AUGUST 2 — Sociocultural norms have always governed and influenced the way we perceive a good leader. Many still view an effective leader as one who is strong, bold and results-driven — traits typically characterised as masculine. This belief, popularly held in Asia, leads to the assumption that men make better leaders as they innately exemplify such traits.
Women, on the other hand, are stereotyped as having softer attributes such as empathy, openness and being nurturing. These qualities are typically perceived as a sign of weakness in a patriarchal society, so much so that there is a common misconception that women need to behave “like a man” or be “one of the boys” to be regarded as an effective leader.
In fact, the notion of a glass ceiling — and the more recently evolved concept of a “glass cliff” — shows that gender typecasting still exists, despite growing numbers of women rising up the corporate and political ranks.
Such stereotypes may soon be turned on their heads in a post-global financial crisis world, where public distrust of authorities and corporations continue to persist.
The sluggish recovery of the global economy, together with the rapidly evolving social and digital media landscape of recent years, are having a profound impact on the expectations that citizens have of their leaders. Unless leaders examine closely how they act and communicate — and make real changes — this global leadership crisis will continue to erode trust.
Rise of feminine model of leadership
The gender debate is taking on a different spin against this backdrop, where trust needs to be restored and credibility re-established. Interestingly, research has shown that there seems to be a rise of a new feminine model for leadership communication across the world.
Good communication, as we all know, is one of the hallmarks of an effective leader, along with many other qualities such as integrity, fortitude, honesty, openness, management acumen and social intelligence. It is through the way a leader communicates that we are able to understand who and what he/she represents, be inspired and mobilised around a cause and, most importantly, assess how words are aligned with deeds.
In a study by global communication firm Ketchum on effective leadership communication, it was found that female leaders came out comfortably ahead on all of the top-four most crucial traits of effective leadership.
They are: Leading by example (57 per cent scored female leaders higher, while 43 per cent rated males better), communicating in an open and transparent way (62 per cent versus 38 per cent), admitting mistakes (66 per cent versus 34 per cent) and bringing out the best in others (61 per cent versus 39 per cent).
Globally, male and female leaders were even on a fifth attribute — handling controversial issues or crises calmly and confidently (48 per cent versus 52 per cent). The survey, which polled more than 6,500 respondents in 13 cities early this year, showed that to inspire trust, leaders of both genders need to avoid a macho, command-and-control approach to leadership communication, which tends to be one-way, domineering and even arrogant.
Similarly, in a recent study published by the American Psychological Association, it was found that women were rated as well, if not better, than men on effective leadership attributes. While men typically rated themselves more favourably, once put to the test by others, it seemed that women leaders surpassed them as more effective.
Successful leadership
These observations highlight the need for a change in management style as society moves away from gender stereotypes and towards a new model of leadership based on transparency, collaboration, genuine dialogue, clear values and the alignment of words and deeds.
The right balance of masculine and feminine traits can provide the best formula for success. In fact, the best leaders of the world possess the right balance of hard and soft skills.
Take AirAsia’s boss Tony Fernandes, whose supportive and collaborative leadership style transformed the airline into one of Asia’s most successful. By adopting an open-door policy and an anti-hierarchical management system, he has created an environment in which employees feel comfortable working. This has translated into positive work performance and a better company bottom line.
On a similar note, Ms Christine Lagarde’s inclusive and nurturing management style, on top of her directness and results-driven self, has earned her praise as the first woman leader of the International Monetary Fund.
In Singapore, former Minister of State Yu-Foo Yee Shoon was the first female to be appointed a mayor in the country. She served as a board member for several statutory boards, including overseeing the ComCare Supervisory Committee, a social assistance agency that caters to lower-income families.
While she has always been a vocal advocate of women’s issues, her drive, passion and dedication to social causes and equal rights have made a real difference in Singapore politics and trade unions. Her tireless work ethic, determination and ability to lead by example are important qualities of an effective leader, regardless of gender.
We have arrived at a time when stereotypes are being challenged and questioned, when diversity is celebrated as it brings value to societies. It is time for us to simply focus on great leadership as it is, in fact, gender-blind. — TODAY
* John Bailey is managing director of Ketchum ICON, a leading global communications firm and a member of the Omnicom Group.
** This is the personal opinion of the writer and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malay Mail Online.
