Women make better crisis leaders
Dr Prerna Kohli, a clinical psychologist and an author, points out that, statistically, countries with women on the top, such as New Zealand, Germany and Taiwan, have been more successful compared to the US or UK especially during the pandemic. “It is known that women are more empathetic than men. Their DNAs lean towards being more nurturing, supportive, respectful, patient and forgiving, all of which are the traits of a successful leader in the 21st century,” says Dr Prerna.
Talking about how to be successful in the workplace today, Dr Prerna points out how one’s Emotional Quotient (EQ) and Social Quotient (SQ) are more important than one’s
Intelligence Quotient (IQ). “Canadian PM Justin Trudeau inducted 50% of women in his cabinet, and it was lauded as path-breaking, and it should have been the norm decades ago,” she adds.
PROGRESSIVE PROCESSES
Hena Mehta, CEO of Basis, believes that women usually rely on a different set of qualities as compared to their male counterparts, which adds to making them incredible leaders.
“Women think about longterm goals and are better at multitasking abilities, crisis
I t is indeed more than a coincidence that exemplary political leaders, all women, have demonstrated not only extraordinary management of a health emergency but have been equally hugely sensitive to their people’s predicament. Hats off to their inspiring leadership skills, drive and commitment to societal welfare. In India, it is imperative that the Women’s Reservation Bill is passed at the earliest. Although there are several women leaders already who are strong, courageous and resilient.
—Sanjay Jha, politimanagement and exhibiting resilience. They are not only stronger in communication skills but are also better at decoding body language, thus helping make workplaces more democratic,” explains Hena.
One of the questions artist and educator Boishali Sinha asks is why, when women represent 50% of the population, politics has an underrepresentation of women. “I think more women should be involved in politics for the good of the human race,” she puts in. “We saw PM Jacinda Ardern handling her new-born and managing parliamentary decisions without any mess up, proving that even mothers can be excellent managers in any given situation.”
For Kruti Jaiswal, a tarot card reader and mother of two, it comes as no surprise that a country run by a woman leader is bound to progress better. “The best managerial skills are learned at home, and a woman has inherent qualities such as far-sightedness, sharp instincts and compassion, which are all needed in a good leader. A working mother has multiple tasks on her mind, and yet, she caters to the needs of every member of the family. Time management comes naturally to her and she can deliver in short deadlines under a lot of pressure. So, I would not be surprised if after this crisis, we see a rise in the number of women in positions of power,” sums up Kruti.
EXEMPLAR MODELS