Women cannot lead; they cannot go up the hierarchy. They do not fit in the traditional mold. All these we have heard, learned and believed for so long. But here is the catch. Women can be the most empathetic, compassionate and memorable leaders.
Leena Nair, the CEO of Chanel, remembers every employee’s name, face and life experiences. This is called “attachment leadership”, and she believes in collective intelligence.
Is she the one? No, there are more: Jacinda Ardern, Michelle Obama, Malala Yousafzai, Oprah Winfrey and many more who have reshaped leadership in a powerful way. All of them lead differently with their femininity.
And femininity is not weakness. Just like masculinity, femininity is strength and power. And this creates a lasting impact.
Women Leading with Empathy are not Soft;
Is empathy truly necessary in the business field? Yes, to do your best in people management, you must have empathy.
Jacinda Ardern, former PM of New Zealand, has always been applauded for her “human first and leader second” approach. She won over aggressive, traditional political methods. People trusted her because she listened not to create arguments/logic but to understand and feel for the people.
She emphasized kindness, compassion and vulnerability. She actively challenged the notion that empathy is a weakness.
At PriyoShop, we also have women who are empathetic and leading us with their feminine power.
Sharmin Akter, the senior manager of marketing & branding, created a team that is jolly and not afraid to communicate with her. Her hopeful approach to leadership and ability to use vulnerability to increase collaboration and communication have created a safe zone at the team.
Her empathetic approach is not softness; it is smartness.
Collaboration, not competition: The Game Changer
What is the meaning of real power? It is embracing your power and uplifting others, not to tear down or to complain, but rather to understand other drawbacks and work together to push each other forward.
Michelle Obama, known for clear communication and a transformational and strategic leadership style, launched the movement named ‘Let’s Move,’ which was a model-based rather than directive approach.
Mumtahina Alam Shawarna initiates moves to upgrade their teammates. She collaborates with the operation team, sales team and audit team to keep the financial flow smooth. She focuses on the long-term financial health positively.
Instinct: Just Trusting the Gut Feelings
We often feel something, a bad buzz or good vibes, before doing something, right? That is our intuition and this is a powerful leadership tool. Intuition helps to go through difficult situations and make decisions based on inner knowledge rather than only focusing on data.
Anita Roddick, the founder of the best brand of England, The Body Shop, was intuitive and witty. She favored taking action immediately and iterating based on results, rather than waiting for formal research.
Dipty Mandal, PriyoShop’s cofounder & CMO, is as intuitive as Anita. Dipty acted on gut instinct, focusing on storytelling and passion rather than rigid, analytical marketing plans.
She values taking action immediately and iterating based on results, rather than waiting for formal research.
Seeing the Real Challenges and Facing Them Head-on
Women leaders face unfair biases very often. Empathy is mistaken for weakness, a collaborative mindset is often seen as forceful interaction and intuition is taken as unreliable.
These narratives need to be rewritten. Schools, college and educational platforms needs to dismantle these stereotypes. Because when we appreciate feminine leadership traits openly, we can bring more powerful women leaders.
Creating a Future Where Women Can Lead Unapologically
To create the best female leaders, we all need to challenge stereotypes. We must give them a floor and provide skills to change their lives positively.
Our work environment provides safe spaces for all women to explore their experiences, challenge their limits and confidently use their voices. Join us in building a future where feminine leadership is celebrated, stereotypes are challenged and every woman can lead authentically and unapologetically.