A well-balanced, inclusive approach, according to certain standards and ideals, is essential for the proper governance of any country (Laisenia Qarase)
One of the core responsibilities for leaders of the 21st century is to create, and to develop organizations and societies where both femininity and masculinity are well-balanced. This is a responsibility for men and women equally. Women have to stand up for their rights as equal citizens and human beings regardless of, and forgetting about, what may have been true in history, and in the past. It is time to leave the past behind, and focus upon improving organizations and societies holistically by giving women equal opportunities in any cultural setting. Although a challenge for women themselves to stand up for their equal rights and for justice to be served in a currently male influence and power dominated world, also men have to support this development.
The Nordic countries, including Finland, are among the most equal countries in the world, where women have since long had equal rights with men, including the right to vote, the right to study and to practice a profession of their choice, the right to engage in activities such as riding a bicycle, something that is regarded as a taboo for women in certain countries. For a Nordic woman and for women in the developed world economies it is difficult to understand why riding a bicycle would be somehow unacceptable for the other gender. Why should this not be the case when the same human rights apply for every individual? Although the right for women to ride a bicycle is among the smallest of problems on our path towards gender equality and balanced leadership, it is among one of the most ridiculous taboos from a feminist perspective.
Leaders have to be trained and mentored to see things from a completely new perspective. Regardless of the equal status of both men and women e.g. in Finland, even in this what we like to call progressive state, women still do face, and have to deal with gender biases and discrimination due to gender. In the past years, developments have taken place to include a certain percentage of women into the decision-making boards of organizations. Some have criticized this, stating that leadership is not about gender, but rather about personality, suggesting that there need not be a legislation regarding board structures, or how organizations and countries are governed.
Of course these changes and structures are needed, and they are urgently needed throughout our globe because a) our world needs to be balanced, and balance can only be created and developed when all human beings are treated according to the Universal Human Rights Conventions, and not according to which gender they belong to; b) femininity and masculinity are part of every human being, and it is about time that leaders, and citizens in general, allow for both femininity and masculinity to thrive in a balanced way throughout our world.
In a balanced organization (society/world), working towards a common objective, there is success (Arthur Helps)
Why do leaders have to create, and to develop balance in the world?
To simplify the arguments for the response to this question, leaders (and people in general) could ask themselves the question: Why is a banana yellow? Or, why is sea water so salty? Why do we have roses in so many colors in this world? Why do we, as human beings, even see colors? When we have been given all the beauty that exists in our world, and in the Universe, should we ignore this beauty or give all colors equal opportunities, and equal rights to thrive in a Universe that was created not to satisfy the egos of some, but to serve as a home and place of well-being for all living, including flora and fauna.
Our world as a whole, including animals, nature and people, regardless of gender or other external attributes, deserves balance. Everyone deserves balance. Everyone deserves peace.
How can we achieve balance?
Balance is a way of being, and in order to create change, and develop ourselves and the world around us, we need to empty our minds and see things from a completely new perspective. Forget about old patterns and behaviors, and allow for ourselves and for other individuals to think in completely new ways. Balance has to be achieved inwardly so that it can be mirrored into the outside world, and create the changes that our world both deserves and needs.
The Business of Gender Balanced Leadership:
Thank you for reading, commenting, liking, sharing, and for unlearning certain behaviors and patterns that may not serve your personal growth and development as a leader and a globally aware, unbiased professional. Thank you also for developing qualities in yourself and in your environment that support the creation and development of balanced, equal, and non-discriminating leadership.
The dance between darkness and light will always remain – the stars and the moon will always need the darkness to be seen, the darkness will just not be worth having without the moon and the stars (C. JoyBell C.)
Sometimes at night, when the sky is clear and the stars are shining bright, I enjoy watching the huge, free painting that Universe has given us. I wonder how many others do look at the same sky, at the same time, seeing the same patterns, having the same thoughts as I do, and sharing the same vision. Since I do not understand much about astronomy, it is unclear to me why some stars seem larger, and why some stars shine brighter than others do. Are the stars in the sky a reflection of us human beings, or vice versa? What makes the difference between the stars, and the people, that seem to be shining brighter than others?
