Expert’s Advice The Glass Ceiling E ect: Another Perspective on Women and Leadership Insights’ Special 8 Most E ective Leadership Styles for Organizational Success
Ellen Voie An Entrepreneur Breaking Stereotypes
Mona Yousuf Almoayyed An Entrepreneurial Spirit Illuminating the Family Legacy
Stacey Brewer An Endeavor Entrepreneur with a Humanitarian Approach 10 12 18 44 36 28
Jerusha Govender Blazing a Trail in the Data Science World Lindsey Myers A Communications Expert Driving Growth Solutions
Nicole Rodrigues Transforming the Public Relation Industry with Sedulousness
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EllenwroteherMaster’sThesisabout “The Complex Identities of Women Married to Professional Drivers.” She wasaskedtowriteaboutthetrucking lifefornumerousmagazines, ultimatelyleadingtoabookwithher mostpopulararticlescalled,Marriage IntheLongRun.
ClarissaPinkolaEstés,inherbook,‘Womenwho runwithwolves’quotes, “A woman must be able to stand in the face of power because ultimately some part of that power will become hers.” Andintoday’sworld, wehavewitnessedsomeextraordinarywomenwhohave stoodandfoughtinthefaceofpowerforwhattheybelieve isrightandman,didtheywin?Theydidmorethanjust winning,theyruledandinspired.
Silja Litvin is the Psychologist, Founder and CEO of PsycApps Digital Mental Health, a company that uses AI, gamication and psychology to help people help themselves. She is a developer of the multi-award winning eQuoo – the Emotional Fitness Game.
Silja was born in Germany but moved to southern California early in her life. Exposed to many diverse cultures early in life, she developed an insatiable curiosity for the human condition leading to her pursuing a degree in psychology. During her 17 years of international modelling she began her Masters at the Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich, graduating in Clinical Psychology and Systemic Family Therapy in 2013. Alongside her education as a Systemic Family Therapist in 2015, she began her PhD in Clinical Psychology.
A child of the digital generation, Silja was looking for ways to use apps and social media to help people suffering from mental issues. She went on to create a psychological mobile app that helps users identify and self-manage depression. With this idea, she undertook her PhD thesis, thus ensuring it to be evidence based and ethically sound.
Now she is venturing into the world of AI, gamication and chatbots to nd a way to be able to help people help themselves, launching her emotional tness game eQuoo in the UK, USA, Canada and Australia. The game has been featured in major news outlets such as Forbes and TechCrunch and she won multiple prizes with PsycApps such as THE EUROPAS Pitch Awards and Pitch@Palace on Tour.
Silja Litvin Founder & CEO
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ I’m a believer in the law of attraction and I like to make sure that we are putting out those things which we most want to manifest, both for ourselves and for our clients
Professional,confidentandwellrespectedbyherpeers,Lindseyhas alsobeenaguestlectureratseveral universitiesincluding Hofstra University and Saint Joseph’s University,possessingapresence peopleoftenfindunforgettable.
Beingamulti-facetedandservice-orientedcompanyinthe industry,thedirectorsofthismercantileorganizationensure thatitsteamworkshardtoadaptaspertheneedsand challengesofthe21stcentury.ItallowsY.K.Almoayyedto furtherdevelopwithcommercialvisionandintegrity. “We have achieved much of what my father wanted over recent years and are proud at having settled this impressive enterprise at the top of everything we have aimed for,” says theManagingDirectorofthefirmMonaYousuf Almoayyed
“My father was the biggest influence in my life and in the
Healthy and engaged employees are your top competitive advantage. Take care of your employees, and they will take care of your business. It’s as simple as that “ “
business as well,” reminiscesMona.Shewasfondofher father’snegotiationskillsandlikedhischaracteralot. “At times, he was very tough, but at the same time he was very honest,” shefurtherrecalls.Yousufconsideredafirm handshakeasabindingcontractofasignedagreement whichinspiredMonaalot.Healsousedtosettlehisdebts withoutanydelayswhichhelpedMonainrealizingthe powerandresponsibilityofcommitment.Eventhoughher fatherwasaverybusyman,hewasalovingandcaring person. “One of my happiest childhood memories was when my father took us to Lebanon on holiday in 1957 and it was my first trip abroad,” describesMonajoyfully
Fromhermother,Monalearnedthatfamilyvaluesarealso anintegralpartoflife. “My mother’s generosity and care for the poor and the needy has taught me my first lesson towards charity work and the society,” statesMona.Her motherwasaperfecthousewife.Sheusedtocook,clean andstitchMonaandhersiblings’clotheswhiletakinggood careofthewholefamilyatthesametime.
