What Makes A Woman Powerful?

Self-Discovery Thought Leader: Joan Senio

Over the last few decades, the power of women, as a group, has dramatically increased.

We are now more powerful at home, in the office, and in the community than we were a few short decades ago. A multitude of discrete events, accomplishments, and battles won have led us to where we are today. The individual achievements of specific women have produced a collective impact much greater than the sum of its parts. We owe these women, and those who will follow us, a commitment to continue the effort. 

“We women have the power to increase our influence, significantly.”

As our influence strengthens, and we continue to effect change, all women, and all the people they touch, benefit. We are each unique, and our lives can be impactful in a wide variety of ways. The common driver that can connect us all is a drive to increase our collective power. We women have the power to increase our influence, significantly. 

To impact markets, politics, communities, industries, economics, healthcare, everything, more decisively – world-wide. To be clear on how we can best leverage our worth and influence, let’s explore a basic, but complex question.

What Makes A Woman Powerful? Leadership:

There are a range of attributes that contribute to a woman’s ability to make a lasting impact. So, let’s get into it. What makes a woman powerful? Leadership.

One common characteristic of powerful women is that they are leaders. Whether it be at home, on the job, or in the community: powerful women lead others. They possess the ability to inspire and motivate, helping to bring others together to work towards a common goal. Powerful women understand the importance of collaboration and encourage diverse perspectives, fostering an inclusive environment. 

Leading by example, powerful women also empower those around them to reach their full potential. According to Forbes, there are eight traits that powerful female leaders possess. 

8 Traits Possessed By Powerful Women:

1. Strength – Powerful women have the strength to take risks, learn from failure, deal with comments, insults or stereotypes, and the courage to fight for what they believe in and to never give up.
2. Resilience – Powerful women can adapt to change, remain optimistic in the face of adversity, and recover from setbacks quickly. 
3. Vision – Powerful women have a clear vision of their life and/or professional goals and a strategic plan to achieve them.
4. Authenticity – Powerful women are not afraid to be themselves and are genuine in their communication and actions.
5. Empathy – Powerful women are empathetic leaders and they connect well with friends, family, and colleagues, respecting and understanding a wide range of perspectives.
6. Decisiveness – Powerful women can make tough decisions and take quick action, even in the face of high pressure or uncertainty.
7. Communicative – Powerful women are effective communicators, and they inspire and motivate their families, friends, and colleagues.
8. Humility – Powerful women acknowledge their limitations, learn from failures, and value the contributions of others around them.

“Women of all ages can be powerful.”

Future Leadership Potential:

Women of all ages can be powerful. Often, we can recognize future leadership potential from any early age based on how girls behave, interact, and serve. Gradually, these leadership traits and power in girls and young women is becoming more and more recognized. 

Unfortunately, however, the power and value of older women is at times still quite underestimated and overlooked. What makes a woman powerful? Many things. 

And in fact, women over 50 can be the most powerful of all. Because older women bring more to the table than many of their younger counterparts. This is because in addition to all the attributes described above, older women have several qualities and gifts that can only come with time.

What makes a woman over 50 especially powerful? Experience.

We women over 50 have often spent decades honing our skills and expertise – whether we have done so as parents, in professional careers, or in the communities we live in. Whatever our life path, recognizing our own experience and sharing it effectively with others helps elevate their game, and ours, too. We each bring valuable insights, problem-solving abilities, and a deep understanding of the nuances of our own life experiences. 

Challenges With Higher Confidence:

Our wealth of knowledge allows us to navigate challenges with higher confidence, make informed decisions, and offer strategic guidance to our friends, colleagues, and family.

We women over 50 possess a wealth of experience, both personally and professionally, which positions us to be powerful advocates, too. We have encountered many challenges and triumphs throughout our lives, that have helped us develop a deeper understanding of systemic issues, too. Drawing upon our experience, we are better able to bring attention to important causes and advocate for meaningful change.

