The Role of Women in Leadership and Empowerment

The rise in the number of women in leadership roles during the past few decades has been one of the biggest shifts. More women than ever before are holding Leadership positions in the public sector, private sector, higher education, nonprofit organizations, and many more.

Many leadership roles that women have played regularly present a list of contributing variables to the significant shift in this pattern over the last 50 years. I'll go over a few of the challenges that still stand in the way of women in leadership roles. Then I’ll inquire about the general level of ambition among women for leadership roles and talk about the contentious link between feminism and power and then wrap off with a quick examination of potential future developments.

Every leader can influence or set priorities for other people, which is a form of power. Being a leader cannot mean having power.
Being a leader frequently entails using official power such as a high post in a major corporation as a position in the government to exercise authority. These kinds of power positions offer definite chances of leadership. However, not everyone in a formal office exhibits leadership and many of the men and women we would wish to refer to as leaders do not hold positions of power. As the renowned leadership expert John Gardner points out "We have all occasionally encountered top persons who couldn't Lead a squad of seven-year-olds to the ice cream counter.

Throughout history, men have typically demonstrated the first type of leadership. Powerful individuals have adopted the tactic of "leading from behind", more frequently, however, prominent figures have demonstrated their authority with great visibility. Behind the scenes, women and some men have shown a relaxed, unassuming leadership. However, as more women have seized the chance to assume portions of prominent, authoritative leadership, this pattern has begun to shift.

By: Pallavi Rajwadi
Udgam School for Children