Unbound Ambitions; Career. Relationships. Wellbeing

Embracing Feminine Leadership: Celebrating Authenticity in Professional Growth

• Penelope Magoulianiti • Season 2 • Episode 11

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Have you ever felt the pressure to hide your authentic self, to tuck away your femininity as if it were a weakness, especially in the professional arena? This episode is a heartfelt embrace of the unique strengths that feminine qualities bring to leadership, flipping the script on the age-old narrative that one must adopt traditionally masculine traits to succeed.

We discuss Emotional intelligence, empathy, and the power of collaboration.  It's time to redefine what it means to be a leader and to celebrate the diversity of attributes we all bring to the table.

Drawing inspiration from Maya Angelou's profound understanding of what it truly means to be successful, this episode is a tribute to the passion that fuels our work and the courage it takes to stand proudly in our stories.

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Speaker 1:

Hello and welcome. In a world where the corporate ladder seems steep, how do women climb while they stay true to themselves? Have you ever felt the pressure to hide your femininity, to fit into the corporate mold? They say it's a man's world, but is it the only way to the top? Today we are going to dive into a compelling conversation about embracing femininity in the workplace. It's not just about breaking glass ceilings. It's about shattering stereotypes and thriving as our authentic selves.

Speaker 1:

There is a long-standing notion in the corporate world that to succeed, women must adopt traditionally masculine traits, traits like assertiveness, competitiveness and emotional detachment. Think about how often women are advised to be tougher, to speak up more aggressively or to hide their emotions in business setting. This belief, however, stems from a history where leadership and power have been predominantly male-defined. Women entering this space nowadays still feel the need to adapt these pre-existing norms. But I would like us to pause for a second and think is this adoption of masculine traits truly necessary for our success? Are we overlooking the unique strengths that feminine traits bring to the table? Are we perpetuating a one-dimensional view of leadership? The modern landscape of the corporate world is evolving, is changing. We don't have to be the loudest in the room to get acknowledged More and more. It comes down to collaboration, emotional intelligence and adaptability, and when women feel compelled to suppress their natural strengths, it leads to personal stress and dissatisfaction. And it can't deprive organizations of diverse leadership styles. But when women feel that their emotions can be a weakness for their career advancement, they tend to suppress them, and this leads us to stiffness in the body. It causes outbursts at unpredictable times and may also cause us to feel numb inside, eventually affecting our health and relationships. Authenticity is a powerful leadership quality, and women who bring their whole selves to work, including their feminine traits, can contribute to a more inclusive, innovative and empathetic workplace culture. So the real question becomes how can we redefine success and leadership in a way that equally values masculine and feminine traits?

Speaker 1:

It's true, as women, we have different viewpoints. Therefore, we offer a diversity of perspectives. We also bring these diverse viewpoints to the table, which leads to more well-rounded decision-making. We are also different in our approach when it comes to solve a problem. We are more creative, and this also fosters innovation, and we have high levels of emotional intelligence. Reading and responding to others' emotions is crucial for effective leadership and team dynamics. It's very important, and being an authentic leader involves being genuine and transparent, which, as women, we excel at it, and this is what creates trust in an environment which is open to communication, an environment that encourages teamwork and loyalty, but also when we don't force ourselves to adopt masculine traits.

Speaker 1:

There are other great benefits Benefit. It benefits our health and our overall well-being Because we have less stress and anxiety, because we don't try to fit in into a mold that doesn't align with our natural strengths and personalities and, when we are true to ourselves, it boosts our self-esteem and confidence and we start valuing our abilities and our contribution more. We create a better, balanced lifestyle, which leads to less burnout and more fulfilling personal lives. It's a circle. There are many more benefits that I won't cover for now, but I want to share a transformational story of one of my clients. You see, she was finding herself more and more tired and more and more with less patience every day. She couldn't keep up with the demands at work and she was getting less engaged with her partner. She put on weight, she got disinterested in so many things, she stopped going out with her friends, she stopped doing hobbies that she loved. So we started working together to clear these blockages, and it took a while for her to overcome the Sunday anxiety where, basically every Sunday, she started feeling her exciting lessons, going up only with the thought that she had to go back to work on Monday and she was actually thinking of taking a step back from her career because of it. But nowadays she finds herself being a more present and active listener. She spends more time with herself, she believes more in her ability to lead her team and she has actually gained their trust because her leadership style is more authentic. It has changed.

Speaker 1:

Being feminine isn't a weakness. Pretending to be someone else is a weakness, and it's time to eliminate the myth of feminine equals something unwanted and wrong. But how can we foster this change? Well, it starts with self-development. We need to understand and embrace our unique blend of the masculine and feminine traits. Every single one has both masculine and feminine traits. We need to stop suppressing the feminine traits.

Speaker 1:

As women, we also need to recognize our strengths, our weaknesses and biases. Self-awareness is key to authentic leadership and personal growth. So we need to become aware of what is stopping us, of what blockages we have, and then we must work on increasing our confidence levels. We must work on building confidence in our abilities and leadership styles. We also need to step out of our comfort zones, take on new challenges and affirm our own values and contributions, recognize how much we offer. We must also strengthen our emotional intelligence skills, including empathy, self-regulation, motivation, social skills. Emotional intelligence is critical for effective leadership and building strong relationships. Another important thing is speaking up and not holding ourselves back, and this will increase our communication abilities. Giving our ideas clearly and listening to others effectively is vital for leadership, especially when we want to bring the change. And while we develop all these strategies, we must try to find the right balance for us, for between our personal and professional lives, because without this balancing act, they won't be long-term success and well-being. So today we've explored the power of embracing femininity in the corporate world. We've seen how diverse perspectives, emotional intelligence, authentic leadership and a collaborative approach, flexibility, unique problem-solving and a healthy work-life balance are not just feminine strengths, but corporate strengths as well.

Speaker 1:

I will encourage you to embrace your authentic selves in your professional journeys. Your uniqueness is not just an asset. It can be a catalyst for change and innovation in the workplace. The true mark of success is not just in achieving your goals, but in doing so while being true to who you are. I would love to hear your thoughts and experiences on this topic.

Speaker 1:

Please share in the comments below and let's create a community where we can learn from and support each other. However, if you prefer to discuss things in private, you can send me a private message. If you found value in this video, please give it a like and share it with your network and subscribe for more content like this. Your support helps spread this important message and empowers more women in their professional journeys. I would like to leave you with one of my favorite codes from Maya Angelou Success is liking yourself, liking what you do and liking how you do it. Embrace your journey, embrace your femininity and the unique power you bring into the world. Thank you for watching and listening. If you're listening from the podcast and until next week, I'm sending lots of love.