For many women, launching a small to medium-sized business offers an opportunity to redefine the way they lead, moving away from traditional patriarchal models toward a style that aligns with their values. Unlike corporate settings, where rigid hierarchies and established practices are often entrenched, a businesswoman starting her own venture has the freedom to build a culture that prioritizes inclusivity, empathy, and innovation from the ground up.
One of the biggest advantages of small business ownership is the flexibility to design a personalized leadership style. Rather than conforming to a top-down, competitive model, women can establish their own framework, where collaboration and mutual respect are central. They can prioritize values that feel natural and sustainable, such as open communication, shared decision-making, and long-term relationship building. This approach creates a work environment that encourages employees to thrive and feel valued.
Small to medium businesses also allow women leaders to focus on team well-being alongside profit. While many corporate structures often reward revenue and growth at the expense of employees, a small business can integrate work-life balance policies that nurture a happy, productive workforce. From flexible hours to a supportive family-friendly culture, these choices help foster a workplace that respects the individual needs of team members. This compassionate approach to leadership not only improves morale but also reduces turnover, ultimately benefiting business longevity.
Additionally, mentorship and development can be core components of a small business, allowing women to pass on their unique perspectives and help build other leaders. In many large companies, mentorship is overlooked in favor of immediate productivity; however, in a smaller setting, businesswomen can nurture talent and encourage growth, creating a ripple effect of positive change.
Finally, running a business offers a direct way to influence industry practices. As women-owned businesses become more prevalent, they challenge traditional models and offer compelling proof that empathy and collaboration drive success. By taking the lead in designing workplaces that reflect these values, businesswomen are not only achieving personal fulfillment but also paving the way for a broader cultural shift toward balanced, inclusive, and effective leadership.
Change is an inevitable part of any organization’s growth and success. Whether it’s adopting new technology, restructuring teams, or shifting strategies, professionals often lead change initiatives with the goal of improving efficiency, productivity, or innovation. However, one critical aspect is frequently overlooked—the emotional impact change has on individuals.
In the rush to implement change effectively, many professionals focus on the technicalities: updating systems, revising processes, and aligning resources. While these elements are important, they often fail to consider the human element—the fears, uncertainties, and emotional responses that accompany any transition. This oversight can lead to resistance, disengagement, and a lack of support for the change initiative.
The Emotional Impact of Change
Humans are inherently resistant to change, particularly when it’s unexpected or feels imposed. For many, change represents uncertainty, and uncertainty triggers fear. Will the change make their jobs harder? Will they lose their sense of security? Will they be left behind? These are just some of the questions that may arise in people’s minds.
Even well-intentioned and strategically planned changes can be met with resistance if the emotional side is ignored. For example, a new software system may promise to improve productivity, but employees may feel overwhelmed by the learning curve. Similarly, a restructuring effort designed to streamline operations may leave staff members worried about job security, despite no official announcements about layoffs.
This emotional turmoil can manifest in various ways—stress, frustration, disengagement, or even sabotage of the new initiatives. People may go through a psychological cycle similar to the stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, and acceptance. When these feelings aren’t addressed, they can slow down the change process, erode trust in leadership, and ultimately undermine the success of the initiative.
The Mistake: Focusing Solely on the Technical Aspects
One of the most common mistakes professionals make when leading change is overemphasizing the technical side and underestimating the emotional side. When leaders concentrate on the logistical elements—such as timelines, budgets, or new tools—they may assume that people will naturally embrace the change if it’s presented as the best solution.
While these technical factors are important, they aren’t enough on their own. If the emotional responses to change are not addressed, employees may feel alienated, ignored, or unsupported. This can lead to a lack of trust in leadership, decreased morale, and ultimately, failure to achieve the desired outcomes.
Moreover, professionals may inadvertently communicate change in a way that seems top-down or impersonal, rather than fostering a sense of involvement and shared purpose. Without an emphasis on clear, empathetic communication and active listening, employees may feel disconnected from the goals of the change.
How to Avoid This Mistake: Leading Change with Emotional Intelligence
To avoid the mistake of overlooking the emotional side of change, leaders should integrate emotional intelligence into their change management strategies. Emotional intelligence (EQ) is the ability to understand, manage, and influence emotions—both your own and those of others. In the context of change, high EQ can be a game-changer in guiding people through the transition.
