We often hear a lot of stereotypical statements about women in the workplace, such as that women are generally soft, weak, and are unable to compete with men.
In Saudi Arabia, women have proved day after day that they plan to play an active part in creating the present and the future of the Kingdom, and we are witnessing all women working resolutely and with steadfast commitment to building this dynamic country.
Saudi women leaders have proven their success and impactful presence in their respective fields of work. Many have transformed feminine qualities that are perceived to be weak into strengths, including Princess Haifa bint Muhammad bin Saud Al Saud, who was appointed Deputy Minister of Tourism by royal decree in June 2022.
As one of many successful models of Saudi women leaders, she was promoted after holding the position of Assistant Minister for Executive and Strategic Affairs in the ministry. Princess Haifa holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of New Haven and an MBA from London Business School.
Among the other names of Saudi women leaders is Shehana Al-Azzaz. The young lawyer was appointed by a royal decree as Deputy Secretary-General of the Council of Ministers and became the first woman to occupy such a high position in the Kingdom. In 2008, Al-Azzaz obtained her Law degree from Durham University and received practical training in Dubai, Kuwait, and New York before accepting an offer to work in a New York law firm, and she was also invited to lecture at Harvard University. Al-Azzaz returned to the Kingdom in 2012 to obtain a license to become a practicing lawyer after the Saudi Ministry of Justice permitted women to work in the judicial field.
A majority of positions of power still praise masculine traits, and have yet to see the benefits of feminine traits. Some feminine qualities such as emotional bonding and nurturing are not only overlooked, they are perceived as weaknesses, yet in fact, they can be powerful strengths. Numerous studies have confirmed that empathy and emotional competence in the workplace help recognize, validate, and support feelings and emotions of employees and teams.
In a Pew Center study spanning 18 countries, researchers found that 57% of people were dissatisfied with the behavior of men in the workplace. This figure was higher at 79% in Japan and South Korea, while more than two third of the people surveyed reported their dissatisfaction in Indonesia, Mexico, the United Kingdom and the United States. Interestingly, two-thirds of overall respondents felt that "the world would be a better place if men thought more like women."
Let us look at some feminine qualities that can be adopted, by both women and men leaders when managing their teams in the workplace:
1) Kindness. When a successful manager or leader is sympathetic he or she realizes that every team member in the workplace deserves attention. They demonstrate kindness by genuinely asking the right questions, listening attentively while maintaining eye contact, and adopting a positive body language.
2) Empathy. Being empathetic is a powerful trait for a successful leader to have. Empathy means having the ability to be attuned to the emotional state of others. For example, when you meet a team member during a meeting, you can tell that something is amiss, when he or she is distracted or upset, and when you talk to him or her privately, it makes the employee feel cared for.
3) Vulnerability. An effective leader sees vulnerability, often mistaken as a weakness, as a sign of strength and a way to enhance honesty and trust in the workplace. To this extent, it is wise for the leader to encourage his or her team to share their feelings and express themselves freely and give them support in the process. This will inject a renewed sense of purpose within the team members and drive productivity.
4) Love. Going above and beyond to create a space in which a team feels safe, comfortable, cared for, and heard will lead to building a team that’s able to thrive, no matter how difficult circumstances might be. Caring for your employees means that you treat and value them as humans, and will positively impact their chemistry and improve their productivity.
5) Attention to detail. It’s undeniable that paying attention to details is a quality which most women excel at. It would be smart to encourage and nurture this skill within the team when delegating work tasks. A successful leader should expect their team to pay attention to the details in every aspect of their work.
6) Multi-tasking. Women are better able to focus on multiple tasks simultaneously, since men prefer to focus on one task at a time. When used in managing a team's tasks, this trait will enable leaders not to neglect some key tasks which may otherwise go unnoticed or compromise on what needs to be done.
If you haven’t used these qualities in your own line of work, it may be a good idea to think about how to best use them when leading your team. By incorporating some of these traits into your day-to-day work, you’ll be able to see and feel the positive impact.
