Life is rich and complex. Business leaders, whether emerging or seasoned, tend to get bogged down by the daily demands on their time. With life moving so quickly, it’s easy to lose focus on what’s most important to you or your company. Whether you are an executive, a self-employed entrepreneur, or a top sales executive – regardless of your gender, focus is a key trait that everyone needs to be productive.
Focus is a trait that was traditionally considered to be a masculine trait. Men tend to focus by implementing hard-driving, “Type A” behaviors of control and domination – whereas women bring completely different elements to the table to get things done.
According to a book I read recently, The Athena Doctrine – How Women (And the Men Who Think Like Them) Will Rule the Future – by John Gerzema & Michael D’Antonio, there are a number of traditional feminine traits, like empathy and nurturing, which will define 21st century leaders. Based on research of 64,000 people worldwide, the authors found that traditional feminine values and leadership styles are more popular than the macho paradigm of the past.
While focus is critical to getting results, I’d recommend picking up a copy of ‘The Athena Doctrine’ to gain a broader understanding of the keys to winning in business and life today. Today’s “winning” goes well beyond a matter of individual focus, and is much more pluralistic. In a nutshell, the best leaders of the sharing economy will not be the focused dictators; rather, but the collaborative facilitators, collecting thoughts and fielding input everywhere.
People are generally frustrated by a world dominated by behaviors that are typically thought of as male: control, competition, aggression and black and white thinking. These behaviors are often cited when talking about world problems: wars, income inequality, reckless risk-taking and scandal. Tomorrow’s modern leader will not only be focused, but will also empower and lift people up to be heard and share the credit, which ultimately builds support for their decision-making. By blending the skills of listening & empathizing with drive & focus, we can all be better equipped to provide products and services that will improve the quality of life for society as a whole.