Written by: Star Hayward, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Women make incredible leaders, CEO’s, and business owners. We’re visionaries, intuitive, creative, and we drive initiatives through connection, collaboration and inclusion, yes- we are tribal!
But traditional, masculine leadership conditioning leaves many women either feeling afraid to lead, or trying to lead in a way that isn’t working because they haven’t learned that they can trust in bringing their feminine qualities effectively into leadership roles.
The imbalance in the masculine-feminine approach to leadership and performance expectations is holding women back from achieving the freedom, fulfillment and flow they innately crave to feel through their heart centered work, leading to burnout, overwhelm, and looking for alternatives.
I read an article recently that was titled, “women are leaving the workforce in droves.” Yes, droves! Part of this has to do with the hard reality that the paycheck women are earning doesn’t close the gap on the cost of childcare, therefore they’re left to make the hard decision to stay home with their children rather than work.
The other truth to this is that women are fed up with the inequitable parameters we’ve been shrinking to fit within in order to be valued, seen, heard, recognized, and respected in the workforce and in the business world. Statistics show that women have to work 20% more than men to close the salary gap. This proves to be nearly impossible to achieve while maintaining reasonable health and quality of life, especially for those who are also the primary caregivers of the family, doing school drop-offs, running errands, cooking, cleaning, and paying the bills.
The simple fact that we can name the old adage “women should rule the world,” an old adage alone is proof that we’re overdue in dissolving the gender gap by creating an equal and balanced playing field, for women, men, and all gender identities in business, commerce, economies and social structures worldwide. The question is, how?
We cannot look to the external, physical world for a change. The change that we as women, and those who want women to take the lead, are wanting begins within our individual commitment to a new consciousness. One that expresses the values which uphold the behavior and choices that will cultivate a more harmonious world within each of us, therefore outside of us. One that incorporates empathy, connection, intuition, humility, and vulnerability with strategy, knowledge, assertiveness, and productivity.
In other words, in order for women to be valued for their natural feminine qualities and encouraged to bring their whole, authentic selves into their jobs and businesses so that we can contribute to the world in the ways that our world asking for, it will require an understanding of the distinction between the masculine and feminine leadership qualities that reside within ourselves, and then learn how to leverage both through an empowered and balanced state for powerful momentum, achievement and fulfillment.
Is this a tall order? It may be for many but I say we don’t have a choice if we want real significant change. It’s time that we embrace the truth that in order to heal our wounds and inequities, we must do the inner work to bring the masculine into harmony with the feminine in all that we do, especially leadership. Without this transformation, we’re only limping along, but when we commit to being the change we want to see in the world, we also make a commitment to becoming a greater version of ourselves, as whole and complete.
You don’t have to be in a position of power to be a leader, there’s a leader in every one of us. The more we embrace this idea the more empowered and confident we will become in breaking away from the old ways that are no longer working to forge a new path into an existence that will be reflective of a new consciousness order, in wholeness, inclusion, abundance, and health.
Should women rule the world? Man, woman, non-binary… Let’s let love be the cause of the pendulum swing.
Star Hayward, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Star Hayward is a Certified Life & Success Coach, Transformation Specialist, Spiritual Mentor, and founder of Ascending Heart Academy. She specializes in coaching female executives and entrepreneurs in self-mastery and feminine leadership strategies to achieve freedom and fulfillment through their purpose-inspired work. Star resides in the Pacific Northwest with her loving husband and family, and enjoys a passion filled life of outdoor adventures, travel, writing, and spiritual practices. www.starhayward.com
