More insights from participants in the AWESOME Symposium in May 2013)
- Ability to shape and re-shape a team to achieve optimal team “chemistry” and performance
- Values of loyalty, empathy, compassion and sensitivity
- Good at growing relationships and building bridges
- Skills in multi-tasking
- Ability to see both the big picture and small details
- Focus on results and gravitate toward problem-solving
- Skills related to collaboration, communication, and creativity.
The strength named most often was a woman leader’s ability to build a team. To successfully accomplish teambuilding, respondents said women are attuned to the individual members of their team, and are able to assess strengths and weaknesses, quickly identify real talent, utilize individual differences, blend people in a collaborative fashion, and continually shape and re-shape a team to achieve optimal team “chemistry” and performance.
Embedded in this approach to team building are the woman’s values of loyalty, empathy, compassion, and sensitivity. Respondents also expressed the view that women tend to bring less ego and more authenticity to their role as a leader. There were multiple mentions of women having high “emotional intelligence.”
Women are seen as being good at growing relationships and building bridges – and, as strong leaders, also apply these skills to relationships with customers.
An additional strength named by many respondents was a woman’s skills in multi-tasking. Participants commented that this ability enables a leader to handle a broad range of tasks, to juggle priorities, and to conceive achievable plans.
It was viewed as an important strength that women are able to see both the big picture and the small details. Respondents said a woman is aided by her intuition and perceptiveness in seeing the big picture – and, because of communication skills, is able to help others envision the big picture.
Other related comments were that women are focused on results and gravitate toward problem-solving. Compromise was seen as a tool often used by women to achieve results.
Participants consistently added that women are especially strong in skills related to collaboration, communication, and creativity.