If we look at the reflection of leadership in professional and social activities, women often give men the initiative. Despite the fact that the twentieth century and the beginning of the twenty first century gave the world quite a large number of women politicians world-wide (Margaret Thatcher, Angela Merkel, Golda Meir, Indira Gandhi and others), women's leadership in politics had not yet become a commonplace to society.
And it is not that a woman wants to become a leader, but the fact that some of the problems of society a woman can decide better: problems of motherhood, childhood, and social development, migration. It is important to note that women and men do not need to compete but to become allies. Then there will be no gender policy, and will be solely a question of professionalism in the management areas, the decisive issues of the country. Unfortunately, the media doesn’t pay enough attention to the achievements of female leaders.
On the one hand, a female politician, as a result, can face with some certain gender stereotypes in society, but, on the other hand, domination as a leadership style is no longer considered to be the best option, women have already shown a new tendency in successful leadership: helping the world to understand and follow the values that really matter . . . (Lowen “Qualities of Women Leaders”).
The majority of media (mostly eastern), did not recognize women as an independent unit for a long time, not only in politics but also in the ability to own and dispose property. In the USA in the twentieth century, thanks to a wave of feminism and the struggle for women's rights there was a “breakthrough”. Following the USA “fashion” spread to other countries, however, the adamant East remained unchanged, relief was gained only by women from the higher strata of society, the so-called castes. The Eastern newspapers and magazines still have no track of women’s success as leaders. . . . (Salhi 103).
One of the most important and rapidly developing areas of research related to the gender are the stories about differences between the leaders - men and women, the characteristics of male and female leadership. The differences between women and men in leadership opportunities exist, but they are not a factor, which completely covers the possibility for a woman to lead, it only confirms the need to search for the women of the behaviours that, on the one hand, disrupt the sex-role stereotypes, and on the other hand, ensures success. In this case, women's leadership requires more effort compared to men. . . .(Russo “Difference Between Male and Female Leadership”).
The generalization of the results of numerous studies showed that a number of gender differences exist objectively. So, a male as a child shows considerably more independence than a female, which is characterized by greater interdependence. Men are more assertive, are dominant and have a little more self-esteem than women who, in turn, are “superior to men extraversion indicators, empathy, anxiety, credulity, and especially in their ability to care for or educate others” (Lowen “Qualities of Women Leaders”).
I think that the problem of the advancement of women as leaders will not be solved without a wide media coverage about their success and gender education, loosening patriarchal gender stereotypes. “The underrepresentation of women in the news industry itself and decision-making positions therein partially contributes to distorted and biased coverage” (“Media Coverage of Women Candidates”). The rapid and frequent success of women leaders should be taken into consideration and covered by media in order to support and push women all over the world to take chances and believe in themselves, since women are as good leaders as men.
Works Cited
Lowen, Linda. Qualities of Women Leaders. Women Issues. 16 Oct, 2015. http://womensissues.about.com/od/intheworkplace/a/WomenLeaders.htm
Russo, Rachel. Difference Between Male and Female Leadership. Ehow. http://ehow.com/about_5445316_difference-between-male-female-leadership.htm
Salhi, Zahia Smail. Gender and Diversity in the Middle East and North Africa. Oxon: Routledge, 2010. Print.
Media Coverage of Women Candidates. Political Party. https://www.politicalparity.org/research-inventory/media-coverage-of-women-candidates/
