Why Women Are the Tech Leaders of Today

Of the Fortune 500’s 23 female CEOs, five work at tech companies, and two of them are leading top companies in Silicon Valley. In an industry known for favoring the male gender, this may come as a surprise. But when you start exploring the reasons why female executive are taking the boardrooms by storm, you start realiZing that it is not actually all that surprising. Here are some of the qualities that are propelling women into the lead in innovative roles in the tech industry:

1. Empathy – Leaders with empathy relate better to others, build emotional connections and establish bonds. A sense of community drives innovation and positive change in any company.
2. Self-Awareness – Trust is built when leaders are in touch with their feelings and aware of other’s feelings. This is also a valuable quality in creative conflict resolution.
3. Inclusiveness – Brainstorming is an effective way to solve problems and for good reason: collaborative energy allows teams to tap into a variety of skills and strengths in a combined effort.
4. Erasing hierarchical boundaries – By establishing a common ground with others. rapport is created and decision-making is distributed. When every team member feels that they are an important part of the team, productivity increases.
5. Cultural savvy – Leaders who grasp a group’s culture are able to successfully navigate the company’s power network. This helps leaders to establish fertile areas.
6. Cognitive horsepower – By taking a broad view of industry trends and deciphering information, others are inspired to start thinking outside the box.

While both men and women can have these qualities, women tend to apply them differently, and that is what makes the difference. Just like men, women are driven, in control and take risks – but they have smoothed the hard edges of the typical male authoritative management style – and it is working.

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