Changing the Language of Leadership

Why we need to Change the Language of Leadership:

If we’re to get to the point where 50% of leaders in our businesses are women, in every area and every level right up to the CEO, there are some systemic, structural issues we need to address that are barriers in the way of talented women’s progress. But dealing with structural issues like the need to be Flexible First and Be a Woman’s Health Hero isn’t enough if we don’t change the cultures of our workplaces too. 

Because right now, issues as fundamental as what we think great leadership looks like are preventing many women from achieving their potential, and preventing businesses from being as profitable, innovative, creative and effective as they could be.

That’s because, as the academic and leadership expert Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic puts it, there’s a “‘pathological mismatch between the qualities that seduce us in a leader and those that are needed to be an effective leader”. 

Only if we Change the Language of Leadership can we address this issue. That means valuing and promoting in everybody the qualities that make the most effective leaders, which includes attributes like emotional intelligence and coachability. 

Importantly, the most effective leadership qualities aren’t unique to any gender. But they are ones that women tend to over-index in. So if we encourage and reward those attributes in everyone that leads, we’ll create more effective businesses, create better leadership overall and naturally address the current gender imbalance that still exists at the top of many of our businesses. 

Find out how to Change the Language of Leadership in your business here [link to Playbook for now; and the advice/tips in Playbook 2.0 once done]