How Women Leaders Build High-Performance Teams

A key leadership goal is to cultivate a high-performance team. And women bosses are uniquely positioned to support their teams.

However, many women adopting feminine leadership approaches face challenges stemming from gender biases, and these challenges can make upholding leadership positions difficult.

So, what makes team management different for female leaders, and how can they leverage their strengths to excel in senior roles?

How Leadership Dynamics Differ for Female Leaders

The prejudice that many female leaders experience often falls into two categories:

1. First-generation gender biases: society intentionally creates these biases. While the biases may develop now, they were more likely to develop historically.
2. Second-generation gender biases: these biases are more prevalent in the modern workplace. They grow from subtle, unfair treatment of women relative to men.

Both types of bias can affect people of all genders. However, one of the biggest systemic biases that women face is the notion that they are better suited to nuturing roles than leadership roles. [1]

Although it’s less likely that domestic roles will be directly prescribed today, the prejudice still lingers in second-generation gender biases. By extension, women may go unrecognized for their contributions and be disregarded for promotion opportunities.

Because of this, more men are appointed to high-paying leadership roles, perpetuating a hiring bias where many female leaders are unable to break the glass ceiling.

Gender Biases That Leave Women Undervalued

Women with feminine leadership styles often bring distinct skills such as collaboration, empathy and creativity to their teams. However, peers may use virtually any trait, feminine or otherwise, to query a woman’s competence and leadership suitability.

One study lists the top 30 characteristics that cause a woman to be undervalued or judged unfairly. These range from body size and marital status to personality traits and physical ability. [2]

Perceptions of Male vs. Female Leaders

In a TEDx talk, organizational consultant Dr Shawn Andrews highlights the general perceptions that if you are an empathetic female leader, you can’t also be analytical; and that if you are supportive, you can’t also make logical decisions. [3]

Society has placed terms like “empathy” and “analysis” at opposite ends of the spectrum. But these concepts are not opposites. They can coincide – and when they do, they are often signs of an effective leader.

When traits like these coexist, the leader likely exhibits feminine and masculine traits. Although those who express both are generally more-rounded leaders, society pressures them to conform to gendered expectations.

For example, male leaders face pressure to be strong and confident, never vulnerable. Female leadersface pressure to show emotional intelligence and be collaborative, never dominant.

Given the gender biases often at play, often, neither male nor female leaders feel that they can be their authentic selves.

Because of this, Dr Andrews encourages leaders to:

• challenge personal biases, holding yourself accountable for your learning.
• be intentional with your language and behaviors and call out bias when you see it.
• drop preconceived notions as you listen with the intent to learn who others really are.

When we take these steps, we can change how we envision leaders and redefine what leadership should look like.

As Dr Andrews explains, "If we eliminate gender biases, companies worldwide should see improved performance, job satisfaction, and employee engagement. Not to mention better representation, equity and belonging."

Practical Team Building Strategies for Female Leaders

Social scientists consider psychological safety and shared thinking to be basic needs to be at our best in all aspects of life. [4] As such, this sense of safety is key for high-performing teams to operate at their most productive and innovative.

Psychological safety refers to a dynamic in which colleagues feel able to speak up and take action without being embarrassed, rejected or punished.

Shared thinking refers to the attuned interpretation and communication of issues. In a high-performing team, there should be harmony over how colleagues define and think about challenges.

Women in leadership can foster psychological safety and shared thinking in a team by:

• hosting brainstorming sessions and team-building workshops designed to build cohesion and trust. The focus should be on the relationships strengthened, not the output generated.
• examining cultural and gender barriers that may exist within the team or come from senior leadership. With a clear understanding of these barriers, it will be easier to identify how to overcome them – perhaps through education or direct conversations.
• immersing yourself in the team instead of positioning yourself above it. You can do this by showing gratitude to team members, openly apologizing for mistakes, and asking for thoughts from those who are knowledgeable in a specific area.
• encouraging curiosity and inviting team members to say how they really feel. When you meet truth with compassion, colleagues are more likely to feel safe in their communication and are less likely to repress their emotions.
• embracing productive conflict. Open discussions may lead to debate, but this can be healthy, especially in the long run. It can be helpful to set expectations around honest conversations, with a policy on how to communicate.

Ingredients for a High-Performing, Women-Led Team

Research uncovered five interdependent characteristics that separate a mediocre team from a high-performing team. [5] They are:

1. A meaningful common purpose.

2. Specific performance goals.

3. Complementary skills.

4. Strong team commitment.

5. Mutual accountability.

Reframing Obstacles as Opportunities

Psychologists describe female leaders’ career journeys as winding through a “labyrinth.” The path to leadership is often difficult, but it is possible. [6]

And while leadership may look different for women than men, we can reframe obstacles as opportunities.

If you are criticized for your natural strengths – from humility and patience to active listening – flip the script and explain why these authentic characteristics support your colleagues.

Trust that you have the know-how to develop an exceptional team of individuals who create lasting impact. There shouldn’t be any pressure to conform to traditional leadership molds.

Especially when studies show that women in leadership are improving team collaboration, creating fairer treatment in organizations, and mitigating deep-rooted stereotypes. [7]

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How do women-led teams perform compared to others?

Women-led teams excel in collaboration, inclusivity and innovation. Psychological safety and shared thinking – key to high performance – are naturally fostered by feminine leadership traits.

What is psychological safety, and why is it important?

Psychological safety ensures employees feel safe to speak up and take risks without fear of judgment. It leads to higher engagement, better decision making, and improved team performance.

Why are women leaders often judged unfairly?

Gender biases label women as either too emotional or too cold. These double standards hinder recognition and promotions, making it harder for women to advance in leadership roles.

How can female leaders overcome workplace bias?

By confidently owning their strengths, fostering inclusive cultures, and challenging stereotypes, women can redefine leadership and prove that diverse teams drive success.