Contemplating Women's Leadership on International Women's Day

International Women's Day is a global platform that celebrates the achievements, contributions, and perseverance of women around the world. In addition to honouring women's accomplishments, International Women's Day (IWD), celebrated on March 8, serves as a yearly reminder that more work needs to be done to attain gender parity. It is time to emphasise how important it is for women to shape economies and communities, to encourage positive change, and to recommit to making the world more inclusive and equal.

Gender Disparity in Working Scenarios

When it comes to promotions and leadership roles, women face discrimination. According to McKinsey, for every 100 men promoted from entry level to manager, 87 women were promoted.

Even worse, only one in four C-suite executives are women, and only one in twenty of these are women of colour. Inequality still exists for women in terms of salaries, promotions, and performance evaluations. Women are paid 23% less than males worldwide and are frequently held to lower standards, which hinders their capacity to advance in their employment.

What Traits Make Women Amazing Leaders?

The opportunities to reach leadership positions shouldn’t be gender biassed, rather it is essential for authorities to look for the right traits in a candidate. Here are some common aspects of women that make them amazing leaders:

• Women often possess strong empathy that helps them connect with the needs and emotions of others.
• They are often adept at articulating ideas, actively listening, and resolving conflicts effectively.
• They are known for their collaborative approach, problem-solving and decision-making.    
• Women leaders often demonstrate resilience in the face of challenges.     
• Women frequently exhibit high levels of integrity and ethical behaviour in their leadership roles.
• They are often passionate about empowering others, particularly women.
• Women tend to have high emotional intelligence.

Top Women Leaders Breaking All the Barriers

Despite all the hardships, multiple women have set great examples as world leaders, CEOs, activists, politicians and many more.

Jacinda Ardern, Prime Minister of New Zealand

Jacinda Ardern and her Labour Party won a resounding victory in October's election, and she was widely praised for spearheading one of the most effective coronavirus responses in history. She was celebrated all over the world for her choice of cabinet, which was very diverse, containing three Pasifika, three LGBTQ+, five Māori, eight women, and five Māori.

Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, BIOCON

With more than 40 years of experience in biotechnology, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw is a first-generation entrepreneur and prominent figure in international business. Under her direction, Biocon has fulfilled its commitment to providing millions of patients globally with affordable and easily accessible pharmaceuticals.

Damilola Odufuwa and Odunayo Eweniyi- Women's Rights Advocates, Nigeria

Both Damilola Odufuwa and Odunayo Eweniyi are among the most influential young feminists in Nigeria. They have headed teams at CNN, Zikoko, Konbini, and now cryptocurrency startup, where they are in charge of the company's public relations operations throughout Africa.   

Sarah Gilbert, Professor of Vaccinology at the Oxford University and Co-founder of Vaccitech, UK

Since 1994, Professor Gilbert has been a member of the Oxford vaccine community and holds the Saïd Professorship of Vaccinology. Gilbert, who started her job in 2010, has been assisting millions of people worldwide for the past fifteen years by developing novel influenza vaccines.

Conclusion

As aspiring achievers, it is high time to understand the leadership traits that will help you lead from the front. Focus on getting a high quality education. Take help from online learning sites like TopperLearning– a top educational technology provider offering K–12 study materials for CBSE, ICSE, Maharashtra Board, JEE, and NEET exams.  

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