BusinessDynamics
ItwasnoteasyatthebeginningforMona. “We are talking about women in the 70s. People don’t expect you to rise above basic jobs like operator and accountant,” she informs.Itwasveryhardforher,especiallywhenher
childrenwereyoung.Sheremembersmissingafew importantmeetingsduringthosetimesbutherfatherand thewholefamilysupportedherdecisions.Theyrealizedand recognizedthatbeingawoman,Monahadadditional responsibilities.Oncethechildrenwereoldenoughtotake careofthemselves,sheplacedextraeffortsinstrengthening thebusiness.Shehadtoworkhardinordertogainthe confidenceofthecustomersandemployeesatthe automobiledivision. “In business, there are many obstacles and losses, it is not a smooth ride all the way,” explains Mona.
Asthecompanyisapproachingthethird-generationera, Monaisplanningtoupdatethepoliciesandprocedures alongwithbringingintheexpertiseofprofessional management.Familymembersareinvolvedonlyonthe boardlevel. “We have appointed a consultant to meet all nd rd members of the 2 and 3 generation and come up with corporate governance principles and review our family constitution,” saysMona.Shewantstoprotectthefamily businessandwantstoretainitformanygenerationsto come. “We are continuing to improve our business in Bahrain in different sectors and are now concentrating on consolidation,” sharesMona.Shehasintroducedalotof measurestomakethebusinessmoreefficient.
Preksha Kaparwan is the Co-founder, CMO, V.UX Designer of Realbox.AI . The versatile IHM Pusa graduate initially served as the chef but got inclined towards technology and business analytics and founded RealBox in 2015.
Within three years of its inception, they have raised $300k for Realbox and, their customers include fortune 50 and big 4 enterprises. As a thought leader she has been part of TEDTalk talk shows. She was awarded 'The sparks 2018' by your story for tech services for her exceptional contribution as a Tech Evangelist.
NicolebelievesthatPublicrelationswastailor-made forherandmeanttobehercareer.Inherjuniorhighand highschool,Nicolecampaignedforandheldleadership offices.Sheparticipatedinandwonmarketing competitions.WhenaskedaboutchoosingacareerinPR, Nicolesaid, “I wanted to find a career that involved public perception development, writing, event planning, and more. Thankfully, my college journalism professor saw my interest and potential and encouraged me to check out Public Relations courses. The minute I did I was hooked.”
Nicole’smotherhasalwaysbeenherbiggestsourceof motivation.Sheactedasherstrongestpillarandinspired Nicoletotakechargeofherlife. “I was born when she was 16, but she never let being a mother get in the way of getting what she wanted. She’s been a business owner since I was young and her go-getter personality is always something I try to emulate. My mother always told me that I could do or have anything I wanted as long as I was willing to work for it. I was the first in the family to graduate college and worked hard in high school to earn
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scholarships. I held three jobs during college to pay for my education,” Nicoleasserts.
8 Most ERSHIP E ective LEADERSHIP Styles for Organizational SUCCESS
An effective leader is the first and foremost condition for a successful business. The hugely successful leaders adopt a combination of multiple leadership styles or just one selective style.
As a fluid practice, leadership is always changing and improving the way the company grows. There are different types of leadership styles exist in a work environment.Thecultureandvisionofanorganizationdeterminewhichone isthemostsuitablestyle.
TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP Inspires the staff through effective communication and collaboration
DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP welcomes views & suggestions from the employees
LAISSEZ-FAIRE LEADERSHIP allows the employees to make their own decisions
TRANSACTIONAL LEADERSHIP establishes a clear chain of command implementing a carrot & stick approach to management activities
02 03 04 05 06 07 08 01
AUTOCRATIC LEADERSHIP have significant control over the staff, seldom considers any suggestions from staff
BUREAUCRATIC LEADERSHIP follows a strict set of rules and policies
CHARISMATIC LEADERSHIP charms the staff with individual charisma
TYPES OF LEADERSHIP STYLE
01
TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP
One of the most effective leadership styles is the transformational leadership style. Transformational leaders inspire their staff through effective communication and collaboration and thus initiating the path to success. They set challenging goals and higher expectation from each employee eventually achieving a greater result.
These individuals are often blue-sky thinkers. For the successful implementation of their strategic visions, the organization might need more detailoriented managers.
02
DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP
Democratic leadership is another highly effective leadership style. Often known as Participative leadership, in this style the leaders often ask help and collaboration from their subordinates.
This leadership usually reports higher levels of job satisfaction and the company can benefit from individualistic creativity. However, this style involves more than one individual in the decisionmaking process which makes the process slower.
03
LAISSEZ-FAIRE LEADERSHIP
The term ‘laissez-faire’ literally means ‘let them do' in French. In leadership, this is typically translated to ‘let it be’. In this leadership style, the leader allows the employees to make decisions. Laissezfaire leaders are known for their hands-off approach which is often criticized for poor role definition for managers.
Such leadership style is effective in creative jobs and workplaces with experienced employees. However, active monitoring of performance and effective communication regarding the expectation from the leader’s end is must to get the most out of this style of leadership.