What Makes a Woman Powerful? Wisdom And Emotional Intelligence:

We women over 50 also often demonstrate a high level of emotional intelligence. We have had ample time to develop self-awareness, empathy, and the ability to understand and connect with others on a deeper level. This wisdom allows us to foster positive cultures, in our families, in our communities and in our workplaces; to build strong relationships, and effectively mentor and develop others.

“Powerful women listen actively, offer support, and provide guidance when needed.”

Powerful women over 50 often exhibit strengthened empathy, as well.

Understanding the emotions and experiences of others allows powerful women to connect on a deeper level. Powerful women listen actively, offer support, and provide guidance when needed. By fostering meaningful relationships and demonstrating empathy, we create a positive and nurturing environment where everyone is more likely to thrive.

What Makes a Woman Powerful? Mentorship And Empowerment:

Another notable way women over 50 demonstrate leadership and power is through mentorship and empowerment of others. With our wealth of experience and knowledge, we are in a unique position to guide and inspire younger women. Powerful women willingly offer guidance, support, and wisdom to the next generation of mothers, professionals, leaders. By investing in the development of others, powerful women contribute to building stronger and more inclusive communities and organizations, too.

Women over 50 are often natural mentors, as our empathy helps us to better understand the needs and aspirations of those we guide. Many of us excel at offering constructive feedback, guidance, and support to help others grow personally and professionally. By sharing our wisdom and experiences, we are especially effective at empowering others to reach their full potential and succeed.

Put another way, powerful women recognize the value in lifting others up and nurturing the next generation. By sharing our knowledge, experiences, and networks, we powerful women over 50 can advocate for the success and advancement of younger women, encouraging them to use their voices and become advocates in their own right.

“Contrary to stereotypes, women over 50 are incredibly innovative and adaptable.”

Innovation, Adaptability And Conflict Resolution:

Contrary to stereotypes, women over 50 are incredibly innovative and adaptable. We can bring fresh perspectives, challenge the status quo, and provide creative solutions to complex problems.

Furthermore, when we demonstrate our ability to navigate technological advancements and embrace change, we set a positive example for others in this ever-evolving world. One of the areas where powerful women over 50 demonstrate their ability to innovate and adapt is conflict resolution. Conflict is an inevitable part of any relationship or workplace, and we women over 50 are often well-skilled at navigating and resolving conflicts as a result of our experience and emotional intelligence. Why? Because powerful women over 50 have honed a set of strengths and skills.

We are often much more adept at staying calm, listening actively, and validating emotions than our younger counterparts. All these qualities mean we can be more adept at finding common ground and proposing mutually beneficial solutions to our friends, partners, and teammates. Our ability to listen also tends to help create an environment where others feel heard and valued, resulting in stronger and more productive relationships.

Advocacy and Impact:

Powerful women understand the importance of using their collective influence for the greater good. Whether it’s advocating for gender equality, social justice, or environmental issues, we leverage our power to make an impact. We work together to raise awareness, challenge the status quo, and work towards a more equitable and sustainable future. 

“These qualities enable all powerful women to make a significant difference in various aspects of life.”

Our actions inspire others to join the cause and make a difference. Women over 50 possess incredible power as advocates, using their experiences, influence, and wisdom to drive meaningful change. What makes a woman powerful? There are many characteristics that make a woman powerful. Some of the most significant include her ability to lead, be resilient, empathize, share knowledge, mentor, and help resolve conflicts. These qualities enable all powerful women to make a significant difference in various aspects of life.

A Life Well-Lived:

Women over 50 bring another form of power to the table, the type of power that only comes from a life well-lived. Their particular flavor of power is informed by experience, wisdom, perspective, and lessons learned.

As we embrace our own power as women over 50, let us recognize and support the continued efforts of powerful women of all ages as we, together, shape a better world for all.

Additional resources can be found in the Author’s bio below.

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