Male, female, young, and old, everyone shares the same dream: to inspire others, to leave an impact, to create ripples within the system. However, there are very few of us who can live that dream. Many don’t even try. With females, the problem isn’t a lack of effort. To become an inspirational female leader, women have to face innumerable challenges, but is there a way to overcome these hurdles? Most definitely. 

There are 3 types of females.

1. Females who don’t work or have restrictions that prevent them from working.
2. Women who work, but are not able to break glass ceilings. 
3. Women who work and reach the top of the hierarchy and become inspirational female leaders. 

But how do you go from one or two to straight three? This article will explain everything in detail. 

Why Are Inspirational Female Business Leaders Integral to the World?

In a world dominated by male leaders, it is integral that females change the status quo. From highlighting the gender based issues to presenting solutions to solve them, inspirational female business leaders do it all. Here are some reasons why they are integral to the world. 

• Female leaders challenge the status quo
• Female leaders Help reduce the overall gender pay gap
• Female leaders Bring diversity to the table
• Female leaders Demonstrate superior leadership qualities
• Female leaders Act as role models to others
• Female leaders Make the workplace less toxic
• Female leaders Enhance cross collaboration
• Female leaders Raise the voice for minorities
• Female leaders Offer fresh new perspectives on old issues
• Female leaders Are great mentors

1. Female Leaders Challenge the Status Quo

Most men try to maintain the status quo because it benefits them. That does not make them bad people, but people looking out for themselves. Female leaders try their best to change the system and make it more equitable for everyone. By identifying issues with the system, they envision a world where women get the same opportunities as men. 

Additionally, female leaders can make structural rather than circumstantial changes. Take the example of an organization that hires more males than females. A visionary female leader would try to reduce internal biases rather than just focusing on hiring procedures and how to change them. This helps sustain the change that female leaders create. 

2. Female Leaders Help Reduce the Overall Gender Pay Gap

Women get paid 77 cents for every dollar paid to men; that is the extent of the problem at hand. Even after much progress, even the most progressive countries like the USA have failed to eliminate the gender pay gap. This is where female leaders come in. They don’t just bridge the gap between inclusive and exclusive leadership, but also emerge as inspiration for the world. 

They inspire other females to join the workforce, thus increasing society’s dependence on female workers. Additionally, presence at high-end positions gives them leverage to rally for better wages. A good example of this is Ruth Badar Ginsburg’s inclusion in the Supreme court. As a supreme Court Judge, she was able to get a lot of such positive legislation passed by an otherwise patriarchal court. 

3. Female Leaders Bring Diversity to the Table

Whoever hires female leaders to create the facade of equality does a disfavor to themselves. Female leaders bring an exceptional amount of diverse ideas to the table. Since they differ from men in terms of their experience, their wisdom, and their general outlook on life, they tend to create unique opportunities for their teammates. 

Additionally, where men are more assertive, headstrong, and risk-taking, women bring in more rationality, soundness of character, and stability to an organization. The mix of these two makes for the perfect recipe for success. Female leaders also counter male leaders, and this positive dialogue helps make a plan foolproof and increase its chances of success. 

Also read: How can exceptional leaders bring diverse people together?

4. Female Leaders Demonstrate Superior Leadership Qualities

One look around the world, and you will notice that for every 10 male leaders, there is 1 female leader. Society has made us believe that there are more male leaders out there because men are simply better on the job. They possess unique characteristics that make them well-suited for the challenges ahead. However, research says otherwise. 

According to Pew Research Center, good leaders possess attributes like honesty, intelligence, innovation, and compassion. When the study compared these traits, it concluded that women score higher in most of these categories. This negates the idea that women are not capable of being exemplary leaders. 

Also read: Top 5 practices of exemplary leadership for long-term success.

5. Female Leaders Act as Role Models to Others

When a man dreams of becoming a doctor, an engineer, an astronaut, a pilot, or a navy officer, he has a lot of people to look up to. Since we live in a patriarchal society, there are a lot of opportunities for men to explore. However, when it comes to women, there is a severe lack of role models. 