Here are some key strategies for addressing the emotional side of change:
1. Communicate Transparently and Frequently
Effective communication is crucial during times of change. Leaders should clearly explain why the change is happening, how it will impact employees, and what the expected outcomes are. This transparency helps alleviate anxiety by removing the uncertainty surrounding the change.
Regular updates and open channels for feedback are also essential. When people feel heard and informed, they’re more likely to trust the process and embrace the change.
2. Acknowledge the Emotional Impact
It’s important to acknowledge that change is emotional. By recognizing the concerns and feelings that employees may have, leaders create a space where people feel understood. Empathy is a powerful tool—it fosters trust and collaboration.
Leaders can also create support systems such as mentoring, coaching, or counseling services to help individuals cope with the emotional challenges of change.
3. Involve Employees in the Process
People are more likely to embrace change when they have a sense of ownership. Involving employees in the planning and implementation stages can ease resistance and create a sense of partnership. When employees are given a chance to voice their opinions and contribute to the change, they are more invested in its success.
4. Provide Training and Support
Offer training sessions, resources, and guidance to help employees navigate the change. This reduces fear by giving individuals the tools they need to succeed in the new environment. The more confident employees feel, the more likely they are to support the change.
Change is challenging, but it’s also an opportunity for growth. Professionals who fail to consider the emotional side of change risk sabotaging their own efforts. By leading with empathy, communicating transparently, and involving employees in the process, professionals can guide their teams through change more effectively. When emotional and technical aspects are balanced, change becomes not just a transition—but a transformation that employees can embrace and thrive within.
In a society that often celebrates individual accomplishments and the idea of “going it alone,” Linda Seger’s concept of Web Thinking challenges us to redefine what success really means. Seger argues that true success isn’t about independence or individual milestones; instead, it’s rooted in interconnectedness and the positive impact we make within a larger system of relationships. This shift in perspective calls into question many of our most cherished beliefs about achievement.
Traditional definitions of success—wealth, status, or personal accolades—tend to focus on individual outcomes. The message is clear: work hard, stand out, and earn recognition. Yet, Seger points out that in our increasingly interconnected world, this individualistic mindset is insufficient for the problems and opportunities we face. Real success, she suggests, can only be understood within a network of relationships, where the ripple effects of our actions create meaningful, collective progress.
Consider the workplace: leaders who focus solely on their own rise up the ranks often fail to foster true, lasting success. But leaders who cultivate team cohesion, share knowledge, and support others’ growth tend to create more resilient, innovative teams. Their success is defined not by personal accolades but by the collective achievements of those they empower. Similarly, entrepreneurs who prioritize community impact or sustainability often contribute to a stronger, more interconnected system that benefits everyone—not just shareholders.
In this light, Web Thinking proposes that our definition of success should shift from “What did I achieve?” to “How did my actions positively affect others?” This perspective applies to everything from relationships to environmental stewardship, emphasizing that interconnectedness—not independence—is key to meaningful achievement.
Seger’s approach encourages us to consider how our personal goals align with the well-being of others and the greater good. By viewing success through an interconnected lens, we foster values like empathy, collaboration, and sustainability. It’s a radical yet inspiring reminder that in a truly connected world, our highest achievements are those that strengthen the web we’re all a part of, making success something we can share, grow, and celebrate together.
An alternative to the traditional corporate patriarchal model, which typically prioritizes hierarchical, profit-centered decision-making, would be the cooperative model or worker-owned cooperative. This model emphasizes shared ownership, egalitarian decision-making, and community-based values rather than centralized authority and top-down governance.
Key aspects of the cooperative model include:
Collective Ownership: Employees, rather than outside shareholders or investors, own the company, and profits are distributed among them. This shifts focus from external profit maximization to employee welfare and collective success.
Democratic Decision-Making: Cooperatives operate on democratic principles, with each member (employee) having an equal vote in major company decisions. This contrasts with traditional models where decisions are often made by a board of directors or upper management.
Social and Environmental Responsibility: Many cooperatives are mission-driven, integrating social and environmental goals alongside financial objectives. This fosters a more holistic approach, often aligned with long-term sustainability and community engagement.
Flat Hierarchies: With reduced hierarchical layers, cooperatives encourage transparency and open communication, often fostering a more collaborative and respectful work environment where employees have greater input and agency.
Examples of Companies Using Alternative Structures
Mondragon Corporation: Based in Spain, Mondragon is one of the largest and most successful cooperatives in the world, with a diverse portfolio of businesses. Employees are both the owners and managers, allowing for collective profit-sharing and community-focused initiatives.
