5 Leadership Skills Being Redefined by Women

Women in leadership are on the rise. According to Forbes, the number of women appointed to leadership positions has steadily increased annually by 1% worldwide since 2015.[1] The rise of women leaders is an encouraging development in the business world and highlights how companies are continuously making efforts to narrow the gender gap. As more women in the workplace climb the career ladder, we examine 5 leadership skills that are being redefined by women leaders and how they are likely to impact the future of leadership roles in the workplace.

The Rise of Women in Leadership

In the working world, women have historically faced many challenges and often fought for recognition from their employers, especially when being considered for leadership roles. Fortunately, as of 2023, women make up 32% of leadership roles in the UK compared with 26% in 2015, according to LinkedIn reports.[2] These statistics not only highlight an increase in the recognition and promotion of women but also suggest organisations are successfully attracting, retaining, and developing female talent.

Undoubtedly, women in leadership roles are positively impacting workplace dynamics. Here, we have selected 5 key leadership skills that women have redefined to bring about this change:

1. Communication

Communication is a highly valued skill that many women possess. More women in leadership roles are using empathetic and inclusive communication to connect with employees on a deeper level. According to Day Designer, some female leaders take the concept of communication further by reading body language and patiently listening to employees to develop a greater understanding of their teams.[3] Having effective communication between teams, employers, and clients, results in a more productive workforce dynamic.

2. Strategic Collaboration

Strong leaders require strategic thinking and collaboration when making decisions that can significantly affect the company. More women leaders with a strategic and collaborative approach enables teams to stay balanced, ensure problems are solved, new opportunities are recognised, and transformative solutions are delivered, according to Gill Rider in FTSE’s Women Leaders 2022 Review.[4] With women in leadership roles, this brings a new and diverse perspective to help teams navigate complex challenges, make inclusive decisions, and meet company goals and objectives.

3. Creativity

By having more women leaders in the workplace, they creatively combat challenges with an open mind to produce a positive culture for their teams. Moreover, women in senior level roles also promote a gender-diverse environment which in turn develops new and creative approaches to objectives, challenges, and goals, as suggested in Joanna Amberger’s research.[5] With more women in leadership roles, they have transformed creativity to nurture and inspire teams in achieving organisational success.

4. Adaptability

Women in leadership often adapt to different roles in their everyday lives as well as in the workplace. They focus on setting boundaries and adapt themselves to the situation at hand to find suitable solutions to complex challenges. With this, they have reshaped adaptability in the workplace by prioritising their needs to prevent burnout and exhaustion, as suggested by Annie Thompson.[6] With more women leaders redefining adaptability in the workplace, this encourages a healthier workplace culture and improves employee well-being.

5. Confidence

With the number of women leaders on the rise, so is their confidence. By demonstrating resilience to gender bias, stereotypes, and societal expectations, more female leaders are inspiring and redefining confidence in themselves and other women. Having more women in leadership roles has provided support and power for women in the workplace to have their voices heard.[7] Strong confidence is crucial in earning respect and diligence from employees, which in turn contributes to being a successful leader.

Impact of Women Leaders

Having more female leaders creates a diverse and inclusive workplace culture. By redefining critical leadership skills, women can apply these in their leadership roles to motivate and inspire their workforce. Moreover, having more women in leadership positions helps continue bridging the gender gap in organisations to create inclusive and gender-diverse teams. According to a survey conducted by LinkedIn, 66% of professionals agreed that having more women in leadership made their workplace experience more positive.[8] Not only does this demonstrate the need for women in leadership positions but also highlights how women are positively changing the dynamics of the business world.

At Ashorne Hill, we provide enriching leadership and management programmes to help leaders develop and redefine critical leadership skills that are essential to achieving success in our ever-changing world. Through creating immersive and inspiring experiences, we are committed to guiding leaders of all genders to unleash their full potential.

Find out more about how we help leaders develop and redefine leadership skills click here or contact us on 01926 488 000.

Reference

[1] Janjuha-Jivraj, Dr. Shaheena. “What ‘the Drop to the Top’ Means for Women in Leadership.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 14 July 2023, www.forbes.com/sites/shaheenajanjuhajivrajeurope/2023/07/11/what-the-drop-to-the-top-means-for-women-at-c-suite/?sh=12f2bc094cc3.

[2] Morrin, Siobhan. “Women Make up Only 30% of UK Leadership Roles. Why Is Female Representation Still so Low?” LinkedIn, 2 July 2022, www.linkedin.com/pulse/women-make-up-only-30-uk-leadership-roles-why-female-still-morrin/.

[3] “Why Women Make Effective Communicators and Leaders.” Day Designer, 17 Jan. 2024, daydesigner.com/a/blog/why-women-make-effective-communicators-and-leaders.

[4] FTSE Women Leaders Review 2022, ftsewomenleaders.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/2021-FTSE-Women-Leaders-Review-Final-Report.pdf.

[5] Amberger, Joanna. “Breaking Barriers: Empowering Women in Leadership Roles.” LinkedIn, 28 Aug. 2023, www.linkedin.com/pulse/breaking-barriers-empowering-women-leadership-roles-joanna-amberger/.

[6] Thompson, Annie. “Future of Work: How Female Leaders Are Transforming the Workplace.” HRD, 27 May 2022, www.hrdconnect.com/2021/06/16/future-of-work-how-female-leaders-are-transforming-the-workplace/.

[7] Lewis, Sarah, and Director Regional Marketing. “Why Women in Leadership Communities Matter, Now More than Ever.” Zendesk UK, 13 Oct. 2023, www.zendesk.co.uk/blog/why-women-in-leadership-communities-matter-now-more-than-ever/.

[8] “Do Women Make Better Leaders?” Gleeson Recruitment Group, 21 Feb. 2024, www.workwithglee.com/blog/2023/04/do-women-make-better-leaders/.