Despite women still not being permitted as many positions of authority as men, our number of constituents is increasing. More females are promoted to leadership positions every year, including becoming CEOs, members of Congress, and supervisors. Thus, opportunities for women to learn from others also exist.
Women are no weaker than men in leadership roles. They are just as good at handling complex tasks and displaying leadership qualities (such as intelligence, creativity, and perseverance).
But as all great leaders know, leaders are always studying ways to improve themselves. Leadership courses teach leaders how to more effectively lead their teams and their organizations.
What are lessons in leadership?
By analyzing the lives of great leaders, we can gain valuable lessons about leadership and become better leaders ourselves.
Most leaders must be creative and capable of thinking outside the box, but many can learn from the leadership lessons learned by those who have already achieved that task.
You don’t need to be a pioneer in management to lead well. The challenges of your own home business might not be the same as those faced by other companies. But examining what other leaders have done can provide you with inspiration and wisdom.
The consequences of ineffective leadership are severe. Poor leaders endanger the ruin of their organizations. They risk a hazardous workplace environment and unenthusiastic coworkers. And oftentimes, they don’t even make a legacy that will inspire others for generations to come.
Those who aspire to greatness can make great strides by taking advantage of training sessions in leadership.
Why are lessons in leadership especially important for women?
Women need to learn leadership skills, but they’re particularly important for aspiring female leaders. Women are confronted with many challenges men do not face. Leadership lessons shared by other women may assist new female leaders to overcome these obstacles.
Further discrimination against women in the workplace is harmful. Ongoing discrimination against women in the workplace endangers their career opportunities. Social conditioning also teaches women not to be as assertive and demanding as they are. These qualities are essential for good leadership.
In the past, women were often excluded from leadership positions, so they had to work much harder to achieve those positions. They were also more closely evaluated by their male coworkers to be good leaders.
For this reason, women will greatly benefit from courses in leadership. Leadership lessons taught by other ladies will provide ideas, inspiration, strength, and perseverance.
8 Key lessons in leadership for women in business and their careers
Women can gain leadership skills through classroom instruction that teaches them how to invest in their people, their organizations, and themselves. Here are 8 leadership lessons all women can appreciate based on inspirational quotes by influential female leaders.
1. Prioritize a team mindset
“Leadership is about the team—the culture they keep and embrace. It’s about empathy for your customers, clients, employees, and the communities where you do business. It’s about doing the right thing for the right reasons, being confident enough to take risks and responsible enough to think of those who your decisions and risks may affect.”— Kat Cole (Former COO & President of FOCUS Brands)
Successful leaders do not put themselves first. They put their teams first.
They have a team of workers to oversee, develop, and inspire. They also have their teams of customers or constituents to serve well.
Great leaders understand that investing in their team allows them to exceed ambitious goals. Considering the team’s needs may be one of the most useful leadership skills ever learned.
2. Develop others
“I’ve always subscribed to the belief that the best leader is not one who has the most followers, but one who creates the most leaders. I strive every day—to create more conscious, confident, and soulful leaders who, in return, will build a better world for all.”— Stephanie Courtillier (Founder, Integrous Women)
“Magic happens when you connect people. I credit much of my success to truly getting to know people and helping them whenever I can. It’s become the backbone of our firm’s success. Women founders are often highly skilled at making connections that can help advance their businesses.”— Susan Macpherson (Founder & CEO, McPherson Strategies)
Susan Macpherson noted that female leaders are good at inspiring others and helping others to progress. Every good leader should aspire to this role.
Many people who become effective leaders start off as relatively inexperienced people. In fact, Oprah Winfrey, one of the most successful female leaders of all time, got her start by working at a small local radio station. The station managers at the smaller one-third of the first station were impressed by her drive and helped her advance to larger roles at larger stations.
Good leaders never want to keep their subordinates planted. This is not inspirational leadership. Those who do not develop their teams are in danger of losing valuable members to other organizations that will train them. Developing others is another important lesson on leadership.
3. Take criticism as feedback
“Take criticism seriously, but not personally. If there is truth or merit in the criticism, try to learn from it. Otherwise, let it roll right off you.”— Hillary Clinton (American Politician)
Hillary Clinton is one of the most-criticized female politicians in the world. Clinton has helped millions of at-risk and underserved people by making numerous exceptional contributions to society. She provides an excellent example of how to handle criticism.
Criticism may be difficult to swallow, but it is an important part of being a leader. Criticism frequently contains useful suggestions for improving and improving. Criticism will be a part of life for every leader. Criticism can be a valuable learning tool.
