Gaia van der Esch - Leading Our Way

Join me today as I talk with Gaia van der Esch about her latest book, “Leading Our Way: How Women Are Re-Defining Leadership.“In our discussion, we delve into the profiles of seven modern women leaders, emphasizing crucial skills like optimism, curiosity, consistency, authenticity, freedom, integrity, and circularity. The book’s emphasis on these specific leadership traits steals the spotlight. “Leading Our Way” transcends gender—it imparts universal lessons, encouraging a collective reconsideration of our approach to leadership.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

[2:27] – Gaia shares how her personal experiences motivated her to recognize and appreciate the unique perspectives that women bring to leadership.
[7:05] – Gaia encourages individuals at all levels within organizations to be catalysts for change, promoting a leadership style aligned with addressing contemporary challenges.
[8:08] – Leading Our Way: How Women Are Re-Defining Leadership profiles seven contemporary women leaders, each representing a specific leadership trait
[8:21] – Optimism—Cristiana Figueres, a stubborn optimist, stresses its role in driving positive change and enduring challenges.
[9:21] – Curiosity—Gitanjali Rao, a STEM innovator, emphasizes curiosity for continuous learning and challenging the status quo.
[10:24] – Consistency—Becky Sauerbrunn, US National Football Team captain, highlights the importance of consistency in pursuing long-term goals.
[11:35] – Authenticity—Dian von Furstenberg underscores authenticity, staying true to personal values, as fundamental in leadership.
[13:35] – Freedom—Tawakol Carman, a leader in the Yemen revolution, links freedom with leadership, advocating for individuality and change.
[14:38] – Integrity—Comfort Ero, CEO of the International Crisis Group, emphasizes honesty and integrity in effective leadership, especially in conflicts.
[15:57] – Circularity—Gloria Steinem introduces circularity as a leadership trait, emphasizing collaboration and inclusivity.
[16:47] – Gaia concludes by introducing empathy as pivotal, urging readers to embrace it as the core of effective leadership.
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