There is research highlighting that women outperform men in various leadership dimensions.
However, they are often underrepresented, so organizations should purposefully develop the female talent pipeline.
Women tend to underestimate their abilities, which is why leadership programs should help close this self-perception gap while fostering a supportive network through peer learning and executive coaching.
When it comes to leading remote teams, women are particularly well-suited to lead remote teams due to several key traits and leadership advantages that they commonly exhibit:
1. Stronger Relationship Building: Women excel in building and cultivating strong, authentic connections with others, which is crucial in remote teams where maintaining personal connections can be more challenging. Their ability to relate to team members and foster a sense of belonging helps keep remote teams engaged and connected.
2. Focus on Collaboration and Inclusivity: Female leaders often lead from a “Creative mindset,” prioritizing collaboration and aiming for collective success. In remote teams, where cooperation and clear communication are essential, this approach can ensure that team members work towards a shared vision and feel supported.
3. Mentorship and Development: Research shows that women leaders tend to mentor and develop others more frequently. This is especially beneficial for remote teams, where opportunities for learning and growth might be harder to notice or cultivate without intentional effort. This helps remote employees stay motivated and feel valued.
4. Systems Awareness: Women often demonstrate a higher level of “Systems Awareness,” understanding how their actions contribute to the greater organizational good. In remote settings, where it’s easy for team members to feel disconnected from the organization’s larger goals, this awareness helps keep the team aligned with the broader mission.
5. Empathy and Concern for Wellbeing: Women leaders often show greater empathy and concern for their team’s wellbeing. In remote teams, where stress and isolation can occur daily, this leadership style effectively provides emotional support, reduces burnout, and increases overall job satisfaction.
These strengths make women well-suited to leading remote teams, fostering an environment of trust, collaboration, and inclusivity despite physical distances.
Why Have A Female Leader?
Female leaders bring a unique blend of skills, perspectives, and values that enhance any organisation’s success.
Please note: We are not going to argue the need to start excluding men, we are arguing in favour of finding balance in our organisations, to make the most of a combination of skills.
Why Is Inclusivity Important In Leadership?
Taking the risk to either preach to the choir or repeat arguments previously shared elsewhere, let us start by setting the scene for ‘Inclusivity in Leadership’.
Inclusivity (the quality or state of being inclusive) cultivates collaboration and propels team cohesion, which are essential for workplace success. Female leaders naturally excel at creating inclusive environments.
As Christine Lagarde, President of the European Central Bank, observes, “Women tend to be inclusive, to reach out more, to care a little more.” An inclusive approach helps employees feel heard and valued, resulting in a more engaged and productive workforce.
How Do Female Leaders Handle Challenges?
Leadership goes hand in hand with facing challenges at a regular pace.
Female leaders bring empathy and resilience to their roles, particularly useful when dealing with crises. Role models such as Jacinda Ardern, the former Prime Minister of New Zealand, showed what challenging traditional perceptions of leadership were when she claimed: “I refuse to believe that you cannot be both compassionate and strong.”
She was known for demonstrating a flavor of leadership that included empathy at its core during crises. Far from being a weakness, she role-modeled how empathy can be a strength that guides organizations through difficult times.
Do Female Leaders Contribute To Better Financial Outcomes?
Studies show that companies with women in leadership positions achieve better financial performance.
According to a report by McKinsey & Company, every 10% increase in gender diversity on the executive team is associated with a 3.5% increase in earnings before interest and taxes. Gender-diverse leadership does bring tangible financial benefits to an organisation.
What Unique Perspectives Do Women Bring To Leadership?
The key value of diversity is the aggregation of perspectives that each individual brings. Female leaders (like other diverse members of a leadership team) offer fresh perspectives that enhance decision-making and drive innovation.
Women tend to bring “skills, different perspectives, and innovative ideas” to leadership roles, which lead to better decision-making for the business. This diversity in thought is invaluable in navigating the complexities of today’s business environment, fostering creativity and problem-solving.
How Do Female Leaders Support Their Teams?
Looking for a multiplying effect? Look no further.
Female leaders are often strong mentors, dedicated to supporting the growth of others. As Amy Killoran, Lead Product Manager at GreenShield Health, points out, “I also find women more proactive in becoming mentors.”
This mentoring mindset not only strengthens teams but also helps to cultivate future leaders, contributing to the long-term success of the organisation.
What Role Does Emotional Intelligence Play In Female Leadership?
Emotional intelligence, the ability to recognise and manage emotions in oneself and others, is a key strength of female leaders ahead of men.
Lakshmi Raj, co-founder of Replicon, notes that emotional intelligence “comes more naturally to women than men.” Why care about emotions in a work environment? This quality allows female leaders to navigate complex interpersonal relationships effectively, resulting in a more harmonious and motivated workforce.
What Do Female Leaders Do To The Gender Pay Gap?
Employing more women in leadership can help address the persistent gender pay gap.
“The gender pay gap is the average difference between how much men and women are paid in an organisation.”
In the UK you can go to sites like https://www.gov.uk/find-gender-pay-gap-data to find:
- The average difference between men and women’s hourly and bonus pay
- The percentage of men and women in the highest, middle and lowest pay groups in a company.
When female representation in leadership positions increases, there are more opportunities for women to break through the “gender opportunity gap” and ensureensures more equitable treatment across all levels of an organisation. This, in turn, helps to close the wage disparity between men and women over time.
What Challenges Might Female Leaders Of Remote Teams Have?
Let us now laser focus on challenges that affect women particularly when being the leaders of remote teams.
Unfortunately, female leaders of remote teams face some challenges only by virtue of being female.
Organiszations such as Women Tech Net share great advice. This is my favourite:
Cultural Sensitivity and Inclusion
Challenge: Women in remote international teams may face difficulties arising from cultural biases and stereotypes that affect their ability to fully participate or be taken seriously.
Solution: Promoting an inclusive work culture that respects diversity can help. Encouraging open dialogues about cultural differences and providing sensitivity training can make a more inclusive environment for everyone.
Visibility and Recognition
Challenge: Women might struggle with gaining visibility and recognition for their contributions, especially in a virtual environment where opportunities to showcase achievements are less.
Solution: Implementing regular virtual check-ins and acknowledgment programs can ensure that women’s contributions are recognized. Encouraging self-advocacy and providing platforms for sharing achievements can also be beneficial.
Work-Life Balance
Challenge: Balancing work with personal responsibilities can be particularly challenging for women, especially in different time zones that might necessitate working odd hours.
Solution: Establishing flexible work policies and respecting personal time can help women manage their responsibilities more effectively. Encouraging a culture of respect for work-life balance is crucial.
Leadership and Advancement
Challenge: Women may find fewer opportunities for leadership roles and career advancement in remote settings, where networking and visibility are more challenging.
Solution: Creating clear pathways for advancement and leadership development programs can help. Encouraging mentorship and sponsorship, particularly from other women in leadership, can provide support and guidance.
Conclusions
In my humble opinion, remote work is here to stay, both within organizations and as a formula that adds flexibility by enhancing our workforce with people who are geographically dispersed (permanently or choosing to travel and work from anywhere).
Given that, I would like to encourage organizations to think about how they are going to attract and retain the talent they need to succeed in their missions, by being flexible and overcoming all the communication, project management, isolation, trust and cultural issues they may encounter.
Have a good look at your female talent pipeline and find out if you are making the most out of it, because your culture and your bottom line will thank you for it.
If you are a female leader or an aspiring female leader, hopefully this information will help you feel confident in knowing you’re all set up for success.
“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail” Benjamin Franklin.
This post has been brought to you by Araceli Higueras.
