As women, we are continually facing challenges, both at home while raising children, and in our careers. There are many situations where we are called upon to deal with problems and quickly find solutions. These problems we face are not crises, but opportunities to be strong. When we are strong, we stand out as natural leaders.
Experience often teaches us to rely upon our natural abilities and follow our instincts, which can help resolve any conflict. Whether it’s a family crisis that needs our immediate attention, or a situation at work that needs diffusing, we are capable of responding in a manner that is helpful to everyone involved.
Because of all the demands placed on us throughout life, women are especially good at dealing with chaos. We are good at facing challenges and overcoming them. Even if we don’t hold a leadership position in the workplace, we can still be leaders by just being who we are and influencing those around us.
Let’s look at 9 qualities that make women strong leaders:
1. Calmness
We have all faced situations where we needed to be calm- just to survive. This is a great quality to have that lets us keep our thoughts clear and remain focused, even in the worst of situations. We are capable of being strong when other people around us might fall apart. Calmness is something that is cultivated by doing stress relieving activities like meditation and yoga.
2. Fairness
As parents, we are continually tested in our ability to be fair in the way we treat our children, so the commitment to fairness is something we expect in our careers as well. Fairness and justice are what we believe in deep down, and these are necessary characteristics of an effective leader.
3. Intuition
Many women possess this kind of secret ingredient. It gives us a deeper understanding of what to expect from other people and how to deal with change, especially when we are called into new situations and working with people we don’t know. Following our intuition is something we should never have doubts about, and something that makes us leaders in any work environment.
4. Compassion
Women are naturally compassionate. We have a way of tuning into the moods, feelings and problems of others. This gives us added insight into the decisions we need to make, and the priorities we want to keep. Caring for others is always a strength.
5. Intelligence
Using our talents is not enough. We often explore new opportunities and look for ways to expand our knowledge. As women and leaders, we use our intelligence combined with our other abilities to make the right decisions. We are called to make good decisions every day, from taking care of the simple things like arranging meetings, or if we need to plan the marketing for a trade show, we rely upon our skills and knowledge to get the results we want.
6. Flexibility
Being flexible is the most helpful quality, when facing conflict. Knowing how to be flexible means we are willing to negotiate changes that need to be made, and we are able to give consideration to the views and needs of others. Everyone appreciates a flexible manager.
7. Confidence
Standing up in front of other people confidently, while expressing our opinions is something many women also do well. This confidence and ability to communicate effectively is the reason other women are likely to see us as role models. When we are confident, it shows in everything we do, especially when we must supervise others.
8. Courage
Many women deal with a variety of inner fears; some are logical and some aren’t. But, we usually find out that our fears aren’t so intimidating as we thought they were, when we learn to do the things necessary to step past them. We overcome fear by facing it.
9. Decisiveness
Being decisive is something that we naturally learn to do, when we realize we are in a situation where action needs to be taken. Our thought process says, ‘Why wait for someone else to do something, when I am capable of handling it?’ We are strong women, when we are willing to make decisions and accept the consequences of them.
No matter what is going on in our personal lives or what situation we are facing in our careers, it is helpful to keep in mind these simple characteristics that make us strong capable women who can also be strong and capable leaders.
Karen Bresnahan writes about health and fitness, positive relationships, parenting and career choices. For more from Karen, view her photography at IdahoNaturals.com or Tweet her @idaho1111.