04
TRANSACTIONAL LEADERSHIP
Transactional leadership is basically focused on group organization, establishing a clear chain of command and implementing a carrot-and- stick approach to management activities. According to Boundless.com, transactional leadership includes: clarifying what is expected of followers’ performance; explaining how to meet such expectations; and allocating rewards that are contingent on meeting objectives.
05
AUTOCRATIC LEADERSHIP
As the name suggests, the autocratic leadership style is the extreme version of transactional leadership. Autocratic or authoritative leaders take control of the staff and rarely accept or consider employees’views or suggestions. Ruling with an iron fist is rarely appreciated by staff, which can lead to high turnover and absenteeism. Autocratic work environment rarely has any flexibility
06
STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP
Strategic leadership is a commonly effective leadership style. This leadership style involves a leader who is essentially the highest authority of the organization. Strategic leaders are not, however, limited to the top authority of the company. They include a wider audience at all levels who want to create a high- performance life, team or organization. This is because of this approach this is one of the most desirable styles of leadership.
07
BUREAUCRATIC LEADERSHIP
Bureaucratic leadership models are most suitable for highly regulated or administrative environments, where adherence to the rules and a defined hierarchy are important. In this leadership style, the leaders set a strict set of rules, regulations, and policies which they follow precisely, and they expect their teams to follow the line.
CHARISMATIC LEADERSHIP 08
A tinge of resemblance is evident in both charismatic and transformational leadership. Both the leadership styles rely heavily on the positive charm and personality of the leader
However, this style of leadership is seldom considered to be effective because the success of projects and initiatives are closely linked to the presence of the leader
Stacey Brewer
Co-founder & CEO
SPARK Schools
Stacey Brewer
An Endeavor Entrepreneur with a Humanitarian Approach
Itisanetworkoflow-costschoolsoperatinginSouth Africa. “We launched our first school in January 2013 with 160 children and 20 staff members,” saysStacey.Currently,
itoperates21schools,educatesover13000children,and employsmorethan1200staffmembersaltogether “We aim to continue to open schools across the country,” shefurther adds.
Asanentrepreneur,Stacey’sjourneyhashadmany challengeswhilebuildingthebusiness.Toraiseangel investmentorseedcapitalinSouthAfricawasquitea challengeforher,asthecountryisveryrisk-averse. “In our early stages as a start-up, it took some very progressive angel investors to invest in SPARK Schools,” sharesStacey People’sviewsandopinionsonbecominganentrepreneur werenotveryappreciativeorkind. “I often received feedback from people asking if I was starting a company because I could not find a real job,” explainsStacey.Also, lookingforateamtojoinastart-upisabigchallengeasper herexperience.Mostpeoplefinditsafetoworkforthebig brandsofthecorporatesratherthanjoininganorganization whereitisriskierattheearlystages.
Asonebuildsandgrowsacompany,thereareahuge amountofchallengesandcomplexitiesalongtheway Thereisalargefocusonpersonaldevelopmenttobecomea moreeffectiveandstrongerprofessional. “This was the hardest, but the best thing that I have ever done, it is
As you let your own light shine, you unconsciously give others permission to do the same
“ “
essential to work with strong and committed team members as well as have a strong support system at home,” Stacey opines.
Tofacethesechallengeshead-on,hersourceofmotivation hasalwaysbeensolvingbigproblemsanddothingsthatno oneelsewantstodo. “I have a great sense of responsibility in creating a better South Africa and I am currently aimed at doing this in the education sector in South Africa,” adds Stacey
ThecountryspendsmostofitsbudgetandGDPon educationandyetitisnotrankeduptothemarkacross differentcompetitivenessreports.Still,educationinSouth Africaisinadiresituation.InthemostrecentProgressin InternationalReadingLiteracyStudy PIRLS)assessment, ( itstatedthat78%oftheGrade4studentscannotreadfor meaningwhichisverydisheartening. “At SPARK, we have an opportunity to change this and ensure that we can provide access to a high-quality education that is affordable to the country,” describesStacey.
OdetoaSparklingFuture
SPARKschoolsoffertolearnfromGradeRtoGrade7and recentlyopeneditsfirsthighschool,andwelcomeditsfirst Grade8class,inJanuary2019.Itsinnovativeblended learningmodel,globallycompetitivecurriculum,andfocus oncorevaluesalongwithsocial-emotionallearningtraits enablethenetworktoleadtheSouthAfricaneducation sector.“SPARK scholars are persistent, responsible achievers who seek to better their country through service,” sharesStacey
ThevisionofSPARKSchoolsisforSouthAfricatolead GlobalEducation.Itsaimistotransformtheeducation sectorinSouthAfricawhichwillprovideallchildrenwith anopportunitytoaccesshigh-qualityeducation.Theschool strivestohelpSouthAfricabecomealeadingglobalplayer indeliveringinnovativelearningmodelsthatfacilitates greatstudentachievementandismorecost-effectivethana traditionalmodel. “Our next big goal is to open another 28 schools over 5 years starting from 2021. We aim to operate 49 schools by 2024 and will be educating over 30000 children,” concludesStacey
