A leader is someone who inspires, motivates, and mentors others to achieve a higher goal. We have to be real: Women in business in a male-dominated industry will require her to do more.

A study done by Calpers found that successful women leaders share the same traits as all great leaders: assertiveness and action-mindedness, risk-taking, and problem-solving ability, and even risk-taking. They must also learn other skills to overcome obstacles at work and home. Women have made it to the top of the U.S. professional ranks, making them more than half the workforce. Yet, women still hold a much smaller percentage of leadership positions across different sectors than men.

The leadership gender gap is still stubbornly high. Experts believe this may be due to unconscious biases that cause people to react differently towards male and female leaders. For example, male ambition is often celebrated. Female ambition can often lead to hostility. Women are expected to be more compassionate and ethical than men and to be better at making compromises.

How can women entrepreneurs achieve success in a world dominated primarily by men? These are the qualities that I found most helpful as an entrepreneur and company founder.

1. Integrity

Integrity – adhering ethically to moral principles and keeping your word is a foundational part of effective leadership. It builds trust between people — from your employees to investors to your customers.

Because people want to be guided by an ethical leader with integrity, they know they will be treated fairly, and their leader will do the best for the company. To create a company culture that is based on these values, it is essential to demonstrate ethical behavior, honesty, and respect from the top.

2. Humility and willingness to learn

Entrepreneurship is a process that takes a lifetime. Smart businesswomen know this. You can be innovative today, but be outdated tomorrow in the business world. Women entrepreneurs who are successful continue to learn and study so they can quickly adapt to the changing trends. They learn from each opportunity and are humble.

3. Perseverance and resilience

Entrepreneurship is difficult for all genders. The challenge of entrepreneurship is even more difficult because of the increased responsibilities that women have and the slower career progress often caused by having children. Despite this, millions of women have built businesses because they are resilient and persevering. Nothing is easy in business. You must put in the effort and persevere to achieve your goals. To grow as a businesswoman, you must persevere.

4. Intuition

Strong intuition is a characteristic of women. Strong female leaders are able to use their intuition to guide their decisions. Their intuition is often what guides them through the ups or downs of business.

Women can also read their teams and spot potential problems. This skill allows them to build loyal and valued teams of employees.

5. Adaptability

It is important to take action, but you must have a good understanding of your customers, industry, and market. Women leaders are open-minded and curious about new ideas.

Adaptability well allows us to see the changes coming for our business, which is particularly important in this age where technology drives high-speed change.

Source: Entrepreneur – https://www.entrepreneur.com/leadership/8-qualities-female-entrepreneurs-need-to-succeed/428136