PPB February 2016

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With so few female leaders at the top of
organizations, there are not enough great
female leadership role models. Many women
fear they will not be taken seriously unless
they emulate traits so commonly found in
male leadership. However, dressing, acting
and talking like a man only ignite those
stereotypical comments, no matter how com-
petent a woman may be. In an attempt to be
strong, some women leaders do actually earn
those negative titles.
Great Leaders Are Authentic
This statement has never been truer than
for today’s female leaders. Women can and do
make great leaders. However, they do not
become great leaders by imitation or by try-
ing to be someone they are not. They become
great leaders when they are authentic to who
they are, what they believe and what they
value.
Faking who you are is hard work and
completely unproductive. It can lead to a loss
of identity and a deteriorating professional
confidence that is critical to the success of
female leaders. When leaders try to hide their
true values, it creates an inner conflict that
makes it difficult to truly lead.
The 11 Traits Of Successful Women
Leaders
Women who do achieve leadership roles
often are better, on average, than men in the
same roles because they must work harder
than their male counterparts to be noticed,
respected and seen as successful.
Certainly, different business cultures
require different leadership skills, but several
studies of high-performing female leaders
found that they are assertive and in control
but they also temper their style with traits
more commonly held by women. Among the
similarities in traits and styles of successful
women leaders are these:
1. Collaborative and empathetic with a dem-
ocratic style of leadership
2. Competitive, but often they compete with
themselves to achieve higher and higher
goals
3. Persuasive and inspiring. They create an
excitement and loyalty that comes from
relationship building. They persuade
without being threatening.
4. Motivating and encouraging of team per-
formance
5. Possess an ability to delegate and empower
others but still stay in charge
6. Use humor and empathy to build rapport
and soften assertiveness
7. Often are more aware of group dynamics
and unspoken culture that underlies an
organization, situation or project
8. Explain multifaceted tasks and concepts
without being threatening
9. Are well-rounded and authentic, and not
afraid to be themselves
10. Are entrepreneurial
11. Approach leadership from the point of
view of service to others
Transformational Leaders: The Gold
Standard
Transformational leaders are inspira-
tional individuals who lead with a strong
vision and values. They lead rather than
manage people, develop skills and foster cre-
ativity. Studies have shown that this leader-
ship style leads to the highest levels of pro-
ductivity and employee engagement. Greater
innovation is also possible and enhances
competitiveness. With transformational lead-
ers, employees are empowered to look at
problems in new ways, challenge the status
quo and create new solutions. They are com-
fortable opening up to management and are
not afraid to express their thoughts and ideas.
“One of the surprises of research on
transformational leadership is that female
managers are somewhat more transforma-
tional than male managers,” says Alice H.
Eagly, professor of psychology at
Northwestern University. “In particular, they
exceed men in their attention to human rela-
tionships. Also, in delivering incentives,
women lean toward a more positive, reward-
based approach and men toward a more neg-
ative and less effective threat-based approach.
In these respects, women appear to be better
leaders than men, despite the double standard
that can close women out of these roles.”
In several studies, women have rated
higher on some of the core principles of
transformational leadership. For example,
they tend to lead with more transparency and
are more likely to mentor and nurture follow-
ers rather than the command-and-control
transactional type of leadership. Female lead-
ers are also more likely to be open communi-
cators and involve others in core decisions.
Becoming A Transformational Leader
Transformational leadership revolves
around four key traits:
1. Idealized Influence: Communicate an
inspiring vision, leading with purpose
and value-based management.
Transformational leaders walk the talk.
They inspire their staffs around a common
purpose and vision, allowing them to act in
the best interest of the customer.
2. Inspirational Motivation: Demonstrate
visible enthusiasm, confidence and opti-
mism for the future. People want to work
in an inspiring, positive environment. Yes,
problems will occur but a sense that the
team is working together to solve problems
is both motivating and satisfying.
Transformational leaders involve people in
solutions rather than pointing fingers or
assigning blame.
3. Intellectual Stimulation:
Transformational leaders encourage cre-
22 • PPB • FEBRUARY 2016 INNOVATE
WLC 2016 Early Bird Registration Open Through February 29
If you are a woman working in the promotional products industry or if
you employ or manage women in your business, you’ve probably heard
of the industry’s premier education and networking program—the PPAI
Women’s Leadership Conference. This year it will be held June 27-29 in
Atlanta, Georgia, immediately followed by Promo Marketing Power
Meetings. Since its inception more than 10 years ago, WLC has played
a pivotal role in challenging professional women who share a common
vision to achieve greater success. Register at before
February 19, 2016, to secure a spot and to take advantage of dis-
counted pricing.