While many factors shape business outcomes, leadership is undoubtedly one of the most crucial aspects to consider. As an entrepreneur myself, I observed many women in our community of founders succeed as leaders and CEOs, and here are 7 reasons why I believe women are the great entrepreneurs:
1. They are natural multitaskers
Women often balance careers, households, and parenting responsibilities, among other things, and that makes them become great multitaskers. They are able to work on several tasks simultaneously without spreading themselves thin and losing concentration and focus. Being used to wearing many hats, they adapt well to the hustle of running a business. Their ability to decisively and quickly react to concurrent tasks or problems is a critical component to successful leadership.
2. They are strong communicators
Women leaders are fantastic communicators! They have the ability not only to be self-aware about their own emotions and actions but read and respond appropriately to those around them. Women naturally incorporate various verbal and nonverbal techniques to make sure they are on the same page with their business partners, investors, or colleagues. They always make sure that their communication conveys transparency, honesty, and confidence.
3. They are flexible and agile
As I always say, good leaders learn fast…and unlearn faster. The modern world requires us to constantly adapt to new environments. As industries change rapidly, traits, including a collaborative spirit, flexibility, and openness to change are more important than ever for business success.
Women are known to have well-developed emotional intelligence and are more likely than men to have been in situations requiring flexibility, which allows them to institute the kind of “agile working style” shown to help businesses adapt to turbulent markets.
4. They focus on teamwork
A vital part of leadership is the ability to help different people work together to achieve mutual goals. I’ve witnessed women make bold and rational decisions as leaders while still relying on others to be part of their team. Women can help create and promote cooperation throughout their company, partly because of their socialization and natural instinct to help the community. The environment they create is less authoritarian and more cooperative, but with solid leadership. A study recently revealed that those who worked alongside female leaders were much more engaged and driven than those who worked alongside male leaders.
5. They are great motivators
The most effective leadership styles are marked by leaders who inspire, teach, and coach. But motivating others is a quality that not all possess. Women, in general, are motivators. Their emotional intelligence helps them understand what inspires and what triggers those around them. They can easily detect concerns and fears of their colleagues and come up with ideas to encourage their team and, as a result, boost productivity.
6. They keep their egos in check
Ego often hinders the business’s growth as it gets in the way of healthy decision-making in the C-suite. Women are wired differently than men, and they are good at decision-making with their ego held in check. This is a key advantage in working with boards of directors, partners, and customers.
It’s also common for women to be more open and honest about the state of their business. Their solution-oriented approach opens them up for advice and constructive criticism without the fear of “looking bad” in the eyes of their colleagues, clients, or investors.
7. They are creative problem-solvers motivated by obstacles
Women possess a trait that is one of the most important qualities for individuals and communities — resilience. Many women, especially moms, are trained crisis managers and know how to deal with tensions with patience and empathy. They are perfectly aware of crisis-coping mechanisms, which becomes very relevant when a woman leader is dealing with emergencies.
All in all, women make great leaders because they have to continually defy the odds to get rid of century-long stereotypes. It often takes them an extra push to get to the top, which’s one of the reasons women who reach the top are extraordinarily strong and courageous.
