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REDEFINING

LEADERSHIP

exploring leadership values through data stories and citizen science.

published November 2024 | Sarah Emery Clark

This year, close to half of the world’s population will be electing new leadership1. In a landscape of geopolitical, environmental and economic strife, examining power imbalances is crucial.

While the UN's Sustainable Development Goals call for gender-balanced representation by 2030, little is being done to tackle the underlying causes of this imbalance.

Data links gender inclusive leadership with everything from increased corporate profits to effective peace-keeping. But meaningful change is more than a numbers game; it will require a transformation of how we define leadership. 

Research shows that leaders who embrace traditionally feminine qualities like collaboration and empathy create thriving organizations and nations. Gender balanced representation is only part of the solution. To succeed, how we perceive and perform leadership will need to be redefined through a feminist lens.

In the words of bell hooks…

feminist leadership is for everybody.

click on citations within accordion menu to see source texts

explore

First, we'll look at gender in leadership through data and case studies from around the world. What unique skills do women bring to leadership, and what challenges do they face? Why is having balanced leadership important? What does the SDG data say about our progress, and how do institutional biases connect with cultural issues like gender-based violence?

participate

Next, we’ll collect and share examples of leaders in our own lives. Participate in the #SDGredefineleadership citizen science project for a hands-on exploration of leadership structures. Together, we’ll examine different ways of leading and how they shape outcomes, mapping a new model for leadership. Follow along to see how your results compare to others!

table of contents

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Gender and leadership | what does the data tell us?

When we examine what qualities are valued in leadership in both public and private sectors we discover that soft skills are crucial, especially in times of crisis.

Studies done by the Harvard Business Review show that women in leadership roles tend to perform better than their male counterparts, especially in a crisis. This is so common that it even has a name: The Glass Cliff 3, a reference to the glass ceiling, where women are prevented from attaining leadership roles. Instead, women are put in charge of fixing broken organizations on the brink of failure.

We’re learning that there’s more to leadership than strength, courage and assertiveness. Qualities that demonstrate emotional capacity and inspire harmony are essential components of effective leadership. Gender balance quotas alone won’t shift the leadership paradigm if women are expected to assimilate into male roles4. Instead, let’s examine the ways in which women’s strengths have the capacity to redefine what leadership looks like.

Women outscore men in most leadership competencies.

In 2019 the Harvard Business Review ran a private sector leadership assessment study that found women to be rated significantly higher than men in leadership skills. The study looked at the competencies that direct reports ranked as most important. Notably, respondents placed greater importance on interpersonal skills, including taking initiative, acting with resilience, and displaying high integrity, all of which women rated higher on.

After analyzing thousands of assessments, women were rated higher than men in 84% of the measured competencies. This leadership competency gap widened when a similar study was performed during the pandemic, suggesting that women perform better in a crisis 5.

“only 6% of publicly listed companies globally are run by women despite companies with female leadership outperforming the market average.”

Grace O’Brien | co-founder, Pink Chip 6

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Here’s where we are now...

private sector leadership

Only 19% of global corporate CEOs are women...

...in spite of firms with female CEOs and CFOs consistently producing superior stock price performance compared to the market average.

Recent years have seen a notable drop in the percentage of female CEOs. At large corporations these numbers dropped from 28% to 19% between 2022 and 2023. When asked about their reasons for leaving CEO roles, women cited public pressure, care-giving responsibilities and that they felt pressure to behave more like men 7.

public sector leadership

Only 22% of speakers of parliament are women...

...in spite of women in political leadership having positive effects on economics, peacekeeping and crisis management.

Global response to crises shows that countries with gender balanced politics fare better than those without. So why is political representation still lagging far behind women’s representation in the wider workplace? Globally, women cite gender based violence, harassment and non-inclusive infrastructures as barriers to participating 8.

This leaves a lot of room for improvement.

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Why having women in leadership matters...

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SDG 16.7 | Inclusive Leadership

Target 16.7

Ensuring responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels.

SGD 16

Promoting peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, providing access to justice for all and building effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.

Mapping women’s global political participation

The link between gender balanced, skills based leadership and successful humanitarian outcomes is clear20. Many of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals depend on these positive outcomes.

To better understand where we’re going let’s take a look at where we are now.

While the UN cites women in leadership as a path towards improved political judgement, their data shows that women are underrepresented in decision-making worldwide. We have a long way to go to reach gender parity 21.

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Barriers to Inclusion

It’s a sticky problem

and it’s not just institutional...

...it’s cultural. Even in countries with protocols in place to ensure inclusivity in politics, women are still under-represented. Studies show that this is a cultural problem that correlates to a complex cycle of underrepresentation and ongoing discrimination.”

“rather than emulating male leaders, it’s crucial that women see strong female role models succeeding on their terms…with authenticity and without apology. ”

- Margie Warrell | Ph.D 23

44.4% of surveyed female parliamentarians received threats of death, rape, or abduction during their term of office.

