how women deal with things at home, women leaders often choose to make the environment less toxic, focusing on deliverables in the most peaceful way possible. Most companies led by women also ensure that there’s more diversity and every idea is heard and encouraged from everyone evaluating on merit basis. The success of all the leading ladies in the corporate world is precisely why more women in leadership are needed in today’s world. 

Women Can Drive a Much-Needed Change:

women in leadership GDP

Over the years, the conversation about the gender pay gap has been brought to light by many people. Men are often paid more than a female at the same job level. While conversations have taken place, which is an extremely important step towards driving any change, little has been done about it. Women in leadership roles can change that. British actress Emma Watson accepts roles where she is paid just as much as the male actor while also launching a UN Campaign called HeForShe, which aims to ensure that women in the film industry are paid equally and appropriately. Another example would be Selena Gomez, who founded Wondermind to openly talk about mental health issues, which is something that was swept under the carpet before. 

Women Ruling the Digital Space Too:

It is not easy managing an entire household, excelling at work, while being emotionally intelligent and constantly multitasking.  And like we said, women are known to don multiple hats with ease, increasing numbers of women’s participation in digital spaces has led to the emergence of new opportunities. Many digital content creators have created their niche in the market. From Sonali Bhadauria (Live to Dance with Sonali) to Nisha Madhulika (Top YouTube Cooking Content Creator), from Vidya Iyer (Music creator) to Prajakta Koli (comedy sketches content creator) have proved that women can excel in any field and in any role. And this is not just talk but proven scientific fact. Studies have compared how men and women manage stressful situations. Stress affects men and women differently. Neuroscience and neurobiology study show that women make better decisions under stress. According to a University of Southern California study, under normal conditions, men and women make identical decisions, but under stress, men act riskier, often with bad consequences. 

Communication Is a Women’s Strong Skill:

women in leadership communication

Michele Obama, Margaret Thatcher, Oprah Winfrey and Diane Sawyer are just some examples of great women communicators. This is mainly because women don’t just communicate with words. Body language, reading between the lines, and eye contact are just some ways in which women communicate. They are also known to put across their thoughts with more empathy when compared to men. For any strong leadership, communication skills come in handy to build a connection with fellow workers. Due to this ingrained quality, women in leadership can drive productive outcomes from employees. This also promotes open conversations.

Today there are many firms that have all-women workforces, giving opportunities to young women from all walks of life. There are different kinds of programs where women hone their skills and go one step further towards being future women leaders. In the healthcare sector, Emcure Pharmaceuticals’ Namita Thapar is a shining example of how women entrepreneurs are making their own name in the world. You, too, can make an impact with your ideas. All you need is some inspiration and a platform to build the next big thing. Read more about how you can be a future woman leader here

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This is just a way of showing that, as a woman, your opinion matters. You are heard, and you matter. Today’s women with opinions will make tomorrow’s women in decision making roles who will make their own paths. The Panel Station is a way through which you can give your valued opinions and help brands make better products. You can help leading brands by sharing your voice and opinion on their products. Register with us and get started on your leadership journey today!