Patagonia’s Benefit Corporation Status: While not a cooperative, Patagonia operates as a benefit corporation (or B Corp), meaning it is legally obligated to consider the impact of its decisions on workers, customers, suppliers, community, and the environment. This legal framework allows the company to prioritize social and environmental impact over short-term shareholder profits.
REI (Recreational Equipment, Inc.): A consumer cooperative in the U.S., REI operates by sharing profits with its members, who are also its customers. This model enhances customer loyalty and aligns the business goals with its members’ interests rather than solely shareholder returns.
These alternative models demonstrate how businesses can thrive by aligning more closely with humanistic and egalitarian principles, building community loyalty, and enhancing sustainability while fostering a less hierarchical, more participatory culture.
n a world where many of us are conditioned to seek simple solutions and direct answers, Linda Seger’s Web Thinking offers a bold critique: linear, cause-and-effect thinking might be holding us back. Traditionally, we’re trained to see problems through a sequence of steps, each action leading to a predictable reaction. While this approach can work for straightforward tasks, it often fails when we face complex, multifaceted issues like climate change, global health, or even personal growth.
Linear thinking, rooted in the idea that we can isolate a problem, apply a solution, and control the outcome, can be limiting when it comes to complex challenges. Such issues aren’t isolated; they’re shaped by a web of interconnected factors, all influencing each other in ways that are difficult to predict. Climate change, for example, isn’t just about emissions—it’s tied to economic policy, cultural attitudes, industry practices, and even individual lifestyle choices. Trying to address it through single-variable solutions, like regulations or technology, without understanding the broader web can lead to unintended consequences or partial solutions that don’t create lasting change.
Seger’s Web Thinking urges us to move away from linear solutions and embrace a mindset that sees the world as an interconnected system. This approach encourages looking beyond immediate causes and understanding how relationships within a system shape outcomes. For instance, in health care, focusing solely on treating symptoms without addressing underlying social and environmental factors may yield temporary relief but rarely leads to comprehensive wellness.
Abandoning linear thinking doesn’t mean rejecting logic or analysis. Instead, it means accepting that complex problems require flexible, multi-layered strategies that adapt to changing circumstances. It’s about recognizing that each solution affects the entire system—and the system, in turn, affects the solution.
Seger’s approach advocates for a more holistic, integrative perspective, one that allows us to create strategies capable of handling complexity. By letting go of linear assumptions, we can find paths forward that are resilient, adaptive, and truly effective in addressing the intricate challenges of our time. It’s a shift that might just be essential for moving forward in a world as interconnected as ours.
The concept of leadership has long been defined by patriarchal systems that prioritize hierarchy, control, and individual authority. These systems often marginalize alternative perspectives and stifle creativity, fostering environments where power dynamics are inequitable and progress is limited. To dismantle the patriarchy, it is essential to embrace collaborative leadership—a model that values shared decision-making, inclusivity, and collective growth.
The Patriarchal Model of Leadership
Traditional leadership models have been shaped by patriarchal ideologies, emphasizing top-down control and competitiveness. These systems often reward assertiveness, dominance, and individual achievement, sidelining voices that don’t conform to these norms. While these methods may yield short-term results, they often alienate team members, stifle innovation, and perpetuate inequality.
In patriarchal systems, power is concentrated in the hands of a few, creating rigid structures that resist change. This approach not only harms marginalized groups—such as women, non-binary individuals, and people of color—but also limits the potential of the entire organization.
What Is Collaborative Leadership?
Collaborative leadership is a transformative approach that shifts focus from individual authority to collective empowerment. It prioritizes cooperation, mutual respect, and the inclusion of diverse perspectives. By fostering environments where all voices are valued, this model encourages innovation, adaptability, and a stronger sense of community.
Key principles of collaborative leadership include:
Shared Decision-Making: Decisions are made collectively, incorporating input from all stakeholders to ensure that outcomes are equitable and well-informed.
Transparent Communication: Open and honest dialogue is encouraged to build trust and facilitate understanding across teams.
Empathy and Emotional Intelligence: Leaders prioritize understanding and addressing the needs and feelings of team members, creating a supportive work culture.
Equity and Inclusion: Collaborative leadership actively seeks to elevate marginalized voices, ensuring that power dynamics are balanced.
