I loved coming across this article titled, “Centered Leadership: How Talented Women Thrive” in the McKinsey Quarterly. The article presents a model for leadership that is specially designed with women in mind, and it reminded me of a story in my own life.
Years ago when I was in the market for a road bike, I heard about cycles that were specially designed for women. I went to several New York stores and was told that they were a marketing gimmick by salesman after salesman. At one store, the salesman was particularly critical and made me feel quite stupid.
I eventually came across a modest, cool guy at Gotham Bikes near Canal Street and he sold me my Trek model for women. I loved it. Really loved it. It fit me like a glove. In fact, several months later I was on a day trip with the New York Cycle Club. During a break one of the other riders commented on it, saying, “That bike fits you like a glove.” I couldn’t place him at first, but after a minute or two I realized that it was the salesman who’d made me feel so stupid!
This article spoke to me in the same way. Becoming a leader as a woman takes many of the same tools as it does for men. However, there are subtle ways in which the tools are different, the process is different, or the barriers to seeing and using the tools are different for women. Thank you to those who are doing the hard micro research to figure it out.