There has been a lot of talk recently about leadership, power, and diplomacy. When the world analysed the heated exchange between Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US President Donald Trump, I stayed silent. I watched, read other people’s thoughts and opinions and reflected, taking time to structure my thoughts. Today, on International Women’s Day, I want to share a perspective that has been taking shape for me; a perspective on leadership that is not just about strength and power in the traditional sense, but about something deeper, something often overlooked: the power of the feminine in leadership.
In this photo, showing four generations of women in my family, are my mother, my late grandmother, and my daughter, each strong women in their own way. My late grandmother was born nearly a century ago, in a time when leadership for women was rarely acknowledged. My daughter, on the other hand, has just entered the workforce, stepping into a world where leadership is evolving, yet still deeply influenced by traditional, often male-coded ideas of power. What kind of leadership will she encounter? And is there something we can learn when we turn our attention to a different kind of strength… the kind associated with Venus rather than Mars?
Research shows that at the current rate of progress, it will take until 2158, roughly FIVE generations from now, to reach full gender parity, according to data from the World Economic Forum (source: IWD website). This forces us to ask: What kind of leadership culture are we passing down? If leadership continues to reward Mars-driven qualities over Venusian ones, how much longer will it take for balance to emerge? What legacy are we leaving for the generations of women and men who will lead after us?
Venus & Mars: Rethinking Strength in Leadership
For centuries, leadership has been shaped by Mars, the Roman god of war, representing force, competition and control. We have been conditioned to see strength as the power to dominate, to act quickly and decisively, and to take up space with authority. This model has defined much of the political and business world—rewarding at worst aggression, the loudest voice in the room, and at best productivity, speed, and drive.
But leadership is not only about Mars. It is also about Venus, the Roman goddess of connection, wisdom, and collaboration. Where Mars pushes forward, Venus listens. Where Mars divides, Venus unites. Where Mars dominates, Venus nurtures.
The best leaders do not operate purely from Mars or from Venus. Instead, they integrate both. They act with decisiveness and wisdom, ambition and emotional intelligence, courage and care. Strength does not have to be forceful; it can also be found in the ability to build, to include, to uplift.
The most effective and enduring leaders, regardless of gender, are those who balance both. Leaders who act with clarity and conviction but also listen deeply and lead with empathy.
The Call for a New Leadership Model
As my daughter begins her career as a young woman in her first job, I wonder what kind of leadership she will experience. Will she be expected to conform to a world where power is defined by dominance? Or will she encounter leaders who recognize the value of collaboration, wisdom, and care as essential components of strength?
International Women’s Day is a moment to reflect, but also to look forward. We cannot dismantle outdated ideas of power unless we actively redefine leadership. True strength is not about being the loudest, the most aggressive, or the most tough. True strength is knowing when to stand firm and when to soften, when to act and when to listen, when to fight and when to build.
The world does not need more leaders who lead like warriors. It needs more leaders who lead like builders, connectors, and visionaries, those who recognise that being caring is not a weakness but the very foundation of sustainable power. Together, let’s accelerate change—not just in who leads, but in how we lead—embracing the strength of both wisdom and action to speed up progress worldwide and #accelerateaction for a more balanced future of leadership.
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