by MARIFE A. CAŇARES

Women leaders are emerging like mushrooms after the rain and some look down on them because of gender.

In these trying times, we are overwhelmed with the Pandemic caused by Covid-19 and the resulting catastrophe caused worldwide havoc to families, homes, work and economy however, women are seen everywhere exuding a different kind of leadership that left many in awe.

Well, we cannot blame society or the community we live in for having bias against women who are proven effective as leaders in various fields of endeavor. Despite the laws that protect women’s rights, like the Violence Against Women Act (VAWC) under RA 9262, Women in Development and Nation-Building Act (RA 7192 and the Magna Carta of Women (RA 9710), and other related laws, there are still many people who believe that women are the weaker sex, that they cannot easily decide, that they are poor managers, and that women are so emotional and sometimes use their intuition instead of their brain. What an incorrect notion!

These biased people are unaware that women possess the valuable character of leadership like empathy, consistency in decision-making, being focus-minded, good communicators, ability to gain support from subordinates, resiliency during hard times, and above all, honesty in dealing with everyone and at work.

Academically speaking, leadership is defined as the most important function of management and involves directing, influencing and motivating people or subordinates to perform a given task. Who else are more agile to perform this valuable function than women? Not just a simple woman who hides behind her husband or who remains silent in the wayside, we refer to women who are EMPOWERED, BOLD, and even CONFIDENTLY BEAUTIFUL with a heart, says our Filipina Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach.

Women leadership does not focus on gender but on the ability to lead by example, to lead with a heart and to lead with God’s wisdom. That is the kind of leadership that we all need today. One that cares for the welfare of the subordinates while ensuring that the workforce still delivers quality outputs.

A woman who is trained even as a child to value family and integrity is fit to lead even an army and leads with a distinctive style that is closest to home. This we call women leadership with a heart.