As per a study done at Harvard Business Review, it was found that women are better at dealing with crises. Moreover, we all had seen women emerge with entrepreneurial mindset before and during the pandemic. The study also emphasized the phenomenon of the “glass cliff” wherein a female leader is put in charge of saving a company in trouble. When women are finally given a chance to prove themselves in a senior position, they are handed something that is already broken and where the chances of failure are high. 

“We see this happen frequently enough that it made us wonder, are women more qualified to take up leadership in crisis? Could that be why they are handed the reins when times are tough?,” says the Harvard Business Review research.

Outlined below are the top qualities that women possess that enable them to stand apart and be effective while managing crises.

• Empathy

In the cut-throat world of business, empathy is an important and rare quality, helping to bring people together, understanding them better, and enabling better decision-making. Often, showing emotions and feelings is seen from a negative lens; however, it has been proven to be one of the effective ways of managing people, particularly during a sensitive crisis. Much research indicates that leaders who display honesty and integrity can contribute better in navigating uncertainty. Women are often rated higher on these traits. Emotion as it stands today in the world of mental health issues, pandemics, and crises, is one of the biggest strengths one can have.

• Collaborative Approach.

Women are experts in collaboration and are receptive to team engagement ideas. In any crisis, collaboration ensures an appropriate response coupled with relevant skills and strategy. Whether it is working with various vendors externally or getting together team strengths internally, collaboration is key to getting work done swiftly and with the right expertise.

• Resilience and Tenacity.

Centuries of fighting domination and rising against prejudices have largely conditioned women with immense grit and tenacity. A lot of them also take up the reins of purpose-driven leadership that helps them achieve their goals in a faster and an effective way. This also makes them calmer to deal with tough situations, as they are determined to find a solution and overcome the situation.

• Effective Communication. 

Being one of the major principles in leadership, communication can make or break a situation. Therefore, it becomes critical for individuals to have clarity in communication to achieve desired outcomes. Due to their observant and collaborative nature, women are measured and engaged in their communication. They are known to show compassion towards others and are good listeners.

• Open to Learning.

A crisis teaches you a lot of valuable lessons. Successful business leaders focus on these learnings and build a strong shield against similar future crises. We have observed that women and risk go together since they are receptive to learning things at every stage; this makes them sharpen their expertise in their respective areas and prepare for the future. Colleagues, family, friends, and companies around women tend to greatly benefit from this quality.

So, if you are a women entrepreneur, all you need to do is instill these very inherent qualities in the practice of adaptive leadership. And lead the way!