Sirajuddin Aziz
Invariably, perhaps, in the minds of all, regardless of gender, the mere mention of the word ‘Leader’ conjures images of a man who is either tall and charismatic like John F. Kennedy or a stout, diminutive, belly-bulging person like Mao Tse Tung, both of whom are well-read, well-spoken, intelligent, and wise. Rarely does it bring to mind a female. This imagery is rampant despite many men who have attained leadership positions but were actually the opposite of the traits mentioned. It has been, and still continues unabatedly, with few exceptions, a man’s world, hence no female leader naturally comes to mind.
We are a nation of 242 million people, of which, according to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), there is a female population of 117 million or 48.51%, and the remaining 51.4% are males. Yet, their participation in political, economic, and social activities is disproportionate to that of the male gender. The literacy rate for men stands at 72%, while the female population has a literate component of 49.6%. (God and PBS alone know how they have defined “literacy”). This is unpardonable and reflects the state of attitude of the male population. Education is still denied to the lower strata of society and often to the female child.
History has on its pages records of some valiant female leaders. Razia Sultana was the first female ruler in the subcontinent. She remained in command of the Delhi Sultanate from 1236-1240. Initially, the Turkish nobles who facilitated her accession to the throne saw her as only a figurehead, but when she asserted her monarchical authority, they started to conspire. (Readers may be reminded of how the old guards felt in the party when Benazir Bhutto did the same). Both were undone by conspirators, who were men. The regent of Bijapur, 1580-1590 AD, Chand Bibi, the warrior ruler, successfully defended against Akbar’s Mughal army. She was tough and resolute as a ruler.
During the Hundred Years’ War between England and France (1337-1453), we have the staunch Catholic patron saint, Joan of Arc, who successfully defended the French nation with the siege of Orleans when England was attempting to conquer France. She valiantly and ably led the army to victory.
Looking at contemporary history, there have been several women who assumed positions of power and successfully met the expectations of the job and the era. Margaret Thatcher in the world of politics earned the nickname “Iron Lady”. Other women politicians who wielded power include Golda Meir (Israel), Indira Gandhi (India), Bandaranaike (Sri Lanka), and our own Benazir Bhutto. All these ladies led lives that impacted the destinies of their nations, and they did so with firmness and an iron grip.
The assumption of leadership roles by women in business, commerce, and industry is seen as the ‘shattering of the glass ceiling’. Of the Fortune 500 companies, female CEOs account for 10.49%; the most famous of them is Karen Lynch of CVS Health Care, with revenues exceeding US$358 billion in 2023. Another female CEO from India achieved significant success heading PepsiCo International for well over 12 years.
Women have proven to be bold in decision-making, relationship management, change management, and setting challenging goals. Essentially, they are hard taskmasters. A Fortune 500 research study concluded that companies with female CEOs achieve greater success in terms of innovation, and gender-diverse teams led by women produced 20% more than average teams led by men.
Women have the ability to break down complex cobwebs into small bits and excel in managing through empathy, awareness, and a sense of openness to introspection. They remain as responsible as any man would be; they willingly move into the Sahara zone of challenges, have courage and faith, and are extremely adept at conquering fears of the known and unknown. To top it all, they are mostly respectful towards colleagues. The use of foul language is restricted to far and few.
Most women are invariably strong-willed. They are resolute and firm. However, this self-imposed steadfastness can harbour deep-seated likes and dislikes. They have the potential to be as ruthless as any cruel man. Some have Miss Havisham’s instincts to tease from a position of power. But generally, their emotional management and base are always firmly in control. An average woman demonstrates greater emotional stability and maturity than an average man. The common weakness of humans to lend ears to whisperers affects them equally.
Despite emancipation over the last 100 years or more, women remain under-represented in leadership positions across various segments, from business to politics, by a wide margin. They continue to be, more so in our context, recipients of minor aggression and reprehensible behaviour by men.
The writer is a Senior Banker & Freelance Columnist.
