Women: Beyond Grit, Passion, and Tenacity

I recently re-posted an article that was in the NY Times called, “Enough Leaning In. Let’s Tell Men to Lean Out.” The author reminds us that, as women, we have a lot to offer without trying to take on the leadership characteristics of men. Much of the content geared towards equalizing the gender gap has been focused on changing women – changing their attitudes, their outlooks, their behaviors. This messaging is in direct opposition to what’s necessary for happiness and fulfillment – honoring and loving ourselves for who and what we are.

Women have skills that benefit business. Last year I wrote about the three undervalued traits of female leaders: grit, passion, and tenacity. I, personally, prefer to focus on my strengths, on what I bring to the table, rather than trying to be something I’m not just to fit into a corporate culture that is based on male personality traits.

A recent global survey of nearly 22,000 companies found that organizations with women in approximately 30 percent of management positions are more profitable than those with lower percentages. Men often bring traditional business abilities like finance and operations. However, women add talent in areas like risk management, human resources, and sustainability. It’s a balance if only we choose to realize it.

So, beyond the valuable assets of grit, passion, and tenacity, what else do women bring to every professional interaction?

1. Thoughtful analysis. Women are wired to carefully analyze issues whereas men are more suited to take action. But what is action without thought? In tense situations, research has found that women tend to become risk-alert under stress and go for the smaller wins that are more guaranteed. When tension is high, women add balance to risk taking with their unique ability to approach the data in an analytical way.
2. Listening skills. Men and women typically employ different listening styles. Women are more likely to be people-oriented listeners. They connect with the emotional message and undertones of a conversation and are more concerned with the occurrence of the conversation than with the pertinent information discussed.
3. We value people. Women are far better at creating safe and respectful workplaces than men. We are focused on valuing people for their unique contributions rather than looking at them as a cog in a machine. We are inclusive and caring and those characteristics can be the difference in the long-term success of an organization.
4. We get things done. An interesting study from Harvard, highlights that women score higher than men on many leadership traits. The top one? Taking initiative! Women GET IT DONE. Every single day. We see an issue, we work to find a solution in all parts of our lives.
5. We are resilient. Both women and men need resilience to deal with difficulties in life. But, women often need more resilience than men to overcome traditional obstacles placed in their way, in order to advance in the business world. We get knocked back or even down, and we get back up. Maybe it’s the nature of our gender and years of being told we’re not good enough. One thing is certain – we are damn good at bouncing back.

There are so many other traits that women possess that make us ideal leaders and employees. Our differences make us valuable. Our unique perspectives enrich the organizations we are a part of. With increased awareness of ourselves, our coworkers, and the value of having all perspectives honored, I am hopeful that closing the costly gender gap in business doesn't have to take the century or more that's currently predicted.

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