Feminine And Masculine Energies In A Leader

Discussing masculine and feminine quality

As leaders (and as humans) we are comprised of many parts. For the purpose of this article I want to talk about the masculine quality - or yang - and the feminine quality  - also known as yin. Importantly, both of these are present within us regardless of gender or sexual orientation. It’s a harmful and confusing generalisation (which I’d like you to put aside at least while reading this) that women in the workplace are mostly feminine, whilst men are masculine.

The masculine principle is active and is all about doing whilst the feminine principle is passive and is about being and receiving. The masculine part is to do with decisiveness, direction, power of logic, and reason, the feminine deals with intuition and emotional intelligence.

One isn’t really useful without the other and each can be applied in different situations in business and in life. For example, the masculine quality is concerned with competition and so useful in all contexts where getting ahead of other players in your market is of essence. The feminine quality is about collaboration and can be applied in situations where coming together as a team (as opposed to competing individuals) is of essence.

Similarly, the masculine within you cares about the power of hierarchy and position. Because of this it’s useful when planning your career and considering your next move. The feminine on the other hand cares more about the power of social networks and connection. Naturally then, it comes into play when it’s important to focus on the interests of the whole - as opposed to the interests of the part - for example when setting team compensation and bonuses.

Traditionally, leaders and organizations lean heavily towards the masculine principle which can be dangerous and harmful in the long run. It could be said that the masculine part is largely responsible for - and concerned with - profitability while the feminine cares about sustainability. The former is focused on shareholder value, the other on stakeholder engagement. This is why it’s of essence to integrate both parts within individuals and organizations and to allow for one to support the other.