Brought to you by Kubera:
Sometimes, women need to work harder to maintain their authority compared to their male counterparts. Gender biases and traditional stereotypes play a major role in the perception of women, especially those who find themselves in leadership.
The most successful female leaders incorporate effective strategies and resources both at home and in the workplace to build confidence and learn skills that will make them more effective in a management role.
Keep reading to learn how you can implement useful and efficient tips to give you the boost you need and excel in your career.
The Business Benefits of Empowering Female Leaders
Research shows that women tend to have a more transformational leadership style, can improve team collaboration through their presence, and may be perceived as more fair in their treatment of workers compared to male managers.
In addition, simply situating women in powerful roles can help entire organizations challenge stereotypes around how gender impacts roles and performance!
When women lead, business thinking and decision-making also become more diverse, because there’s a whole new perspective weighing in. No matter the industry or company, this is critical in the modern business environment. Lower barriers to entry mean competitors are popping up every day, and rising operations costs mean you need to get to market quickly and creatively if you’re going to beat them.
Despite the business benefits they bring to the table, just 10% of Fortune 500 companies today are actually led by women.
The change starts with you. Here’s how to make it happen.
6 Ways to Grow and Show Workplace Leadership
As difficult as it may be for women to climb the ranks and fulfill leadership roles, sometimes it’s just as hard to maintain authority and continue to develop leadership skills.
Female leaders must remain relevant in their positions by embracing opportunities and tools available to them.
Adopt Project Management Tools
One study found that women improve a group’s collective intelligence, meaning there’s a higher likelihood that a group works better together to solve a wider range of problems with an increased presence of women.
Women leaders are more inclined to cultivate a collaborative environment, focusing on equality and utilizing the skills of all team members. Females in leadership can harness this tendency — and display their management prowess — by incorporating project management tools to delegate tasks, assign roles, foster open communication, and successfully lead projects to completion.
Learn to Reframe Tough Conversations
Gender biases affect how women are perceived, even down to the way they speak and behave with others. If a woman is too nice, she’s considered weak. If she’s tough, then she’s being too assertive.
These stereotypes can ultimately hinder women from fulfilling their full potential in their roles. Rather than falling into the trap of the stereotype, readjust your approach so you’re able to communicate but still come off as a respected leader in certain situations.
If a team member needs coaching, approach it from a place of learning and development to enhance their skills. Provide constructive feedback on a project to help improve the outcome. Consider sharing your own areas of improvement to build trust and rapport with team members, helping to reframe vulnerability as an opportunity instead of as a weakness.
Look for Chances to Modernize Your Business
Effective leaders understand that adopting innovative strategies can significantly improve an organization’s success, and their own perception.
One such modern technique is account-based marketing (ABM), one of the most successful marketing methods to increase revenue growth and return on investment (ROI). ABM focuses on identifying and targeting high-value accounts or organizations — rather than individuals — with personalized messages that speak to their needs. In that way, it also naturally fits in with the female tendency to foster collaboration and communication at work.
Although an account-based marketing approach might require a bigger upfront investment, the benefits of this strategy — targeted marketing campaigns, increased sales, and a boost in retention — make the commitment worth it.
Be Vocal in Your Leadership Goals
According to a report by McKinsey, for every 100 men promoted to a managerial position, 87 women were promoted. The gap is even wider and more challenging for women of color, with only 73 women of color being promoted.
Women want to advance their careers, and it’s the responsibility of organizations to ask women what they want to achieve and what kind of support they need to achieve it.
But until every business is there, women also need to share their ambitions and vocalize what career goals they want to achieve. As counterintuitive as it may be for women to assert themselves and speak out about what they want, it’s important to be open about your aspirations to enhance your perception as a leader.
Build Your Equity in the Business
Leaders are committed to and confident in their workplaces, and their financial habits portray that.
If it aligns with your personal goals as well as your growth objectives within your current business, you could consider aiming to increase your equity, instead of just cash, in your raise negotiations as you move through and up the ladder.
And you’d be in good company. A whopping 76% of workers actually prefer a higher ownership stake compared to higher salary!
Advocate for More Women in Leadership
Women understand the challenges that other women experience in the workplace. “Women helping women” isn’t just a trendy catchphrase but a legitimate perspective that can help shift the paradigm surrounding women in leadership.
After all, to throw another popular phrase at you, a rising tide lifts all boats!
Female leaders have the power to create initiatives that support fellow women as they work their way into managerial positions. Leadership development programs, coaching, mentorship, and skills training in a safe workspace for women to grow can help foster future female leaders — and raise your own boat as well.
4 Personal Tips for Boosting Your Leadership Skills
Outside of the workplace, women leaders can still benefit from adopting new skills and techniques to advance their expertise as well as their confidence.
Let’s dive into personal improvement tips that can also help you grow your leadership chops.
Practice Healthy Conflict Resolution
All leaders will need to handle conflict at some point, which can be more difficult for women who are often taught to avoid conflict. Consider these practical strategies that can help promote positive conflict resolution results:
- Arrange a time to meet in a private space where you won’t be interrupted.
- Listen to what the other person has to say and ask questions to clarify your understanding.
- Focus on the behavior and specific events rather than their personality.
- Identify the most important areas of conflict and develop a plan to work through it.
- Follow up on the plan and build off your success.
Learn How to Overcome Imposter Syndrome
The 2020 KPMG Women’s Leadership Summit Report found that nearly 75% of women experienced imposter syndrome at some point in their careers. And 47% believed their feelings of imposter syndrome stemmed from never expecting to reach the level of success they had achieved.
It’s critical to the success of female leaders to overcome feelings of imposter syndrome, which you can start doing by following these tips:
- Acknowledge and validate your feelings, at which point you can begin to let them go.
- Focus on the facts rather than the stories you’ve created surrounding them.
- Reframe the way you approach negative thoughts.
- Build a network of supportive women to share your feelings with.
- Celebrate your achievements and reflect on your career journey.
Join Female-Focused Leadership Organizations
Mentorship and support go a long way, especially for women who, as you know by now, thrive in collaboration. That’s why women can benefit so much from joining professional organizations that provide resources and guidance for becoming successful leaders.
HERS (Higher Education Resources Services) is on a mission to provide support, mentorship, and advice for future female leaders in higher education. For minority and women-owned companies, there’s also the Minority Business Development Agency. Another organization, the International Association of Women, is a global network that connects women through an online community to share advice, develop skills, and learn from industry experts.
Build Your Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence is in short supply among leaders. Women who can grow this strength will not only become more in demand, they’ll also have increased ability to communicate effectively and navigate complex dynamics in the workplace.
Women leaders who can connect on an emotional level with their team help inspire and motivate workers and create a working environment that is both safe and supportive.
Empowering Female Leaders Means Success
Empowering female leaders isn’t just about individual success — it’s about transforming workplaces, fostering diversity, and driving business excellence.
By embracing the tools, strategies, and personal growth tips outlined in this article, women can not only excel in their leadership roles but also pave the way for a more inclusive and thriving professional landscape for future female managers.
About the Author
Zaida Marston is a content writer specializing in B2B SaaS, tech, and healthcare. Her work has appeared in U.S. News 360 Reviews, TechTarget, History-Computer, and MindBodyGreen. With a background in theatre and creative writing, Zaida blends creativity with research to write SEO-focused and value-based content.