If I were to ask you a question, what qualities must a successful leader possess? What answers pop into your head? Does it jump to confidence, integrity, courage, decisiveness, innovation, and so on? These qualities are essential for any good leader, regardless of their gender, to achieve the heights they set for themselves and the companies they head. So, what do women in positions of power do differently? Do they really bring something extra to the table? I believe they do, and I want to talk about a few of them today.

We have a lot more female CEOs today than we did a couple of years ago. They have pushed boundaries and created a space for themselves in boardrooms that only had men in positions of power up until that point. There are a few traits that have set the below women apart, and they are awe-inspiring.

Empathy

When IBM’s former CEO Ginni Rometty saw her sister’s struggle to juggle parenthood and return to work, it got her thinking about the challenges faced by new parents. Under her leadership, IBM doubled paid parental leave, started a ‘returnships’ program to upskill people to make it easier for them to return to work, and provided other benefits to make the transition as smooth as possible. In 2018, IBM became the first company to be awarded the prestigious Catalyst Award for advancing women and diversity in business.

Key takeaway: An empathetic leader can look beyond their work, think about the comfort of their employees, and make policy changes that reflect that. When a company brings flexibility to their employees, helping them manage their work and home better, the employees feel taken care of and are more dedicated to their organization.

Gratitude

Indra Nooyi, former PepsiCo CEO, was visiting her mother back in India. People who came home to visit complimented her mother for Indra’s accomplishments, and that stayed with her. She believed in valuing the people she worked with and wanted to express it. Every year, she wrote more than 400 letters to the parents of her senior executives detailing the work their children did at her company. Parents felt truly touched by her display of gratitude, and her employees felt appreciated.

Key takeaway: When we receive appreciation from our clients and managers, we feel good about ourselves. But what Indra Nooyi did takes expressing gratitude to a whole new level. I think her employees and their families might have felt a sense of belonging and attachment to the company, which extends beyond their work.

Work-life balance

Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors, is the first woman CEO of a Big Three automobile manufacturing company. A senior colleague had advised her early in her career to balance her personal and professional obligations. She is one of the most influential women in business, as recognized by Time, Forbes, and Fortune, but she is also someone who takes time out to go to her children’s games on her workdays. She says spending time with her family recharges her.

Key takeaway: When a leader focuses on a work-life balance, it sets the tone and intention for the entire company to do so. To utilize their work hours productively and enjoy their personal time as they see fit.

Following your intuition and being a lifelong learner

After working for Kotak Mahindra Bank for almost 20 years, Falguni Nayar aspired to start a company of her own. She had worked extensively in finance. A decade ago, India wasn’t a major consumer of cosmetics. She saw the untapped potential for growth in that area and formed her own e-commerce company, Nykaa, in 2012. She left her comfortable job at her previous company to jump into something that was completely new to her. It went on to become the first Indian unicorn startup to be headed by a woman. The company’s name is derived from the word ‘Nayaka’, which roughly translates to a ‘heroine’, which was Falguni’s driving force—to become the Nayaka of her own life.

Key takeaway: I have always felt I should know a subject or a technology fully before I dive deep into working on it. But reading about Falguni has changed that for me. I think it takes tremendous courage to jump into new things and learn every day. That leap of faith in oneself is very important to reach places. It might not always guarantee success, but it surely teaches us things and makes us grow personally and professionally.

Accepting self-doubts and leading with courage

This article couldn’t have been complete without talking about the first female CEO of a Fortune 500 company. Katharine Graham became the publisher of the Washington Post in September 1963, a time when it was unheard of for a woman to lead a big company. She had a lot of self-doubts initially, as she was surrounded by a lot of people who thought she was not the right person for the job, and she was not taken seriously. She acknowledged her doubts and still went on to do her job with a lot of courage. Under her leadership, her paper published the details of the Watergate scandal and Pentagon Papers despite the external pressure to not publish, one of the boldest moves in journalism history.

Key takeaway: Sometimes it’s just about putting our head down, taking it one day at a time, and learning on the job. When we block the noise that surrounds us, we take risks and lead with conviction.

When I was growing up, I saw more men in positions of power, and I thought we needed to emulate them workwise to become successful. But these women have shown us how to be successful by being true to themselves. I believe the emotional quotient is what sets women apart in leadership. They bring their femininity - intuition, creativity, empathy, and collaboration - to their roles. These women have inspired not just me but millions of others by being themselves and going beyond the norm. Taking an approach which might not be ideal but something that feels right in their gut.

For the first time, women lead more than 10% of Fortune 500 companies. I believe by applying their emotional intelligence to their advantage, they have broken those glass ceilings, and how!

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