Women Leaders are Performing Better During the Pandemic

Corona virus is still spreading like a wildfire. In the current circumstances, we are nowhere in a position to see an end of it. There are some countries that are performing better against this pandemic and what, what’s common in these countries? Women leadership! Yes, you read it right. Most of the countries that have somewhat controlled the spread of COVID-19 have female in their higher offices.

The steps taken by the female leaders in Denmark, Finland, Finland, Germany, Iceland, New Zealand, Norway, Iceland and Taiwan are being praised by the masses as they are the perfect examples of women dealing the calamity better than their male counterparts. Be it Jacinda Ardern Prime Minister of New Zealand, Tsai Ing-Wen of Taiwan or Angela Merkel of Germany, they have shown with their leadership skills that women are way better than men leaders in times of crisis. They, along with other women in power around the world, haven’t just formed an effective connection with their nation but also they have responded swiftly and authoritatively. Hence, they succeeded in managing to keep COVID-19 case counts and casualties in their countries lower than those of their neighboring countries.

According to experts, women leaders may share some traits that make them particularly well-prepared for this crisis. For instance, they usually don’t face the same pressure to appear masculine or pretend to be very strong and tough in the face of the pandemic, a pressure that may drive Trump and other male leaders, like Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, to downplay the gravity of the threat. It is note-worthy that female leaders are still seen as a novelty around the world. They are still seen as representatives for their gender in ways that men are not. If they trip, they may be held up as examples of a woman’s inability to govern that is something that never happens with men. This allowed few female leaders and heads of state to take bold steps. They spoke to everybody and, after listening to a variety of experts, took decisions that saved thousands of lives from New Zealand to Scandinavia and Asia.

The exemplary leadership qualities shown by some female heads of state and the health minister tell that we need more women in leadership roles in the world. Just think for a moment, if countries led by women are managing the pandemic more effectively not because they are women, but because the selection of women as leaders is a reflection of societies where there is a greater presence of women in many positions of power, in all sectors? This means gender-balanced environments produce more robust decisions. This new type of leadership primarily involves resilience, courage, flexibility, listening, empathy, collaboration, caring and recognition of collective contribution. The participation of everyone’s intelligence becomes the key to success. These are all characteristics of traditionally feminine management.

In 21st century we need a modern type of leadership, different from that based on command and control because we are facing new challenges like climate change, health, the environment, the depletion of the Earth’s resources, the aging population and the shortage of talent, the virtual management of production and employee contributions and the development of new technologies.

by: Abeer Arshad 

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