Most women who work end up under glass ceilings. The system, as well as their low self-confidence, hinders them from achieving something extraordinary. This creates a leadership vacuum in the system. With more female leaders taking up the mantle, they can inspire a plethora of other women to take charge, learn from these inspirational figures and live their dreams to the fullest. 

6. Female Leaders Make the Workplace Less Toxic

Compared to males, females are more compassionate and humane. Since they have been on the other side and have faced active discrimination at the end of the system, they learn to be more considerate of others. The focus of 15 inspirational female leaders of the world, all made records for introducing extremely equitable and employee-friendly policies in their companies. 

Even when you look around, you will see that companies headed by female leaders have employees that are relatively more content in their jobs. They are treated humanely and are not overtly pressurized for results. Additionally, female leaders are great listeners and show compassion where needed. This helps improve the overall well-being of the employees and positively impacts their performance. 

Also Read: How good leadership can transform a toxic workplace? 

7. Female Leaders Enhance Cross-Collaboration 

It is a truth universally acknowledged that women like to talk. They also make friends more quickly and are more sociable. Additionally, women have fewer ego issues, which makes them more approachable. This is why you will see female leaders like Alexandria Ohio Cortez being very likable and popular among the masses. 

The overall demeanor of female leaders helps them approach potential clients and partners and formulate long-term relationships with them. Additionally, they can woe others with their charm and with their openness. All these things help female leaders get ahead in the highly competitive market. 

8. Female Leaders Raise the Voice for the Minorities

To prove this point, let’s take the example of 90% of the male leaders heading their respective countries and Jacinda Arden, prime minister of New Zealand. You will see a clear difference in how male leaders and female leaders support minorities. 

After the New Zealand shooting, the world saw Jacinda Arden crying and doing all she can to help uplift the victims. Moreover, since she has become prime minister, she has introduced a lot of policies that positively impact the most underprivileged. 

After the Taliban government put restrictions on women and their movement, it was female leaders that came forward and raised their voices for the women of Afghanistan. But this is not one isolated example. Through NGOs and International non-profit organizations, women do their best to support and uplift other women and inspire them. 

Also Read: 12 Key differences between exclusive vs inclusive leadership. 

9. Female Leaders Offer Fresh New Perspectives on Old Issues

To people who say female leaders will just get entangled in the system and will not be able to bring any change, we say: you can’t say anything unless you give them a chance. Even if the above is true, there is nothing wrong with giving female leaders a chance. 

Just like they do in an organization, they would bring a breath of fresh air to the monotonous, patriarchal system. With more female leaders, the world may finally be able to witness leaders prioritizing things like Climate change, global food poverty, and terrorism rather than fixating on increasing their hard power. 

10. Female Leaders Are Great Mentors

Teaching others is often harder than learning something yourself. Women are wired to have materialistic instincts, which is why they are more patient even if they are not mothers. Men tend to snap easily and lose their patience anytime something goes wrong. This is what makes women better mentors and teachers. 

The world currently needs many, many inspirational leaders that can inspire change. The Gen-Z generation is less motivated and feel more privileged than their previous generations. They need leaders to come forth and set them on the right path. The inclusion of female leaders will allow more talented, but directionless, individuals to come forward and achieve their full potential. 

What Hinders Inspirational Female Business Leaders to Rise?

• A Patriarchal Society That Hinders Female Leadership
• Stereotypes Against Female Leadership
• Work-Life Balance Often Takes a Toll on Female Leadership
• Lack of Role Models
• Lack of Mentors and Training

How Can Inspirational Female Leaders Empower Others?

1. Envision Great Things

“Dare to dream, then decide to go”. People who cannot dream big very rarely see success. If you want to become an inspirational female business leader, have the right vision that is grounded in reality. Make sure you identify and map out your goals. You can even make a list of everything you want to achieve, so you can stay on the right track. From becoming the CEO of a company to becoming a political leader, there is nothing you can not do. 