The solution to gender bias lies in re-imagining what leadership itself looks like.

Click on the case studies to learn more about the most impactful barriers to women’s pathways to leadership.

In a culture where subtle slights are overlooked, micro-aggressions continue to erode women's pipeline to leadership.

Women in power often have to choose between being seen as likeable but incompetent, or competent but cold.

Research shows that female students are more likely to choose a STEM (science, technology, engineering, or math) major when they have a female professor.

Most Americans agree that women candidates have to work harder than men to prove themselves.

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Citizen science | visualizing political gender bias in your community

Let’s reimagine leadership... one story at a time.

As with many complex systemic issues, change begins at home. Citizen science can be an impactful tool for building knowledge and empowerment. For this project, I invite you to consider a leader who has inspired you and investigate the qualities that make them shine. Together, we’ll create symbols that redefine leadership.

STEP 1

Pick someone (of any gender) who you think makes (or would make!) a good leader. This can be someone who you know personally, or whom you’ve heard or read about. What leadership qualities do they demonstrate? Remember, a leader doesn’t have to be a powerful politician or the CEO of a company. This person might be a teacher, a community organizer, a colleague, a parent or even a classmate!

Leadership qualities and styles, explained

STEP 3

Follow along to see all the shapes that leadership might take!

(Instagram Carousel)

Thanks for Participating…

and please share this project with friends, colleagues, family, leaders, and future leaders of all genders.

Tag it with #SDGredefineleadership!

LEADERSHIP QUALITIES

start here!

  • Emotional intelligence encompasses self-awareness, self-regulation, empathy, conflict-resolution and social skills. A self-aware leader understands emotions, strengths, weaknesses, and the impact one has on others. It is a foundational skill for leadership effectiveness.

  • Effective communication is about conveying ideas clearly and listening to others.

  • Strategic thinking involves the ability to plan for long-term goals and foresee potential obstacles.

  • Accountability refers to taking responsibility for ones actions and outcomes.

  • Inclusion refers to actively ensuring all voices are heard and valued, especially in diverse environments. It includes dismantling bias and creating equitable opportunities.

  • A leaders who empowers others gives others decision-making authority or influence, emphasizing the distribution of power over autocratic decision-making. An empowering leader sees the strengths and abilities.of others and delegates responsibility.

  • Visionary thinking is about setting a clear and inspiring long-term direction.

  • Problem solving refers to the ability to identify solutions to challenges.

  • Conflict resolution involves managing and resolving disputes effectively. Emotional intelligence can support this.

  • Courage refers to the willingness to make difficult decisions or face challenges, even when it's uncomfortable.

LEADERSHIP STYLES

  • Democratic leadership encourages collaboration in decision-making, and promotes transparency and inclusiveness.

    With democratic leadership, decision-making can be slower but increases engagement.

  • Autocratic leaders make decisions without seeking input from others. This leadership style is rarely effective and can lead to poor morale. However, it can be useful when quick decision-making is necessary such as in a crisis situation.

  • Transformational leadership inspires and motivates people toward long-term change . These leaders encourage innovation and drive major social and economic change. (eg. Steve Jobs, Nelson Mandela.

  • Transactional leadership focuses on meeting standards and fulfilling goals. It emphasizes rules and performance over innovation (eg. customer service or law enforcement).

  • Servant leadership prioritizes the needs of citizens. Leaders serve and support their teams to foster community. Servant leadership builds strong, empathetic relationships (eg. non-profits and employee-first companies like Patagonia).

  • Laissez-faire leadership encourages autonomy. Leaders take a hands-off approach, allowing others to lead. It’s common in creative industries where professionals are trusted to manage their own work. This approach also works well in areas like education or public health.

  • Charismatic leaders create strong emotional connections with followers. They drive passion and inspire movements, but can create dependency on the leader. (Eg. Martin Luther King Jr., Oprah Winfrey).

  • Strategic leaders focus on long-term goals, such as national reforms or foreign policy, ensuring direction in complex, high-level decision-making. These leaders focus on long-term growth and positioning. (eg. Angela Merkel, Henry Kissinger).

  • Coaching leaders mentor and develop future leaders, fostering personal growth and learning. It is often used to develop talent and enhance skills in employee-focused organizations as it promotes individual growth and team success.

  • Emergent leaders arise from grassroots movements or crises, often outside of traditional power structures. Often seen in social justice movements, these leaders rise organically, gaining influence through expertise or problem-solving.

STEP 2

Fill out the form below with your answers!

Acknowledgments & Citations

This self-directed project began as an exploration of the SDGs with the team at infogr8 as part of their Future Fridays programming.

The stories we share today are but a glimmer of those that have come before... I encourage all participants to challenge the notion of leadership not only through the lens of gender but though that of colonialism. My story necessitates a deeper acknowledgement to the Pentlatch, E’iksan, Sahtloot and Sasitla First Peoples. I’ll ask that we all keep reconciliation in mind as we reimagine leadership.

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