Woman to Woman: Leadership Leaps
OWL’s name – Ophthalmic Women Leaders – suggests that the organization exists for those women who are, or aspire to be, in leadership positions in the ophthalmic space. Yet, it appears that the number of women in leadership positions, especially in top functions, remains low. There are a variety of reasons why this may be the case. This column examines ways women can develop their leadership skills to make the leadership leaps that will change this situation.
Leadership Leap #1: Become a visionary, learn how to think strategically and become a thought partner with peers and other leaders.
Many women underestimate their capabilities to create a vision for their organizations that goes beyond the boundaries of their current situation or job function. To become a leader, one must be able to envision “what could be” as opposed to “what is.” This demands the ability to see the big picture, to think strategically, and be willing to entertain possibilities when clear direction and/or outcomes are not readily known or appear to be achievable. One way to develop these abilities is to become a thought partner with peers and other leaders whom you admire and respect. To be a thought partner means to risk expressing your ideas with people who will both listen and provide cogent feedback. Some women may need encouragement to take this “leadership leap”; for others, becoming more visionary may simply be a matter of stretching themselves to become more assertive in implementing their strategies and thought partnerships.
Leadership Leap #2: Create productive relationships by understanding your organization’s culture, increasing your visibility, and promoting teamwork.
Successful leaders are those who can develop and sustain productive relationships with a variety of people, including those who exhibit leadership styles different from their own. Additionally, good leaders understand the culture in which they work, norms for behaviors within the organization, processes used for decision-making, and the formal and informal standards used to assess performance and potential. In her book, The Secret Handshake, Kathleen Reardon stresses the importance of these factors, as well as the need to become politically astute. This “leadership leap” demands that women manage their visibility by proactively creating productive relationships with those who can help them achieve leadership status. Women cannot wait to be “discovered.” Lastly, women can increase their leadership by promoting teamwork to increase organizational effectiveness and efficiency. This is possible, even if your organization is not structurally organized in teams. Women, by nature, are champions at building relationships; leveraging this innate ability will accelerate this “leadership leap.” Leaders are seldom self-anointed. Rarely, if ever, does an exemplary leader become a great leader by her efforts alone. It is by working with and through others that leadership is built.
Leadership Leap #3: Lead with competence, courage and commitment.
Great leaders are not born! They develop their knowledge, skills, and abilities to differentiate themselves through behaviors that express competence, courage and commitment. This means, among other things, that they invest in themselves to gain subject matter expertise, experiences, and competencies so they can make a difference in their work environments. Competence alone is not enough. Courage is also required – courage to stretch one’s self, to keep focused in times of crisis, and to do the right thing when forces may not point in that direction. Commitment is another strong trait that women possess and it is natural for us to align our work with others so that the collective organization can be successful. Another characteristic that women bring to the table that enhances commitment is their ability to motivate and inspire self and others. Using these nurturing skills goes a long way to foster commitment.
Without a doubt, women can harness their strengths to take these leadership leaps. But it takes time, energy, and intentionality to rise to top leadership positions. Leverage your innate and special talents to achieve your leadership dreams. As Emily Dickinson wrote in one of her poems: “Not knowing when the dawn will come, I open every door.” May you each find the door to open that will unleash your leadership potential!
If you have comments or questions, please feel free to email or call me at marshalink@4link.biz or 949-683-4632.
- Marsha D. Link, PhD, Link Consulting