It’s impossible to respect, value and admire great leadership if you
can’t identify what makes a leader great. Because of this, the identity
crisis I have written about that exists in today’s workplace is
something that women leaders in particular have been facing for much
too long. While the tide is changing and more women are being elevated
into leadership roles, there is still much work to do. As of July 2013,
there were only 19 female elected presidents and prime ministers in power around the globe. In the business world,
women currently hold only 4.6 percent of Fortune 500 CEO positions
and the same percentage of Fortune 1000 CEO positions. As women
continue their upward trajectory in the business world, they have yet to
be fully appreciated for the unique qualities and abilities they bring
to the workplace.
Like many who grow up with a Hispanic upbringing, I was surrounded by
strong-willed, hardworking and purpose-driven women. It is through
their leadership that the traditions, values and legacy of our family
have been upheld. My grandmother, mother, wife, and sister-in-law all
possess natural leadership skills and they are
masters of opportunity management
– seamlessly keeping us all in check while running the family household
and at the same time supporting our family businesses. They have
taught me that a woman’s instincts and emotional intelligence can be off
the chart. They seamlessly manage crisis and change and are turnaround
experts – sensing and neutralizing any signs of danger well before it
invades our path. It is because of the women in our family that we are
well-organized, full of love, spiritually aligned and well-balanced. We
are by no means a perfect family, but we are a modern family who
embraces traditions even as we adapt to changing times.
It can be difficult for a man to understand how women think, act and
innovate unless he has been closely influenced by the women in his
life. I’ve learned that women may process things differently and in
their own terms. Fortunately for me, I’ve been influenced by great women
who made me appreciate their approach towards leadership. I’ve grown to
understand their decision-making processes, the dynamics and subtleties
of their personality and style, and other special character qualities
that women possess.
The best women leaders I know have circular vision that enables them
to be well-rounded people. For example, they have their finger on the
pulse of the culture and can talk to you about the latest pop-culture
news – but then easily switch gears to give you their perspective on
what is taking place on Wall Street. Women leaders seeking a chance to
be significant see the world through a lens of opportunity; they are
especially in search of those opportunities previously unseen (perhaps
this is why the women I know enjoy a good treasure hunt).
My experiences have taught me that great women make it a point to teach men about women.
I’ve seen women run the show for years both at home and in the
workplace, which has enabled me to recognize behavior patterns and see
the value behind their way of doing things. These women are master
multi-taskers and highly collaborative (though not afraid to get
territorial to protect their domain). They enjoy their own space to
test themselves and find their own rhythm. These women leaders are like
scientists: many of them want to make new discoveries or solve for
problems where others have failed. The women leaders I’ve been around
don’t stop pursuing until the job gets done. This is why I believe they
are good collaborative leaders – not afraid of trial and error as long
as they continue to build the resource infrastructure around them that
gets them closer towards accomplishing their goals. As one of my women
mentors told me, “Without enough of the right resources around me, I
will not risk the outcome. I know the resources I need to get the job
done right. I’d rather be patient than foolish.”
The women leaders I know invest in themselves and become knowledge
seekers. They are not afraid to ask questions when given a safe platform
to express themselves. For example, during my keynote and conference
appearances – more often than not – it is the women who ask me the most
questions and they are also more inspired to adopt new ideas and
ideals. Though extremely curious, it’s often balanced with a bit of
skepticism – after all, they don’t want to be fooled or taken
advantage of. My experiences have taught me that women leaders need to
trust a person before they will endorse what they have to say. Many
just want to know that there is legitimacy behind the opportunity.
As I’ve learned from my women bosses and mentors, they want things to
be authentic yet practical. These women leaders enjoy a good challenge –
and seek to find meaning and purpose from each circumstance they face
and opportunity they are given. They like to see and understand the
connectivity of thoughts and how they work or why they don’t. They
want all the facts and figures before making important decisions.
Competitiveness amongst themselves may really be about looking for
validation — an identity that matters and a voice that is heard.
Successful women leaders don’t rely on favors; they earn respect and
truly believe they can influence their own advancement by serving
others. Consummate team players, they also seek to prove their value
and self-worth by exceeding performance expectations.. Looking for
respect more than recognition, the most successful women leaders don’t
seek to become the star of the show — but they enable others to create a
great show. In other words, being in the spotlight is not what
drives them – but rather it’s the ability to influence positive outcomes
with maximum impact.
One thing is certain: these women leaders understand survival,
renewal and reinvention. They have grit and are not afraid to fight for
what they believe in or an opportunity to achieve something of
significance. They believe in what they stand for, but that doesn’t mean
they won’t put their ideas and ideals to the test. For them, doing
more with less is simply a matter of knowing how to strategically
activate those around them.
While
women leaders have their productivity secrets,
it’s not secret where they come from: the leadership traits that women
leaders naturally possess and – based on my personal and professional
experiences – are the most undervalued.
1. Opportunity-driven
When confronted with a challenge, the women I know look for the
opportunity within. They see the glass as half-full rather than
half-empty. They push the boundaries and, when faced with adverse
circumstances, they learn all they can from it. Optimism is their
mindset because they see opportunity in everything.
