Navigating leadership is critical during these times. There is a fundamental change in what a
leader should be and how they lead. The leadership plenary should focus on leading in a VUCA world
and intuitive leadership highlighting core leadership that leaders can bring to the table.
For decades, leadership was defined by masculine traits such as strong, assertive, courageous,
etc., with little or no attention paid to the softer skills. The last few months put to test, the
age-old leadership styles; the COVID-19 pandemic drew more attention to the effectiveness of
empathic and authentic leadership. Leaders especially Female leaders have been praised for
demonstrating care, empathy and a collaborative approach to handling the pandemic. In the same
vein, a Goldman Sachs analysis showed that all-women and mixed-gender US fund teams outperformed
all-male portfolio management teams in 2020. Perhaps, there is a new style of leadership? The
style which innately involves empathy and collaboration rather than aggression and domination.
This plenary session aims to help professionals inculcate the intuitive leadership culture, where
“femininity” and power complement.