I know the phrase “divine feminine leadership” might make you want to close this tab right now. It sounds like something from a wellness retreat (which, for the record, I love), not a business strategy discussion. But before you click away, let me explain why these principles could be exactly what’s missing in how we think about power and influence today.
The recent presidential election starkly illuminates our complicated relationship with authority and control. Look at how we run most organizations: it’s all about hierarchy, competition, and individual achievement. While these qualities aren’t inherently “masculine,” our culture has historically coded them that way. And despite mounting evidence that this approach isn’t working, many cling to what feels familiar.
The real question goes deeper than who sits at the top – it’s about how we wield power itself. When I look at the state of our workplaces today – the burnout, the environmental cost, the disconnect between decision-makers and everyone else – I can’t help but think we need a different approach. So let me share what I believe we’re missing.
Divine feminine energy in leadership embraces qualities that have been traditionally undervalued in business:
- Intuitive Wisdom: Moving beyond pure data and metrics to trust the deep knowing that comes from experience and inner guidance. It’s about recognizing that not all valuable insights can be captured in a spreadsheet.
- Circular Power: Replacing rigid hierarchies with more collaborative structures where power flows in service of the collective good rather than individual gain.
- Heart-Centered Decision Making: Considering the human impact of business decisions rather than focusing solely on profit margins.
Regenerative Growth: Moving away from extractive, burn-it-all-down approaches to more sustainable models that prioritize long-term wellbeing over short-term gains.
Study after study shows these aren’t just feel-good concepts. Organizations with emotionally intelligent, empathetic leaders outperform their peers. Companies that create psychological safety and prioritize collective wellbeing see more innovation and keep their talent longer.
When we dismiss these traditionally feminine qualities as “soft” or secondary, we rob our organizations of crucial capabilities. Intuition paired with analytics makes for sharper decisions. Collaborative structures unlock collective intelligence. Heart-centered approaches foster the trust needed for innovation. Regenerative thinking builds sustainable success.
This isn’t about replacing traditionally masculine qualities – we need vision, decisiveness, and strategic thinking. But imagine what’s possible when we balance both energies: spaces where efficiency and empathy flourish together, where strategic focus coexists with genuine care for people and planet.
I know this shift takes courage, especially for those of us trained in traditional business environments. It means trusting what we can’t always measure, sharing rather than hoarding power, and valuing being as much as doing. But these qualities aren’t foreign to us – they’re part of our natural birthright as human beings. We’ve just been conditioned to suppress them at work.
The challenges we face today demand a new approach. We need ways of working that value both productivity and presence, achievement and alignment, results and relationships. The divine feminine offers a path to heal the disconnect between how we work and who we are as human beings.
Recent events reveal how deeply entrenched our old models remain. But they also show just how much we need change. The question isn’t whether we’re ready for different kinds of leaders – it’s whether we’re brave enough to embrace a more complete vision of what power can be.