Among the rising number of coronavirus cases, the lost jobs, and postponed sporting events, Mother’s Day remains the last major rite of spring that is not only still happening, but even more important. On this first coronavirus Mother’s Day we are reminded of a lesson most of us learn at a young age – the power and importance of women leadership, not just to us personally, but to society as a whole.
It is a lesson we need to apply now more than ever.
Why am I so certain of this? As a man raised by a working mother, married to a working mother, and bringing up two girls who insist they will be working mothers, I have the privilege to see the focus, talent and commitment women bring to their lives and work every day. Even more so, I have recognized they do all of this by overcoming structural sexism and hostile work environments that I, as a man, don’t need to face. I have also spent a large part of my career working in women-led organizations and have found that not only are they more inclusive and effective, but they have greater cultures of insight and empathy. In other words, my own experiences have taught me that especially in times of uncertainty, women leaders are the ones to follow.
Which begs the question, especially to my fellow men – why are not all of us doing more to support, promote, fund, and celebrate women leaders at this time of great uncertainty? When the stakes are the greatest, are we too small to see who might actually be our best leaders?
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The evidence is all around us, especially since the onset of the coronavirus. Much has been made, rightfully so, of the fact that countries with the greatest success managing this pandemic have been led by women. Leaders like New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot have all demonstrated superior examples of clear-eyed, resolute, and creative political leadership. And in the business and nonprofit sector, leaders like the United Way’s national president Suzanne McCormick and Latanya Mapp Frett, the President and CEO of Global Fund for Women, are leaders in raising funds and awareness for coronavirus-related needs in the U.S. and around the world. There is no question that global response to the pandemic is, in no small part, already exceptionally women-powered.
What is it that makes these women leaders and others so effective in times of crisis? Among the myriad of reasons, there are at least three key qualities that studies have shown women leaders possess to a greater degree than men: empathy, inclusiveness, and collaboration.
Empathy. From the acute medical effect of the coronavirus to the financial impact of the global shutdown, the amount of trauma being felt by so many as a result of this pandemic is unimaginably high. One of the key leadership skills to respond to this overwhelming amount of pain is empathy, a competency in which women generally outperform men. In fact, recent brain research from UCLA has shown that women’s brains react differently than men with respect to the observation of pain, with women’s brains mimicking the experience of pain to a greater degree than men. Woman leaders who have higher capacity for empathy are not only able to engage with their followers more deeply, but also have a shared sense of the painful need to find solutions. If there ever was a time for leaders with empathy, that time is now.
Inclusiveness. Studies have shown that women largely outperform men in skills that help foster inclusive and diverse environments. And given that inclusivity and diversity of an organization are also indicators of how well it performs, there is a strong case to be made that more women leaders result in greater organizational efficacy. The coronavirus doesn’t discriminate based on gender or race, and neither can our efforts to overcome the challenges it presents. By leading with an inclusive mindset, women have the ability to not only shape the diverse kinds of organizations that will be better able to battle this pandemic, but also model the kind of skills it takes for others to do the same.
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Collaboration. In a time when the need for collaboration is paramount in every aspect of society, we need more leaders who have a deep appreciation for the value and process of collaboration. Whereas men tend to lead with more command and control type leadership styles that emphasis top-down management, studies have shown that women leaders embrace a more collaborative approach to leadership and have a much higher degree of emotional intelligence – a key ingredient to successful collaborations. The complex challenges of our day are requiring leaders not only posses excellent decision-making skills, but also to make smart decisions in tandem with other leaders – a skill that woman disproportionately have.
The list could go on – studies have shown women leadership foster more innovation and help realize greater rates of return when they are in the leadership ranks of an organization. A recent study has shown that in times of crisis, women are perceived as more trustworthy. In fact, when taken as a whole, it’s hard to make an argument that men are even on par with women when it comes to essential leadership skills.
So men, why do we even need to talk about this?
Well, we need to have this conversation now because so much is at stake. Our health, our economy, and even our sense of social order depend on the smart, thoughtful and optimistic actions of those who lead us. And in times that call for unparalleled leadership, all of us need to make an unparalleled effort to have our best leaders in the front of the room.
There might not be a silver bullet for the coronavirus, but there is one meaningful way to address the leadership crisis we are facing – supporting, promoting and following more women leaders. And men, yes, it might mean you need to take step back, step aside or even take a step beyond the support you have given so far.
It is a different kind of Mother’s Day this year, so do something different. My plea is that we all pledge to support more women leaders like our lives depend on it.
Because they probably do.
