How To Lean Into Your Feminine Leadership Skills

Leadership is considered commanding and domineering to a lot of people. Women who wish to take charge are often encouraged to step into a man’s shoes and pretend they fit. But men’s shoes are dull and don’t allow us to show off cute socks.

Instead of pretending that blazers and ties bring out the best in powerful women, why not embrace the skills that come naturally to us with our own style? It’s way more colorful, and we’re far better at encouraging others, organizing social events, and rewarding others than our male counterparts – all things people need to reach a common goal. 

Women Are Collaborative

Men may be better at sharking around the office looking to bite into whatever they can to reach the top, but that’s an approach that best serves them and their individual goals. In the workforce, no matter how driven a person is, they have to accept criticism, change, and their role in a greater purpose. 

I’ve met plenty of talented male writers in my career as a writer, but very few of them will compromise with editors and make changes to keep readers from sleeping on their books. With self-publishing options, there are plenty of guys who walk away, produce their vision their way, and then sell it to their mother and their dog…

Feminine leaders reach out to others and find ways to make any job or volunteer experience fun.

But women are different. We’re more open to suggestions and to collaboration. Because of this, we’re also able to encourage others and share in our colleagues’ joys. Some people go to a shift and do a job and everything is based on them and their day-to-day events, and there’s nothing wrong with that, but good leaders get excited about what they’re doing and they want to share that happiness. Feminine leaders reach out to others and find ways to make any job or volunteer experience fun. 

For example, volunteering at animal shelters always sounds like a great way to cuddle with some fluffy babies, but it also takes a lot of poop scooping as well. The stinky part takes forever alone. But if you reach out to the other volunteers and work together it goes much faster, and then everyone gets to the fun part more quickly. 

Women Promote Connection Through Events

Women are also much better at organizing group activities. Female leaders know how to whip up a company picnic or a community Christmas party like no man ever could. 

Men may help. They like to have fun too, but planning and preparing decorations, food, music, and games is our specialty. While we’re out coordinating matching napkins, plates, and tablecloths, men are usually breaking into the snacks ahead of time. 

Our skills truly shine when hosting an event. So we need to take the reins more often. If you think an event would benefit everyone, don’t be afraid to suggest it or take charge. You will surprise yourself. 

Female leaders know how to whip up a company picnic or community Christmas party like no man ever could.

I got a real taste of this recently. I have a regular gig writing for a local company, and I love the place. They’re just a great family-run business, flexible and fun. But after Covid, we’d barely done anything together. Halloween was nearing and I missed the costume contest, the potluck, the decorations. So I messaged the owner. 

This got me put in charge of everything. I felt so honored that he would trust me to throw a great bash that I started making lists and getting supplies. 

I annoyed everyone at the office, breaking out the goodies and making sure they knew there were prizes for dressing up. Over time, my excitement grew contagious. After a week or two, everyone was getting excited and talking about what they were going to be. 

Those little things really matter. When we care about what we’re doing we give it our all. Special events remind workers, volunteers, and communities of what really matters: the connections we make and the fun we share as we go about our business.   

Women Like To Reward Others for Their Hard Work

Even when volunteering, it’s important to be recognized. Nobody wants to show up to do something for others again and again and feel as if they don’t exist. Part of why we work or volunteer is to make an impact. If that isn’t felt it begins to seem pointless.

Recognizing others for their dedication is one of the greatest feminine qualities.

Recognizing others for their dedication is one of the greatest feminine qualities. Women have the ability to empathize with the people they oversee and reward them for working hard. This is one of the best leadership tools a manager or team leader can possess because it displays to others that going above and beyond matters. Now that the first “everyone gets a trophy” generation has reached adulthood, it’s more important to incentivize excellence. Promotions, raises, and bonuses are rewards that most workers are terrified to ask for. They should be awarded when deserved. 

It’s stressful enough going through the grind over and over each day with no slack. At this point, things have become so tight that most people would even appreciate just a free pizza (although nothing beats cold hard cash).  

So once you get into that cozy office or become the lead volunteer, remember to recognize others. It keeps everyone going. 

Closing Thoughts

Men and women have different leadership qualities and styles. Women don’t need to “act more like a man” to get ahead, they just need to embrace the characteristics that benefit others and let them sparkle. 

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