3 management styles that beat out aggressive leadership, and how to master them

Assertiveness, dominance, competition, risk-taking: these are the hallmarks of traditional leadership models, and they’re overwhelmingly associated with men. From corporate boardrooms to political offices, the archetype of a “strong” leader has been built around commanding voices, hardliner decisions, and lone-wolf thinking.

This framing isn’t just outdated: it’s dangerous.

The traits we’ve long sidelined—compassion, collaboration, long-term thinking, humility—are no longer soft skills. They’re survival skills. And they’re overwhelmingly found in what are often called “feminine” leadership styles. In fact, businesses with gender-diverse executive teams are 25% more likely to outperform financially, and companies led by women CEOs have historically delivered around 223% return on equity over 10 years, versus 130% for companies led by men. Alternatively, Gallup research indicates that employee performance can drop by up to 30% under authoritarian or top-down management. 

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