Feminine and Masculine Leadership

Who makes better leaders, women or men? The answer is simple: the best leaders emerge when men and women collaborate in mixed teams. Effective leadership requires the strengths of both genders, blending feminine and masculine attributes. Just as the sun and moon complement each other, achieving a balance of yin and yang in leadership fosters success.

In reality, although women often graduate in higher numbers, they remain underrepresented in leadership positions. In many parts of the world, women still earn less than men for performing the same work. Addressing these disparities is essential for building more robust, equitable leadership teams.

"The companies that boast a higher representation of women on their boards notably outperform the organisations that do not."[1] 

Some organisations started letting the staff elect their superiors. Interestingly, more women end up in leadership positions when the staff elects. The argument that women do not want to occupy leading organisational positions is no longer valuable.

Let us start with some facts to elucidate that women in leadership positions have done an outstanding job—a study conducted between March and June 2021 revealed that women were rated more positively and significantly higher on 13 of 19 analysed competencies comprising leadership effectiveness. The following picture gives an overview of the results.

Source: https://hbr.org/2020/12/research-women-are-better-leaders-during-a-crisis

Explanations for these results could be that women are better at multitasking. They are 1.5 times more productive than men when multitasking is necessary. Women can wear many hats. In times of Covid, our private and professional complexity has increased. In addition to this, Covid put many people under more stress and anxiety than before. More sensitivity and understanding of these personal challenges were needed. Women are often more sensitive and understanding and can naturally pick up emotions. The study also detected that women more easily emphasise employee development despite tough times. 

Yes, we are different—and that is the beauty and magic of life. These differences create a natural desire for connection, especially in our personal lives. The same principle should apply to the workplace. While we seek love and unity in our personal lives, the professional world often prioritises competition and power. To create a more balanced and humane work environment, we need greater representation of female energy and feminine attributes in leadership. By ensuring both are equally valued, we can foster a workplace that thrives on collaboration, empathy, and inclusivity.

Let’s start by exploring the fundamental differences between women and men as shaped by nature. Next, we’ll highlight key feminine and masculine qualities essential for effective leadership and management. Finally, we’ll conclude with a practical exercise.

Critical differences between Women and Men

Women release more oxytocin than men. Oxytocin is a hormone, and a neurotransmitter involved in childbirth and breast-feeding. This hormone makes women more compassionate and empathetic. It motivates women to treat others well, which leads to the fact that women often affiliate and connect easily with other people. Women also motivate their employees by helping them find self-worth and satisfaction. They are supportive and nurturing. 

When ovulating, more oestrogen is released, which makes women more sensitive to their environment, which explains women's overall higher level of sensitivity. High sensitivity also explains women's lower appetite for risk, as compared to men that are more risk-seeking.

In contrast, men release more testosterone—a very potent oxytocin inhibitor. Solving problems produces testosterone, which explains why men often like to solve problems; if they do, they love to be appreciated.

When anyone enters an airport with their partner, the first task usually is to find the check-in counter. Women survey the airport quickly and find the direct route to the counter. It's unusual for men to have this ability. It would be of little benefit to the relationship if the woman said directly to the man: "This way, honey". Let him find the way. Alternatively, ask in a friendly way: "Honey, would you like to get support?" Men want to find the way themselves. There is a goal, a challenge, a problem, and men want to solve it.

In addition to these hormonal differences, women have a womb. The womb has the divine power to birth and rebirth. It houses women's ability to create life, hence, the connection between mother and child is the strongest. Because of this, women are also more sensitive.

Furthermore, the womb is where new ideas are shaped and formed. Women have this powerful creative energy, which gets blocked due to individual and transgenerational traumas. Unblocked, women are potent sources of creativity. The ancients looked to the womb for all their healing and redemption, and the feminine was honoured as the throne of creation. The thinking mind has forgotten the magical feminine thread, but the body remembers and is part of this vast, sensual, sensory network of aliveness. Women have more vitality than men (for example, the average life expectancy of women is higher). 

When women recognise that they are powerful, magical beings deeply connected to all of life, they unlock limitless possibilities. Great leaders embody this magic and strength—and women naturally possess these gifts within them.

Feminine and Masculine Aspects 

The further explanations present the main feminine and masculine aspects that influence the behaviour of leaders and managers. It is crucial to understand that feminine qualities are not exclusive to women, nor are masculine qualities exclusive to men. Naturally, there is a more robust expression of feminine attributes in women and masculine attributes in men. Ideally, women and men should develop and balance these aspects, knowing which aspects to apply in different situations.

Men are naturally more centred and focused and take a straightforward approach to solving a problem. Women are more fluid; they look left and right and think more circularly. Centeredness without fluidity is less productive than fluidity without centeredness. We need both! 

Men have a more pronounced logic and are more rational. On the other hand, women are pure bundles of energy, very intuitive and sensitive. They can adapt quickly, whereas men like to be in control.

The word "co-creation" has not been around that long. Female leadership tends to be more inclusive and community driven. Women are more likely to lead by consensus rather than try to dictate the rules. They bring a family-like feel to teams, which can lead to a new culture within the business, a more loving culture, and a culture where co-creation is possible.

Men tend to be good at branding themselves. Women do not promote themselves so often; they are more likely to be modest or silent about their accomplishments. They underestimate their ability. They often attribute their success to others, whereas men attribute their success to themselves.

What is interesting is that there are also differences in IQ. There is no difference on average but in the distribution. Most women are closer to the average IQ. With men, it is the opposite. There are more less intelligent men than less intelligent women and more geniuses among men than women. Why? For many women, the sexiest thing about a man is his brain. Women often unconsciously choose their husbands based on whether they can produce intelligent children.

The good news is that when it comes to successful leadership, grit (the sum of perseverance and passion) is more influential on our success than our IQ. There is this beautiful book from Angela Duckworth called "Grit." Grit is 50% in our genes, and here, gender makes no difference. Thus, a leader's success is not a question of sex.

We need work environments that honour and nurture a balance of male and female leadership within teams and everyone. Both men and women should be able to develop a full range of leadership attributes if they want. The conclusion is clear: We need leaders open to personal and transformative change, free from ego, and driven by a love for humanity. Organisations must offer awareness training on both female and male leadership and teach how to embrace and cultivate the diverse aspects of both.

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Self- Reflection Exercise

1. Do you identify more with feminine or masculine attributes?

2. What are your three strongest and three weakest masculine attributes?

3. What are your three strongest and three weakest feminine attributes?

4. On a scale of 1 to 10, how balanced do I feel between my feminine and masculine sides? (1 = no balance, 10 = fully balanced)

5. What steps could you take to achieve a better balance?

After the self-reflection, share with others in the team and brainstorm strategies to achieve better balance.

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Reference:

10 reasons why the world needs more women in leadership roles, 23 March, 2021. 2021. https://www.naturalhr.com/2021/03/23/10-reasons-why-the-world-needs-more-women-in-leadership-roles/

Angela Duckworth, Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, 3 May 2016.

Jack Zenger and Joseph Folkman, Research: Women are better leaders during a crisis. Harvard Business Review, 30 December 2020. https://hbr.org/2020/12/research-women-are-better-leaders-during-a-crisis

[1] https://www.naturalhr.com/2021/03/23/10-reasons-why-the-world-needs-more-women-in-leadership-roles/