If Lehman Brothers had been called Lehman Sisters, everything would have turned out very differently.
This is how, in 2010, Christine Lagarde, then director of the International Monetary Fund, summed up the role of women in positions of power, thanks to qualities such as self-control, a sense of responsibility, and pragmatism.
A leadership style that is less assertive and risk-prone, but not less effective – on the contrary.
More and more research shows that, on one hand, women struggle to "lean in" – and they need to be encouraged to make themselves visible, as Sherly Sandberg, CEO of Facebook, did in her 2013 book *"Lean In"* – but on the other hand, when they hold positions of power, they possess a set of skills and competencies that make them, on average, more effective.
In an article from the Harvard Business Review, *"7 Leadership Lessons Men Can Learn from Women"*, Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic and Cindy Gallop explain how there is a clear mismatch between the lack of female leadership models and the effectiveness of women when they have the opportunity to exercise leadership.
A different kind of leadership
In the United States, to address this gap and support gender diversity at the corporate top, the expression "let the elevator down" is now used, implying the moral obligation for top female managers to support other colleagues in bringing out their talent. This involves offering their testimony of how one can be a leader in a "different" way compared to the old male model, which was often "testosterone-driven," decisionist, and narcissistic, a model that men themselves have often been victims of.
While waiting for this wish to become a reality, for once, it is women – suggest Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic and Cindy Gallop – who can teach men a few things about leadership.
Lessons more relevant than ever, yet a decade after Lehman Brothers, they still seem like words in the wind.
Attitude and skills
The first point is that self-confidence alone is not enough if it is not accompanied by competence.
Many women are criticized for not "stepping forward" and for never feeling ready or capable enough.
But for colleagues, who are often too good at self-promotion – sometimes regardless of the actual results achieved or skills acquired – this attitude of self-criticism could be useful.
Because assertiveness is not an absolute value if it is not supported by a solid track record and interpersonal qualities such as empathy, curiosity, and integrity.
V.U.C.A
The second point is almost a philosophical exhortation, that is, to know your own limits and to have self-awareness.
Admitting that you are not perfect for that role implies a willingness and openness to improve, to learn even through comparison with colleagues.
What is often considered a "weakness" in women could, in today's increasingly volatile, uncertain, complex, and heterogeneous reality – defined in English by the acronym VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity) – be a very important strength.
Linked to this ability is another one that could be a strength, rather than a weakness, of top female managers, from whom colleagues should draw inspiration.
Transformational leadership
Several studies show how female leadership is more inclined to dialogue and, therefore, to the active involvement of a work team, based on shared values and goals. This is what in human resources jargon is known as transformational leadership, and while many managers list it on their CVs, just as many female managers do not emphasize it, yet they practice it daily.
While women sometimes don’t step forward, more often they take a step back and put themselves in the background. But what may be seen as insecurity or humility could actually be one of the most valuable qualities for the future, which is the ability to bring out the talent of each individual, rather than focusing the spotlight on their own.
Emotional intelligence
A true leader is also someone who knows how to live in reflected light and sees it as a success when their "team" moves forward, like a teacher proudly watching their student surpass them. Because true humility – understood as a feeling and subsequent behavior rooted in the awareness of one's limits and a detachment from any form of excessive pride or self-confidence – is practiced more than proclaimed.
And to do so, the relationship must be based on empathy, respect, and trust, rather than on command.
In a world where hard skills will largely be outsourced to artificial intelligence or technical functions, managers will be required to add the human touch, that extra something that no machine can ever guarantee.
Ultimately, the first to be prisoners of the decisionist and testosterone-driven leadership style that was so popular in the 1980s were also the men themselves. Offering them – as well as women – other possible, more varied, and equally, if not more, effective models means unlocking the potential of everyone.
