On IWD 24 Let's All Be Better By Being More Feminine

No better leadership attributes can be found for the leadership that is needed for the global situation of the 21st century in democratic nations than those that are innate and organic to women.

I grew up in a house with a dad, mum and 3 sisters. It's suffices to say that I had direct experience of the magic of feminine leadership. My mother was and probably still is the most empathetic listener I have ever come across. And come to think of it I can only remember a very small number of instances where my mum or sisters ever 'flew off the handle' (versus the large number of times myself and my father did!!).My youngest sister Laurie Winkless is one of the most socially astute and collaborative professionals I know anywhere- continuously and consistently building networks and as a result forging exciting synthesis in her work.

Whether we like it or not there are certain attributes that are more innate to women that lend themselves to a more future focused style of leadership.

Cpl is in, a sadly, and fairly unique position of having a pretty even split when it comes to female and male leaders across the business. Our CEO Lorna Conn CDir presides over an executive team Seana Leech Dip IoD Suzanne Dolan Lisa Holt DIP IoD Sharon Vize, FCIPD that has full and equal representation. Its also the first organisation I have worked in, in this situation. And in my relatively short 6 years in Cpl I have observed the strength and empathy of feminine leadership in action. And I believe all of us can learn from being more feminine. In essence my message to all my male peers on IWD 24 is to 'be more feminine to be better leaders'. And indeed my messa.ge to all my female peers is 'embrace your innate attributes and become the new leadership'.

My message to all my male peers on IWD 24 is to 'be more feminine to be better leaders'. And indeed my message to all of my female peers is 'embrace your innate attributes and become the new leadership that we all need'.

These are some of the principles I have learned from my female leader peers during my time in Cpl that have made me better:

1. See the whole- generally a more feminine approach means viewing your team and the individuals in that team through a more empathetic and holistic lens. Its means prioritising their total well being. An approach which I see in action everyday by my colleague Elysia Hegarty
2. Prioritise Behaviours- an ongoing focus on setting the right behaviours and ensuring that teams adopt those behaviours. My CEO Lorna Conn CDir worked to develop a clear set of behavioural statements for the executive team which are continuously reinforced- my favourite one 'No Dancing-don't dance around the topic- go for it'.
3. Listen Deeply- go beyond normal listening. Listen to multiple voices deeply. Probe and be empathetic and compassionate on those multiple voices. Suzanne Dolan is someone who will always really listen when I speak with her and will ask the right questions empathetically with a focus on improvement.
4. Self & Empowerment- really focus on finding the right people for the right tasks and fully empower them to deliver those tasks. Enable them to self manage within reason on those tasks. One of the most empowered teams I've seen anywhere is Cpl's HR team headed by Sharon Vize, FCIPD
5. Collaborate Widely- being open to new ideas and seeking collaborative opportunities even when collaboration can be hard. Aine Fanning who is MD of our Cpl Talent Evolution group is an example of someone who will always seek out collaborations within and beyond the business which has enabled her to be at the leading edge of talent solutions.

Happy IWD 24 everyone!!