2. Work on Yourself

The 5 practices of exemplary leadership focus require you to be as proficient and skillful in your personality and job as possible. You can not expect to lead a team of doctors or engineers or civil servants if you lack knowledge about the field. If you want to rise in the ranks, you have to be the best possible one in the field. The world out there may be unforgiving, but it favors the hardworking.

3. Become Invincible

After you have developed your skill set, it is time you become invincible. There are two things you need to do. Firstly, you have to be so strong and courageous that people think twice before crossing you. This is not to say that you should instill fear in others; you should instill unwavering respect for yourself. Next, you have to take risks and challenge yourself, again and again, so you can learn from trial and error. This will help you minimize any chances of failure in the future. 

4. Speak Up

You can not inspire anyone if you don’t dare to speak. There are a plethora of leaders, even women leaders, who are great at their jobs and fulfill the above criteria. They have the right vision, the right skill set, and the right connections; they lack courage only. The ability to speak up against the problems of the status quo is what sets you apart from others. If you see your colleague being harassed or bullied, dare to speak up on her behalf-even if it puts your place in the firm in jeopardy. 

5. Support Others Who Speak Up

It is one thing to speak for yourself, it is another to take all the limelight. When climbing on the road to success, you have to get competitive and push other people down. That is at least the general perception. However, if you want to inspire others, you have to rise above petty jealousies and try to uplift and encourage everyone around you. When you see other women also working on getting better or improving their position, support them and empower them to speak up. If you are in a leadership position, try creating policies that make it easy for women to speak up. 

6. Collaborate With Movements

Once you have established yourself as a potential or emerging leader, you must create connections and try to increase your impact. Take the example of Alexandria, Ohio Cortez. At a very young age, she won a seat in congress. However, she did not stop there. She is now part of a plethora of amazing movements that are working against climate exploitation, the protection of minorities, and the empowerment of women. As an inspirational female leader, you also have to find appropriate movements and platforms and become part of the bigger schema of things. 

7. Increase Social Media Presence

We may taunt social media and exaggerate its harms as much as we can, however, you can not deny the exceptional influence of social media on the world today. From pushing the MeToo movement to expanding the “Black Lives Matter”  movement, social media has given platforms to leaders to push their agenda. If you don’t want to limit the impact you generate on a few people, you have to work on becoming big on social media as well. This way, you can inspire and empower women across the border. 

8. Set the Highest Accountability Standards for Yourself

Following the first 7 steps will help you become an inspirational female leader. However, it is the 8th step that will help you retain your position. Leaders often lose their morals and vision once they acquire enough power. They enter into corrupt cycles, thus making their followers lose trust in them. Trust in leadership focus is extremely important because it helps followers back their leaders in times of crisis. That being said, leaders must keep checking their behavior and keep themselves accountable, so they don’t waver. 

How Can You Increase Inspirational Female Business Leaders in the Community?

If you are in a powerful position and can push other females to rise up, here are some of the things you should do to increase inspirational female business leaders in the community. 

1. Be Aware of Your Biases

Most people are not aware of their own biases. They either see everything from a strict cultural lens or believe the stereotypes a little too much. This blurs their judgment and makes them prejudiced against others. Women leaders have always been considered the weaker sex. 

They are believed to be more docile, emotional, and less hardworking. However, there is little to no research to support this claim; in reality, it is only speculation and false information that is spread to put women in boxes. When you get rid of these biases, you end up motivating and pushing female leaders to join the upper ranks, thus doing them and your organization a huge favor. 

Also Read: How to identify emerging leaders using a 15-trait criterion. 

1. Make a Conscious Effort to Be Less Prejudiced

Most people say that it is difficult to leave one’s biased attitude behind. However, the only hurdle to this is people’s unwillingness to try. Here is what you can do to fix it. 

• Show a willingness to change and adapt
• Have people at your office fill out an anonymous survey
• Find out the extent of which you are affected by your biases
• Use more data to draw conclusions rather than relying on stereotypes
• Judge people on their metric, rather than trusting pre-conceived notions about them

2. Make Small Changes That Lead to Big Structural Changes

Masking huge changes all of a sudden can be quite challenging, especially for those dominated by patriarchal structures. But there are ways to reduce toxicity in the workplace by making some small changes here and there. Here are some things you can do to make the organizations more favorable for women. 