Estée Lauder, the child of Hungarian immigrant parents, was quite the
opportunist in the cosmetics industry. During the postwar consumer
boom, women wanted to start sampling cosmetic products before buying
them. Lauder noticed and responded to this shifting dynamic by
pioneering two marketing techniques that are commonly used today: the
free gift and the gift-with-purchase. It’s exactly this type of
inventiveness that other women use to pursue the opportunities in front
of them.
2. Strategic
Women see what often times others don’t see. As one of my women
mentors told me, “A woman’s lens of skepticism oftentimes forces them to
see well beyond the most obvious details before them. They enjoy
stretching their perspective to broaden their observations. Many women
are not hesitant to peel the onion in order to get to the root of the
matter.”
At times they “play the part” to test the intentions of others and to
assure that they are solidly grounded and reliable. Successful women
leaders know how to play the game when they have to – and can anticipate
the unexpected. They know what cards to play and keenly calculate
the timing of each move they make.
I wouldn’t be surprised to learn a woman leader made the word
“organic” a business term. I learned that women who enjoy the ebbs and
flows of business activity also know that the best things are
accomplished when they are done naturally – and unforced. When things
are happening organically, this means that they are functioning within a
natural rhythm and speed – that is safer and risk adverse.
This is not to say that women are uncomfortable with risk – in fact,
they will often tackle risk head-on in order to get to the root cause
of a problem and to solve for it (they value time and money). Women
leaders who don’t allow their egos to stand in the way of good business
are in the mindset of getting things done for the betterment of a
healthier whole.
3. Passionate
While women in general were historically viewed and stereotyped as
emotional leaders by men, I believe they are just passionate explorers
in pursuit of excellence. When women leaders are not satisfied with
the status quo, they will want to make things better. These women
leaders get things done and avoid procrastination. As another one of my
women mentors said, “They enjoy order and stability and a genuine sense
of control. Many women have learned not to depend upon others for their
advancement and thus have a tendency to be too independent. A woman’s
independent nature is her way of finding her focus and dialing up her
pursuits.”
When these women leaders are locked into what they are searching for –
move out of the way. Their passionate pursuits allow them to become
potent pioneers of new possibilities. No wonder
minority women represent the largest growing segment of entrepreneurs. According to a
report
by the Center for Women’s Business Research, U.S. Hispanic and African
American women entrepreneurs grew at rates of 133.3% and 191.4%
respectively from 1997 to 2007.
4. Entrepreneurial
Entrepreneurship is just a way of life for many women. They can be
extremely resourceful, connect the dots of opportunity and become expert
in developing the relationships they need to get the job done. Many
women leaders also see through an entrepreneurial lens to best enable
the opportunities before them. They know that to create and sustain
momentum requires 100% focus on the objective – and so they don’t
enjoy being disrupted by unnecessary noise and distractions.
As one of my former women bosses told me, “Women can play into the
politics of the workplace, and do so if it means adding value to the
momentum they are attempting to create.”
Many women leaders find excitement and motivation by being extremely
creative and resourceful when completing tasks and other duties and
responsibilities –. They avoid falling too far behind on projects –
knowing that if they do it will disrupt their focus and momentum. That
is why I learned never to disrupt a woman’s focus and concentration if I
can avoid it.
My former female boss continued by saying, “This is why women like
control. Not necessarily to be in charge, but to not lose the rhythm or
compromise the momentum they need to accomplish their goals.”
5. Purposeful and Meaningful
I have found that many women leaders enjoy inspiring others to
achieve. They know what it’s like to be the underdog and work hard not
to disappoint themselves and others. Women leaders in particular often
have high standards and their attention to detail makes it difficult for
others to cut corners or abuse any special privileges.
Women leaders with a nurturing nature are good listeners and
excellent networkers/connecters. They enjoy creating ecosystems and
support a
collaborative leadership
style that melds the thinking and ideas of others; this is what
multiplies the size of an opportunity and/or its speed in execution in
order to create a larger sphere of influence and overall impact. Women
who don’t have to be right all the time make good consensus builders and
will more likely enjoy participating in a team environment.
6. Traditions and Family
Whether at home or at work, women are often the glue that keeps
things together and that is why they represent great leadership for
America’s future. When they sense growing tensions that can lead to
potential problems or inefficiencies, the most successful women leaders
enjoy taking charge before circumstances force their hand. Women are
usually the ones to secure the foundational roots of the family and to
protect family and cultural traditions from wavering. They provide the
leadership within the home and in the workplace to assure that legacies
remain strong by being fed with the right nutrients and ingredients.
The most successful women leaders are big believers in team building
and the enforcement of mission, goals and values to assure that everyone
is on the same page with like intentions. This secures a sense of
continuity making it easier for everyone to have each other’s backs.
No wonder women are assuming more management and leadership roles in family owned businesses.
To the great women in my personal and professional life, thank you
for the opportunity to be inspired and mentored by your leadership (you
know who you are). I’ve read many things about women in the workplace
and their lack of advancement into senior executive roles and in the
boardroom. Rarely have I read something from a man who has been
inspired and influenced by the wisdom of a woman’s leadership.
Hopefully this perspective helps awaken more of us to the opportunity of
learning about leadership from the women in our lives, whether in the
home or at work.