WOMAN POWER
It's about collaboration,
patience and resilience says Anuranjita Kumar
Every position grants you
with a certain au t h o r it y. In my experience, men and women leverage their
influence and power differently. While most men take to power at work easily
and are quick to leverage it, women tend to hold back, till authority is
clearly shared with them. Leadership attributes that are seen positively in a
man can be perceived negatively if exhibited by a woman. An ambitious, outspoken,
driven and focused man is considered power fu l.Men, more vocal in boardrooms,
are seen as result oriented and stronger. A woman who demonstrates similar
behaviors, may be viewed as aggressive or self-centered, as this behavior
challenges preconceived expectations and the nurturing character one expects
from women.
Given this reaction, women
choose to play a relatively more facilitative role, to avoid any negative
perceptions. In my experience, it is advantageous for women to recognise this
early and adopt an integrated style of leadership. Being inclusive and yet
being rightfully assertive can garner a positive response and propel them
forward. Women therefore need to leverage their strengths of collaboration,
patience and resilience, which also comes naturally to them, to find a balance
in their overall leadership style, depending on their environment.
Leaders are expected to be
decisive and action oriented. Men tend to take risks with less hesitation.
Decision making for men is often driven analytically with some experiential
learning thrown in. Women, on the other hand, rely a lot more on intuition and
on the opinion of others. Being more inclusive m ay s omet i me f uel
perceptions of indecisiveness, when they are rightfully focused on consensus
bui lding. A woman's style is more subtle relative to a man but it is in no way
different in terms of quality of decision making she connects more coherently
and sensitively, taking a balanced view of the situation.
How power is used is
influenced by how people negotiate or influence men in positions of power place
a higher premium on their professional competence, negotiating better for
opportunities and rewards. Women leaders understand their power but more often
than not, understate it. They rely more on the personal equity and not always
on the power of the role. Negotiations and commanding a role is both about
leading the team towards goals and winning minds. Women tend to calibrate
themselves with far more dexterity while being firm, decisive and tough in
negotiations as they tend to keep the impact of the message in mind at all
times. Internal and external connectivity are invaluable in enhancing one's
influence that may lead to more powerful engagements. Networking is an area
where one finds men far more proactive, as it is another way to yield more
influence. It is a domain I find where women consciously step back, either
viewing it negatively or simply choosing not to engage, focusing instead on
just getting the work done, or investing free time in personal priorities.
Women should leverage their innate strengths in building relationships and
collaborating to build strong networks, and in turn their own personal
brand.This will make them more conscious of what is transpiring in the
environment around them and better equipped to position themselves & their
organisations strongly. Ultimately, a successful professional imbibes
constructive qualities applied to context without trampling on their own
styles. It is possible to have a balance on one's way to achieving success.
Anuranjita Kumar is
managing director and chief human resource officer, Citibank South Asia.
ET30DEC15
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