Course Content
CHAPTER 1: Discovering the power and potential of women as leaders
💡 Guiding Questions: ● How does women’s leadership affect history and our everyday lives? ● What are the most commonly recognized leadership styles? ● How do different personal traits and competencies contribute to leadership types?
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CHAPTER 2: Discovering the Power and Potential of Women as Leaders
💡 Guiding Questions: ● Why does self-assessment matter? ● What tools can you use to discover your strengths? ● How do values contribute to the leadership type best suited to your potential?
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CHAPTER 3: Development planning and goal achievement
💡 Guiding Questions: ● How to set clear goals? ● What tools can you use to stay on your development path? ● How to overcome the most common obstacles?
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The Power Within: Discover your strengths and inner potential as a leader

Effective leadership is rooted in a blend of innate traits and learned competencies. This journey often includes navigating societal expectations, overcoming internalized limitations, and drawing upon a rich, often underappreciated, inner reservoir of power. In this section, we examine the core characteristics and competencies that empower women to lead effectively within each leadership style discussed in Part 2.

Leadership Styles – Key Characteristics and Core Competencies

Leadership Type

Key Characteristics

Core Competencies

Autocratic Leadership

 Decisiveness: The ability to make firm decisions quickly.
 Confidence: A strong belief in one’s own judgment and vision.
 Resilience: The mental toughness to handle criticism and pressure.

Strategic planning
Crisis management
Assertive communication

Democratic Leadership

 Empathy: Understanding and valuing diverse perspectives.
 Openness: Willingness to consider alternatives and feedback.
 Inclusiveness: A commitment to shared ownership and participation.

Facilitation and negotiation
Conflict resolution
Collaborative decision-making

Transformational Leadership

 Vision: The capacity to articulate and inspire toward a better future.
 Authenticity: Leading with integrity and personal values.
 Inspiration: Motivating others through passion and purpose.

Change management
Mentorship and coaching
Emotional intelligence

Transactional Leadership

 Clarity: Strong focus on structure, roles, and outcomes.
 Accountability: Holding oneself and others to defined standards.
 Efficiency: Emphasis on timely and goal-driven processes.

Performance monitoring
Results-based leadership
Organizational skills

Servant Leadership

 Compassion: Genuine concern for the well-being of others.
 Humility: A focus on team success over personal recognition.
 Trustworthiness: Leading with integrity and transparency.

Active listening
Empowerment
Team development

Laissez-Faire Leadership

 Trust: Confidence in the abilities and independence of others.
 Autonomy: A non-controlling attitude that values freedom.
 Patience: Willingness to allow organic development and growth.

Delegation
Strategic oversight
Self-management

 

👉 You already know what characteristics and competencies are typical for each leadership style. With this knowledge, you can reflect on your own unique leadership potential and think about how to develop an authentic style that resonates with your values and strengths. Mainly because it is most important to stay true to yourself! The next parts of this Chapter will help you assess your strengths using self-reflection tools. As a warm-up, use your imagination and creativity to complete the task below: The Leadership Archetype Quest.