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5 Women Leaders Who Are Changing the World
By Dr. Paul L. Gerhardt, PhD
In our current age of progress and development, all over the world, women are claiming their own rights. People both renowned and ordinary have been taking a stand for feminism, for equal rights for women in the workplace, for more women to be seen in the tech industry, and of course for sexism to be abolished. The 5 women leaders mentioned in today’s article have broken across all of society’s stereotypes and now lead the path of empowerment for women in the future.
Mary Barra
At the top of our list is the currently leading lady of business, the CEO of General Motors, Mary Barra. Her leadership has led her to beat Tesla’s infamous Model 3 by introducing Chevrolet Bolt EV which had a longer lasting battery than Tesla. Barra is working towards a driverless future and has bought tech startup Cruise Automation for that very purpose. Her decisiveness and confidence in making the right decisions, has led her to become the most influential business women of our age.
Sheryl Sandberg
Women are roaring in the tech industry as well. The world today is past the stage where the mere thought of a female handling electronics is absurd – take for instance the case of Miss Sheryl Sandberg, the COO of Facebook and CEO of leanin.org. Sandberg is an outspoken activist, executive and also the author of reputed books like “Lean In: Women, Work and the Will to Lead”. Sheryl was the force behind making Facebook profitable; as a result of her work, she became the first woman on the board of Director’s of Facebook. Sheryl is the role model for women in technology worldwide.
Sheikh Hasina Wajed
Sheikh Hasina is currently ninth on the list of the ten most powerful women in politics today. Under her leadership, the country of Bangladesh is now a role model for developing countries, especially in the region of women empowerment, healthcare and sanitation. The enrollment rate for primary schools has leaped drastically from 80% (2000) to 98% (2015). Women in all sorts of sectors are employed in big positions, not to mention the fact that both the PM and opposition leaders are currently women. Sheikh Hessian’s leadership is gradually changing the face of her nation.
Oprah Winfrey
She needs no introduction. Oprah Winfrey, actress, talk show host, producer, philanthrophist, is undoubtedly the most remarkable woman the world has seen till date. She is renowned for hosting “The Oprah Winfrey Show”, and later on for starring in the movie “The Color Purple”. Winfrey had overcome a difficult childhood on her road to success. Winfrey’s net worth currently stands at 2.9 billion USD. Her struggles and success are still inspiring billions of people today. Many people, (myself included) would love to see her run for president of the United States, as she appears to be a straight shooter, and appears to truly care about people of all walks of life.
Theresa May
The current Prime Minister of the UK, Theresa May makes an unexpected entrance into this list. During Britain’s dire time of need (aka Brexit), Theresa May’s soothing image of calm and dependability was exactly the type of leader the country needed at the time. May’s toughness is what makes her the leader she is today. She is the ideal example of how to lead a country in chaos with serenity and level headedness.
I have always believed that all people should be treated as equals no matter their gender, religion, ethnicity, politics, or preferences. These 5 women are icons in the movement for change. Their achievements today, are paving the way for countless more women to follow. It takes leaders from all walks of life to show us what is possible.
We each create our own successes and failures. Knowing our own personal value and having a clear vision on what we want are keys to success no matter who we are.
Dr. Paul Gerhardt is a tenured professor of management, diversity and leadership lecturer and the author of several publications available on Amazon.com, including Diversity at Work and the new Leadership Handbook. You can get your FREE COPY of the Leadership Handbook by clicking this link: http://bit.ly/LeadershipHandbook
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