• Increase the number of female employees in your organization. 
• Ensure equal pay for equal job policy (most organizations pay women much less)
• Increase the role of HR in your office to ensure equitable policies
• Take action into your hand if perpetrators are not being punished
• Ensure pregnant and lactating mothers are comfortable and have separate places to fulfill their other duties. 
• Listen like a leader, so your employees feel comfortable around you.

3. Enhance the Workplace Environment

Most companies want results, even if they come at the cost of their employee’s well-being and mental health. This is inhumane, but also bad for business because most employees simply leave organizations that put undue pressure on them. They go and explore other opportunities. 

If a workplace is toxic, you can rest assured that it will be twice as toxic for women than it is for men. This is why you need to ensure women feel respected and safe in their workplaces. Make sure you take equity and harassment complaints seriously and don’t brush them under the carpet. Additionally, try to conduct seminars and training that teach people how to maintain healthy boundaries in the office. 

4. Hire From a Diverse Pool

Hiring more females is just the first part of your job. If you want to create more avenues for inspirational female leaders, you have to hire from a diverse pool of females. People from different cultures, different backgrounds, and different orientations live completely different lives that affect their outlook in life. They can add a lot to the workplace if they are just given a chance. 

You can hire people who are Latinos, Caucasians, Asians, heterosexuals, homosexuals, trans, Muslim, Hindu, and any other diverse group you can find. Never let your perception of people stop you from making a smart choice for your office. 

5. Make Teams With an Equal Gender Ratio

One thing you will notice when you watch any Hollywood movie or series is the gender ratio. You will almost always notice that a team has more men than women. You will also notice that the team leader or the person calling the shots is always a male. Our unconsciousness dictates we put more men than women. Most often, we put women only because we are required to do so. 

When making teams, make sure you add an equal number of both men and women. Apart from creating avenues for women in your office, you will also be able to identify emerging leaders that can work well in a diverse group. 

6. Take Action and Hold Perpetrators Accountable

Imagine Sarah and Pam working in two different organizations. Because of external pressures, both companies have formulated strong and equitable policies in the workplace. Now imagine that both Sarah and Pam had to face discrimination in the office. They both went to their respective bosses or HR departments and filled out complaint forms. 

Sarah was called into a detailed meeting where her perspective was taken. She and her concerns were validated, and she was not made to feel embarrassed for her complaint. On the other hand, Pam was also called into the office, but was continuously made to feel ashamed for her action. She also experienced the effects of victim blaming. Now, which company would have more influential female leaders in the future?

7. Appreciate and Validate Inspiring Potential Leaders

As we said above, if you want to create amazing leaders, you have to make a conscious effort to identify them. After you have given them the right platform and the right environment, give them challenging situations, so they can learn to rise above their situation. Here is what you can do. 

• Make a list of every female employee with the potential to become a leader
• Give them more responsibility and see how they work under pressure
• Put them as team leads to test their leadership abilities and hone their skills
• Create scenarios where they have to deal with difficult employees and see how well they handle the situation
• Gather as much data as you can before you promote somebody. 

How Can Best Diplomats Help Make You an Inspirational Female Leader?

Sometimes you have all the right tools. You have the right vision, the right attitude, and above all, the right characteristics needed by leaders. However, you are unable to take that leap of faith. You need an initial push. Best Diplomats can give you a head start in the race. 

With its innumerable training avenues, you can hone your speaking and public dealing skills.

Moreover, Best Diplomats can help you get out of your shell and interact with a diverse group of people. Through trial and error, you will learn how to channel your energies in the right direction. 

Conclusion

The world needs inspirational female leaders now more than ever. Our planet is in chaos. Climate severity, food shortage, and global poverty have engulfed the world. There is a huge leadership vacuum that needs to be filled by positive female leaders that can inspire long-term change. 

However, the above can not happen overnight. Women need to come out of their shells, challenge the system and trust themselves to bring the required change. If you are unsure of where to start, Best Diplomats can help.

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