THE same colleague who asked me, “How do you navigate without visibility?”—a question I tackled in a previous post—came back with nine more. And get this: he wrote them all down for me. Now that’s what I call thoughtful feedback!
The next question on his list was this: “What is a woman’s advantage in leadership?”
It’s an interesting question, and for a long time, I would have said there isn’t one. I’ve never believed that leadership ability is determined by gender. But my perspective began to shift when I was teaching leadership at Vanderbilt University.
As we explored the evolution of leadership theories over the past century, one always stood out to me—the “great man” theory of the late 19th century. It suggested that leadership was rooted in innate traits like intelligence, charisma, and courage—qualities historically associated with men and used to explain the success of prominent male leaders in politics, the military, and society.
It always made me smile, not because it was amusing, but because of what it overlooked.
The theory assumed leaders were born, not made. It left little room for growth, learning, or development. And it certainly didn’t account for the many individuals—women included—who lead effectively without fitting that narrow mold.
Over time, leadership thinking evolved. Trait-based models gave way to skills-based approaches, recognizing that leadership can be developed. Experience, learning, and environment all play a role in shaping effective leaders. That shift opened the door to a broader, more inclusive understanding of what leadership looks like.
And that’s where I began to see something different.
If there is an advantage women often bring to leadership, it’s not about outperforming men. It is about expanding the range of what leadership can be.
Many women lead with a strong emphasis on empathy, connection, and trust. They invest in relationships, listen actively, and create environments where people feel seen and valued. These are not “soft” skills. They are foundational to building loyalty, engagement, and high-performing teams.
I’ve seen this play out across the military, classrooms, and every organization I’ve had the honor to serve in. When people feel understood, they contribute more. When trust is present, collaboration improves. And when leaders take the time to develop others, the impact extends far beyond individual performance—it strengthens the entire team.
This doesn’t mean all women lead this way, or that men don’t. But these relational strengths have often been undervalued in traditional leadership models, even as they become increasingly critical in today’s workplaces.
So perhaps the real advantage isn’t about gender at all.
It’s about perspective.
Women, having often navigated systems that weren’t originally designed for them, may approach leadership with a heightened awareness of others—who is included, who is heard, and who is still finding their voice. That awareness can translate into more inclusive, adaptive, and resilient leadership.
The answer I gave my colleague was simple:
The advantage women bring to leadership is the ability to lead in ways that broaden the definition of leadership itself.
There’s a quote often attributed to Geraldine Ferraro that captures this idea well: “Leaders are made, and some are born women.”
Whether or not that’s entirely true, one thing is clear—when we expand how we define leadership, we make space for more people to lead well.
And that benefits everyone.
Fly high,
Barbara
Need help developing your team’s leadership skills? Connect with me at CaptainBarbaraBell.com and of course buy my book, Flight Lessons: Navigating Through Life’s Turbulence and Learning to Fly High. Let’s get started.
#coaching, #leadership, #leadershipdevelopment, #womeninleadership, #veterans
Photo by Brandon Mowinkel on Unsplash
