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What Drives and Sustains Successful Female Leaders? McKinsey and Co. management consultants found after interviewing 85 women around the world that five broad and interrelated dimensions are key. In The McKinsey Quarterly, consultants Joanna Barsh, Susie Cranston and Rebecca Craske present their Centred Leadership model:

1. Meaning
   
   You must find your own strengths and put them to work in the service of an inspiring purpose. Meaning enables people to push themselves to the limit. If you find and stick with your strengths in a job, you'll be happier and more productive.
   
   
2. Managing Energy
   
   You need to know where your energy comes from, where it goes, and what you can do to manage it. Today's executives work long hours, and many women come home to a "second shift" managing household tasks. "We've found that work-life balance is a myth - so the only hope women have is to balance their energy flows," the consultants observe.
   
   "This means basing your priorities on the activities that energize you, both at work and at home, and actively managing your resources to avoid dipping into reserves." Identify the conditions and situations that replenish your energy, and space out your energy - sapping tasks through the day instead of bundling them all into a single morning or afternoon.
   
   
3. Positive Framing
   
   You must adopt a more constructive way to view your world, expand your horizons, and gain the resilience to move ahead even when bad things happen. That doesn't mean being unrealistic.
   
   Optimists, research shows, are not afraid to frame the world as it is, because they are confident they can manage its challenges and lead their team to action. The key is self-awareness. If a meeting goes badly, for example, limit your thoughts to the temporary and specific impact, keep your thoughts impersonal, and move on.
   
   
4. Connecting
   
   You must identify who can help you grow, build stronger relationships, and increase your sense of belonging. People with strong networks and good mentors enjoy more promotions, higher pay, and greater career satisfaction. They feel a sense of belonging, which makes their lives more meaningful.
   
   "The leaders we interviewed also talked about the importance of having individual relationships with senior colleagues willing to go beyond the role of mentor - someone willing to stick out his or her own neck to create opportunity for, or help, a protégé," the consultants say. Since women who promote their interests vigorously are seen as aggressive, unco-operative and selfish, such sponsors are vital for female leaders to get ahead.
   
   Engaging
   
   You must find your own voice, becoming self-reliant and confident by accepting opportunities and the inherent risks they bring, as well as collaborating with others. Hard luck won't necessarily bring its own rewards so women must create their own luck, taking ownership of opportunities.
   
   It starts by finding your voice - making sure after you learn enough about issues and situations that you also speak out. The women interviewed for the study also accept risk as part of opportunity, and are willing to take sharp career detours when necessary.

Reference: Harvey Schachter - The Globe and Mail

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