Women Leaders: It's Time for a "Brand New Leadership"

In the corporate world, most women are still not rising all the way to the very top. According to a recent study by Catalyst, a NY-based non-profit that works to promote opportunities for women in business, only 2.2% of Fortune 500 CEO’s are women; and women make up less than 15% of corporate officers. In short, despite more than a century of speaking out, many women in business today still haven’t learned to speak up.

by Ellen Looyen
Personal Branding and Marketing Strategist

Ellen Looyen

Women Possess Many Strengths That Make Them
Natural Leaders

In fact, when women rely on their natural feminine strengths, they actually possess a superior power to lead, influence, inspire, and stir up meaningful and positive change.
Feminine Strengths include:

• Compassion
• Emotional Sensitivity
• Warmth & Empathy
• Authentic Communication Style

The Power of Charisma

The “feminine” power of charismatic influence should never be discredited...as it’s one of the most effective leadership tools and it’s so often overlooked. The ability to influence and persuade through one’s energetic presence and charismatic communication style, is a much better leadership tactic than trying to lead by authoritative, overly-controlling, forceful and aggressive behaviors.

The German Socialist Max Weber, called “charisma” the third form of authority, after law and tradition; and Webster’s Dictionary states that “charismatic people throughout history have possessed the unique ability to capture the imagination of others and inspire them to be supportive and devoted to a cause.”

Feminine leaders know how to skillfully blend the cognitive, emotional, intuitive, and pragmatic aspects of leadership with self-awareness self-determination and self-mastery. Great female leaders are highly sensitive, regarding the impact they have on others; and they can strike that crucial balance between sensitivity and toughness.

Personal Brand Management is Essential for Today’s Leaders

Personal branding is what you’re known for, what you’re known as and what you’re known for knowing. Your charismatic personal brand lets others know what you stand for and why they should care about what you uniquely have to contribute. And it’s the most effective way to gain more visibility and to promote yourself as a leader within your organization.

Ellen Looyen, America’s Leader in Personal Branding, was one of the first women in Sales at IBM and later at Xerox (where she was a top sales producer and sales trainer). From branding divisions of major corporations (like Chevron and Wells Fargo), to launching countless startups, Ellen now coaches and mentors high-potential women to become influential and powerful leaders. She is the author of Branding with Charisma and is a Brand Commentator on KGO NewsTalk 810 (San Francisco’s #1 Radio Station). She is also the featured branding expert in the best-selling book, Get Clients Now.

Learn more about Ellen’s “Brand New Leadership” trainings at: www.ellen4branding.com

SF Bay Area Woman’s Journal, January 2011