4. Learn from your team
“It’s okay to admit what you don’t know. It’s okay to ask for help. And it’s more than okay to listen to the people you lead. In fact, it’s essential.”— Mary Barra (CEO, General Motors)
“Great leaders find people who are best at different things and get them all on the same team.”— Eileen Bistrisky (President & CEO, Effective Leadership Consulting)
A good leader knows when to rely on her own expertise and when to take advantage of the expertise of others. She also knows when to make use of her own abilities. Members of the group who are enthusiastic about sharing their knowledge can come up with even cooler and more creative suggestions.
Additionally, members of the team are able to tell when they are valued. Members who know their contributions are valuable feel more invested in the achievements of the organization. Those who facilitate opportunities for others to excel end up inspiring others to soar to new heights. This lesson in leadership can help female leaders reach new heights.
5. Keep your team focused
“People respond well to those that are sure of what they want.”— Anna Wintour (Editor-in-Chief, Vogue)
A team that is not focused is not productive. Likewise, a squad that does not know its missions will not be successful. Great leaders motivate their groups by keeping them focused on the most important tasks.
Leaders should make sure that the right people are performing the appropriate tasks on teams. If team members are assigned to tasks that they are not qualified to perform, the entire group could miss out on vital work. It’s an excellent leader’s role to assign tasks in an efficient manner so that team members can achieve their objectives.
6. Care for your team members as whole people
“Success isn’t about how much money you make. It’s about the difference you make in people’s lives.”— Michelle Obama (Former First Lady of the United States)
Poor managers chain their subordinates to work diligently with only the goals of the company in mind. Yes, it’s important for executives to keep their teams focused and encourage them to put in the work. But successful leaders need to remember that their teams are made up of individuals with individual strengths and weaknesses.
Great leaders recognize the importance of treating their team members as total people. They know that the people they employ are not automatons. Those who show genuine concern for the team encourage the best efforts. This lesson in leadership motivates team members to do their best because they want to.
7. Seek to inspire
“Leadership is hard to define and good leadership even harder. But if you can get people to follow you to the ends of the earth, you are a great leader.”— Indra Nooyi (Former Chairman & CEO of PepsiCo)
“A good leader is able to paint a picture of a vision for the future and then enlist others to go on the journey with her. A truly conscious leader recognizes that it is not about her, but that the team is looking to her for inspiration and direction. Keeping her ego in check is essential.”—Tamra Ryan (CEO, Women’s Bean Project)
Excellent leaders are inspirational. Leaders such as Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey, and Malala Yousafzai have inspired countless people worldwide.
These individuals were not born with the knowledge of how they were going to impact the world. They each came from humble backgrounds. Throughout their lives, they were able to inspire others to become better leaders as they went along. Each female leader has the opportunity to inspire just as she has done.
8. Learn continuously
“Continuous learning leads to continuous improvement. Commit yourself to advancing your knowledge, skills, and expertise. Be a lifelong student.”—Pamela Gill Alabaster (Head of Global Sustainability at Mattel, Inc.)
Leaders do not achieve a particular level of knowledge or success as soon as they start leading. Instead, they trust that they’ll solve things as they progress. Great leaders know that they must continue studying and developing throughout their lives.
Great politicians also know that self-improvement is an ongoing process that must be continued for a lifetime. Self-improvement includes improving one’s emotional intelligence.
Resources for lessons in leadership
We live in an age when lessons in leadership are available quite literally at our fingertips.
Reading books is the best way to learn about leadership. Reading can strengthen your understanding, helping you form better connections between the information you read. It will help you better understand yourself.
Leadership podcasts are a great choice for women who prefer listening over reading. You can listen to a podcast while you’re driving or exercising instead of listening to the same playlists as usual. Use your time to increase your fitness and personal development.
Finally, find a mentor or group of mentors to help you on your path to leadership. Mentors are like coaches who can provide guidance and feedback. You can ask your supervisor any questions and learn from them.
Try attending an in-person or local networking group, or you could locate a coworker who can act as a mentor. You could also find a mentor at work!
Use these lessons in leadership to become a successful leader!
These leadership skills will stay with you for life. Cultivating an excellent leader is a tough but worthwhile process that never ends. The leadership skills you learn are building blocks you’ll build upon your whole life.
Today’s great leaders may seem like they were born to be leaders, but they are all former novices who showed extraordinary courage. Every path to leadership begins with a journey down a smaller path. By following these small steps, you are well on the way to achieving leadership status!
