It has been a long time since I have posted to this site,but here goes;
As a woman in leadership I am interested in how other women view themselves, I would not consider myself to be an alpha female; I don't see promotion and power as crucial to my continued position, but I do recognise that I do need to exercise a level of authority and ownership of the role I have been called to ( although the ultimate ownership will always be with God)...
I read many different things about womens leadership styles, for example:
"Women leaders are more assertive and persuasive, have a stronger need to get things done and are more willing to take risks than male leaders....Women leaders were also found to be more empathetic and flexible, as well as stronger in interpersonal skills than their male counterparts....enabl[ing] them to read situations accurately and take information in from all sides....These women leaders are able to bring others around to their point of view....because they genuinely understand and care about where others are coming from....so that the people they are leading feel more understood, supported and valued."
I know a number of men ( maybe even Jesus) who easily fit this description, and a number of women who have all of the qualities usually attributed to an alpha male ;
"In work settings, the alpha male may be a natural leader, exuding confidence. But he also may be contentious, demanding and difficult to work with. This is thought to be in part due to the alpha male attempting to retain his stature, however unconsciously, as alpha. Being the top salesperson, the quickest worker, the most aggressive boss may contribute to remaining at the top, and the alpha male has a tendency to respond aggressively to any attempts by others to outshine him."
Interestingly although very few men would be critisised for fulfilling the first description women who are aggressive in the work place are quickly called bitches and labeled difficult.
I do not see myself as an alpha female, and I hope that nobody else does,and it is that reaction that I am wondering about, why is it that I am naturally repulsed by the alpha persona be it male of female?
Partly I wonder if there a place for "alpha leadership" in the 21st century where collaboration and cooperation are highly prized...
Add to all of this my own intuition that a lot of this is down to personality type and might just be a whole load of hog wash... and yet as a church leader who naturally rebels against the hierarchal system I wonder where it all leaves me...
What are your thoughts???