Why Collaborative Leadership Is a Tool for Dismantling the Patriarchy
The patriarchy thrives on power imbalances, silencing dissenting voices and perpetuating inequality. Collaborative leadership directly challenges these norms by distributing power and prioritizing equity.
Elevating Marginalized Voices In traditional hierarchies, marginalized individuals often lack access to decision-making spaces. Collaborative leadership ensures that these voices are not only included but amplified, fostering an environment where diverse perspectives shape outcomes.
Challenging Toxic Masculinity The patriarchal model often reinforces toxic masculinity, which values aggression and dominance over compassion and collaboration. By prioritizing empathy and teamwork, collaborative leadership provides an alternative model that benefits everyone.
Fostering Innovation Diverse perspectives lead to better problem-solving and creativity. Collaborative leadership creates a culture where team members feel safe sharing ideas, resulting in more innovative solutions and a stronger organization.
Promoting Accountability In hierarchical systems, accountability often falls disproportionately on subordinates. Collaborative leadership distributes responsibility, ensuring that all members share ownership of successes and failures.
Implementing Collaborative Leadership
Transitioning to collaborative leadership requires a deliberate effort to challenge ingrained norms and practices. Here are steps to begin the transformation:
Educate Leaders: Provide training on collaborative practices, emphasizing emotional intelligence, active listening, and equity-focused decision-making.
Redesign Structures: Shift away from rigid hierarchies by creating flatter organizational structures that encourage participation at all levels.
Foster a Culture of Trust: Build an environment where team members feel safe to express themselves without fear of judgment or retribution.
Measure Impact: Regularly evaluate the effectiveness of collaborative leadership practices, gathering feedback to identify areas for improvement.
Real-World Examples
Collaborative leadership has been successfully implemented in various sectors. For example, tech companies like Google use cross-functional teams to foster innovation and improve decision-making. Non-profits often prioritize participatory leadership, ensuring that community members have a say in shaping programs and policies.
Conclusion
Dismantling the patriarchy requires more than addressing surface-level inequities; it demands a fundamental rethinking of how power is distributed and exercised. Collaborative leadership offers a viable alternative, one that values inclusivity, empathy, and collective growth. By adopting this model, organizations and individuals can create spaces where everyone has the opportunity to thrive, ultimately paving the way for a more equitable and just society.
In rejecting patriarchal norms, we redefine what it means to lead—transforming leadership into a shared journey rather than a solitary pursuit of power.
In many traditions, money is seen as a symbol of masculine energy, representing qualities like structure, assertiveness, and stability. Yet, for some women, this metaphor creates a subtle distance, leading to an estranged relationship with money and, by extension, with masculine energy itself. Shifting this dynamic requires a new understanding of money—not as something to fear, dismiss, or chase, but as an energy to embrace and harmonize within.
Masculine energy is often associated with qualities like drive, clarity, and boundaries, which can sometimes feel at odds with traditionally feminine energies of nurture and flow. For some women, navigating this relationship can feel challenging, particularly if they feel disconnected from those traits in themselves or have learned to associate money with struggle or limitation. This estrangement can impact how they view and handle finances, creating cycles of avoidance or scarcity.
The journey toward financial empowerment starts with reframing money as a supportive force rather than something imposing or elusive. By seeing money as a resource that supports dreams and ambitions, women can begin to tap into its stabilizing and grounding energies without compromising their natural strengths. Money mastery doesn’t have to mean adopting traditionally “masculine” tactics; rather, it’s about harmonizing masculine and feminine perspectives to create a balanced approach to wealth.
One way to shift this perception is to view money as a tool for freedom and creation. Instead of fearing or dismissing its presence, envision money as an enabler of values-driven goals, experiences, and impact. Approaching finances from this mindset transforms it from a stressor to a partner, facilitating empowerment rather than avoidance.
By embracing money as a supportive energy that complements feminine strengths, women can cultivate a more secure and grounded relationship with their finances. This approach allows them to appreciate both masculine and feminine qualities within themselves, fostering a holistic view of wealth and creating the foundation for financial mastery. Through this inner alignment, money becomes less a distant symbol and more a collaborative energy, paving the way for a fulfilling, empowered, and balanced approach to wealth.
