Women’s leadership is often judged through a narrow lens that equates effectiveness with traditionally masculine traits such as assertiveness, control, and decisiveness. Yet the scientific article “Feminine-coded traits and behaviors as foundations for effective leadership” by Staniszewska et al. (2026) shows that this view is not only outdated but also incomplete. Based on 35 interviews with senior women leaders in Poland, the authors reveal that qualities culturally coded as feminine, especially care, empathy, and relational awareness, are not weaknesses but essential components of effective leadership.
The study highlights that many women are acutely aware of the “role incongruity” they face: the perception that feminine traits do not fit leadership expectations. As one interviewee noted, “being an empathetic leader is seen as a sign of weakness” Staniszewska et al. (2026). This awareness is the first step in how women respond to gendered expectations.
The second response is more transformative: women place relationships at the center of their leadership. They actively cultivate trust, emotional openness, and collaboration. One leader explained how understanding emotions helps prevent conflicts and strengthens organizational health: “understanding emotions and addressing them properly is key for the health of the organization” Staniszewska et al. (2026). These practices, often dismissed as “soft skills,” prove to be strategic tools that enhance team cohesion and performance.
Finally, women redefine what leadership looks like. Instead of suppressing feminine-coded behaviors, they embrace them, sometimes even using appearance or maternal experience as expressions of leadership identity. Empathy, care, and authenticity become sources of authority rather than liabilities.
Overall, the article argues that feminine-coded traits are not secondary to leadership but foundational. By mobilizing these traits intentionally, women challenge traditional norms and expand what society recognizes as effective leadership.
Serra Húnter Fellow of Sociology at Universitat Rovira i Virgili.
Former DAAD-Gastprofessorin at Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg