Why Don’t Women Consider Themselves as Born Leaders?

Women are born leaders. However, it takes a lot of courage and self-confidence to step out of the crowd and achieve a leadership position in male-dominated leadership spaces. As per Forbes, only 26 women are currently in the CEO roles at Fortune 500 companies, which inevitably states that women leaders continue to be underrepresented in leadership roles.

What Is Stopping the New Age Businesswomen?

The key to entering a male-dominated space is self-confidence. Needless to say that confidence is inextricably connected with leadership qualities. Exceptional communication skills, assertiveness, and flexible nature further enhance the ability to get noticed and be heard.

SEE ALSO: A List Of Workplace Challenges for Women

What Are the Essential Qualities of a Leader?

Ideally, the seven qualities that set the leaders apart from the crowd are the abilities to:

• Raise an issue
• Nurture relationships and bonds
• Analyze the problems to the core
• Solve problems effectively
• Build collaborations
• Drive changes or results
• Motivate and create opportunities for others

Unfortunately, despite possessing all the leadership qualities, many women leaders face severe backlash when they try to take up a leadership role. As a result, they become less optimistic about themselves. 

It is vital to remember that leadership is not just quality but a mindset. It is about overcoming your weaknesses and enduring the strength within, and it starts with yourself.

Maybe, men are excelling more in leadership positions simply because they perceive themselves as leaders!

Do Women Need To Subvert Gender Stereotypes or Transcend Them?

Across the world, all aspiring women leaders face gender discrimination at personal or professional levels. However, ranting over a problem doesn’t solve the issue. We have to go for miles before we can even dream of equality.

As stated earlier, leadership is a state of mind, and it needs constant sharpening ‘as a sword needs a whetstone.’ According to Tim Morris, Professor of Management Studies at Oxford, “It is possible for women to overcome these, but only through an enormous amount of ‘self-work,’ starting early in their careers.”