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Women in Leadership

Written by: Cecile Peterkin

Article Overview: Research has shown that there are three main traits of a leader: People skills, Professional Competence & Business Acumen. Women outperform men on People Skills. Business week called attention to these finding in its November 20, 2000 issue with a cover story titled, “As Leaders Women Rule”.

Women in Leadership

Research has shown that there are three main traits of a leader: People skills, Professional Competence & Business Acumen.


Women outperform men on People Skills. Business week called attention to these finding in its November 20, 2000 issue with a cover story titled, "As Leaders Women Rule".


Yes, Interpersonal Skills and Professional Competence are important. And, using both to achieve results is important. However, what’s lacking is business acumen (the ability to make good judgments and quick decisions. Business Acumen is the skill set where men are consistently rated by bosses as outperforming women.

What can you do

1. Figure out how to increase profitable growth, customer retention and customer acquisition

2. Know the difference between activities, results and outcome – drive for outcomes

3. Communicate effectively to people at all levels of your organization; your boss, colleagues, direct reports, etc. Focus on the big picture. When you talk about your goals or successes state them in terms of how what you are doing helps the organization reach their key goal.

4. Talk in terms of success not problems. You will either be seen in the organization as a contributor to its success or a contributor to its problems. By letting people know about your successes you will place yourself firmly in the success camp.

5. Sound certain (even when you are not). Being wrong about something is forgivable, being indecisive is suicide. In research CEOs say that they base their decision making almost exclusively on how certain the individual sounds when presenting their proposal.

6. Don’t discount what you have said. Saying “I may be wrong but” or I am not sure if this will work but” will almost always have the other person mentally saying to themselves “then why is she bothering to tell me” and immediately switch off their attention.

7. Don’t share your limitations. Men almost never discuss what they are not good at. To them admitting limitations is giving the other person too much power.

8. Get to the point. If you have not said your key message within 10 seconds then you have lost your audience. There is time for pleasantries and time for business and you need to know the difference.

9. Don’t ever lose control. Losing control is the ultimate business sin. The second you have lost control you have lost the respect of everybody in the room.

10. State things in absolutes and not questions. If you state what you are saying as a question the message you are giving is that you are unsure of what you are saying.

11. Pitch voice down at the end of sentences. As women we often end our sentences by raising our pitch; turning a statement into a question. The message this gives to the listener is one of uncertainty. Other people won’t take you seriously if they don’t believe you are completely convinced of what you are saying.

12. Lower your pitch. When we are under stress we naturally speak with a higher pitch, by lowering your pitch you will sound in control and people will stop and listen. To find your perfect pitch all you need to do is sing ‘Happy Birthday’. The pitch you use to sing is the pitch you should use to talk.

13. Only smile when you mean it. Women often use smiling as a way to diffuse a difficult situation. Smiling however is also often used as a signal of submissiveness. It is important to differentiae when smiling is appropriate for instance as a welcome, at a joke etc. and when it isn’t like during a tense situation, in negotiations etc.
13. Be purposeful. Every move and every gesture should have a purpose behind it.

14. Read "Play Like a Man, Win Like a Woman - What Men Know About Success That Women Need to Learn" by Gail Evans. A great guide to de-railers and how to avoid them. Gail Evans has faced the challenges that all women leaders face and learned how to successfully overcome them.

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Article Tags: leadership, traits of a leader, women in leadership



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