In the 1960s, as women’s liberation movements gained momentum, the “Torches of Freedom” campaign by cigarette companies seized a unique cultural opportunity. Originally initiated by public relations pioneer Edward Bernays in 1929, the concept aimed to link cigarette smoking with female independence and empowerment—a bold move, as societal norms previously stigmatized women who smoked. The “Torches of Freedom” label resurfaced in the 1960s, promoting smoking as a symbol of breaking free from traditional gender roles.
The campaign targeted women with images of stylish, independent women confidently smoking, often in settings previously reserved for men. Advertisements featured slogans like “You’ve Come a Long Way, Baby,” aligning with the growing feminist movement.
Cigarettes were rebranded as tools of empowerment, and lighting one up became, for some women, a public declaration of equality and liberation. Brands like Virginia Slims embraced this approach, capitalizing on the idea that women’s newfound freedom was best expressed by adopting male behaviors, like smoking.
However, the long-term impact of this campaign was far from empowering. Smoking rates among women rose significantly, as did lung cancer and other smoking-related illnesses. Decades later, health advocacy groups would fight to undo the damage caused by these targeted ads, as cigarette addiction and its deadly consequences became a major public health crisis.
The “Torches of Freedom” campaign remains a fascinating study in marketing, highlighting the power of advertising to shape social behaviors by tapping into deep-seated cultural desires. The campaign succeeded not only in boosting cigarette sales but also in altering public perceptions of smoking and independence for women. This example is a reminder of how marketing can shape history, blurring the lines between liberation and manipulation. Today, it stands as a cautionary tale of how industries can exploit social movements to drive profits, often at the expense of public health.
In today’s competitive corporate world, many women executives face the unspoken expectation to “fit in” by adopting traditionally masculine approaches to leadership. These patriarchal models often value traits like assertiveness, relentless ambition, and single-minded focus on profit, leaving little room for the qualities that women leaders can naturally bring to the table. However, this constant need to adapt comes at a hidden cost: their health.
The pressure to conform to a patriarchal model often leads executive women to suppress their authentic style and adopt an approach that feels unnatural or uncomfortable. Studies reveal that this tension between personal identity and workplace expectations can lead to increased stress levels, burnout, and even serious health conditions over time. Trying to match a rigid, hierarchical style may result in a cycle of self-doubt and emotional exhaustion, ultimately affecting physical health as well. Conditions like hypertension, chronic fatigue, and anxiety disorders are more prevalent among women in such high-pressure roles.
Moreover, patriarchal business structures frequently overlook work-life balance, expecting leaders to prioritize the company over their personal lives. This not only leads to burnout but also impacts family relationships and overall life satisfaction. Executive women often feel compelled to work harder to prove their capabilities, leading to long hours and a struggle to juggle multiple responsibilities. This lack of balance can weaken immune systems and increase susceptibility to illness, creating a cycle of mental and physical strain that’s hard to break.
There’s a growing body of research showing that business models emphasizing cooperation, empathy, and well-being create healthier environments for all employees, especially women. By shifting toward more inclusive, egalitarian structures, businesses can help foster a supportive culture that values personal well-being alongside productivity. Matrilineal-inspired values that center on long-term growth, mentorship, and resilience offer a promising alternative, creating workplaces where executive women can lead in ways that align with their strengths, rather than at the expense of their health.
For executive women, finding environments that embrace authentic, people-centered leadership is not only empowering—it’s essential for sustained health and happiness.
The Occupy Movement, which erupted in 2011 with Occupy Wall Street in New York City, became a global protest against economic inequality, corporate influence, and political corruption. With the rallying cry, “We are the 99%,” it called attention to the widening wealth gap and corporate control over democratic processes, marking a shift in public consciousness. Occupy wasn’t just about raising issues; it was about embodying a new vision for society—one that didn’t rely on the same power structures it opposed.
“You Can’t Solve a Problem with the Same Thinking”: Occupy and Einstein’s Wisdom
The Occupy Movement was a modern embodiment of Einstein’s principle, “You can’t solve a problem with the same understanding that created it.” Recognizing that traditional hierarchies and economic assumptions had fueled the very issues it opposed, Occupy embraced radically different methods and organization:
Alternative Leadership and Decision-Making
Rethinking Economic Values
Innovative Protest Tactics
Decentralized Media and Communication
Though Occupy’s encampments were eventually dismantled, its impact on public discourse and social movements was lasting. By rethinking how activism could work, it showed that challenging systemic problems required new methods—true to Einstein’s insight, Occupy sought to “solve the problem” by building a movement on fresh, transformative foundations.