Language is the source of misunderstandings. It is only with the heart that one can see rightly. What is essential is invisible to the eye. (The Little Prince/Antoine De Saint-Exupéry)
When communicating with each other, individual to individual, regardless of title, number of years in experience, or status, there are a number of aspects worth keeping in mind as to find the yin-yang communication style. This is especially important to leaders, but might as well be equally important to any individual.
People, and the world, cannot be divided into black and white. Yet, yin and yang in communication and leadership create a balance between natural energies and forces, allowing for the combination and motion of yin and yang to generate all things in nature, and for the darkest nights to produce the brightest stars.
To explain it simply, according to the teachings of yin and yang:
Without struggle, there would be no progress
Without pain, there would be no growth
Without negativity, there would be no positivity
Without women, there would be no male (and vice versa, of course)
Without passiveness, there would be no activity
Without the moon, there would be no sun
Without the flood, there would be no ebb
Without intuition, there would be no logic
Without tragic, there could be no magic
How can you, as a leader, create a yin-yang leadership style? To become a yin-yang leader, you will have to develop certain qualities in yourself:
Yin-yang leaders care and are compassionate
As a yin-yang leader, you will care for others and for nature as much as you care about yourself. You will also care equally much for yourself as you care for others and nature. Strive for, and live in harmony and at peace with yourself, with others, and with nature. If you are not living in balance, harmony and at peace with yourself, how then can you expect to live in such a way with your environment and with your surroundings?
Yin-Yang leaders are excellent communicators
Yin-yang leaders develop and nurture communication skills both in themselves, leading to improved relationships through creating understanding rather than misunderstanding, learning how to truly listen to messages that are being conveyed to them rather than wanting to have the last word and to always have the need to prove themselves to others, appreciating, respecting and valuing others in their communication, and being present during dialogue.
Yin-Yang leaders have a high EQ and outstanding social skills
As a yin-yang leader, you have a high EQ and outstanding social skills and value these as least as much, or even more, than merely technical skills. Yin-Yang leaders know that technical skills can be taught, learned, practiced, and eventually mastered, by anyone, but having social skills is even more important.
Yin-yang leadership can be developed and learned by anyone who truly aspires to improve his/her inter-relational, communication, and leadership skills, and who has a passion for self-mastery and balance in life, and in personal/business relations. The meaning and purpose of yin-yang leadership include many aspects that are important, and essential for leaders of the 21st century, such as creating meaning and purpose in life/business (practices), developing self-mastery, creating balance in oneself and therefore also in others, improving overall communication, avoiding conflicts and learning how to handle conflict, and much more.
If your heart is a volcano, how shall you expect flowers to bloom? (Gibran Khalil Gibran)
Yin-Yang leaders work for the long-term benefit of humanity
Let us face the truth: after years, decades, of working in a certain manner, or with specific goals in mind, it is not easy to turn a ship and change direction. It is not easy, but neither is it impossible. We all know that human beings, businesses, and organizations need to keep continuously evolving, developing and learning in order to make progress. Without development, there is no progress, and without progress, there is no development. Why businesses and organizations in the 21st Century increasingly have to invest in developing businesses in a sustainable direction is easy to comprehend, and the future world truly does need, and deserve leaders that do know how to tap into yet unknown lands, discovering new landscapes like Christopher Columbus and his crew did a few centuries ago, and some of our ancestors even earlier than Christopher Columbus. Humanity, and our future generations, does truly deserve and need forward-thinking, humanitarian leaders.
If you correct your mind, the rest of your life will fall into place (Dr. Wayne W. Dyer):
Thank you for reading, commenting, liking, and for sharing. Thank you also for developing balance, patience, tolerance, and understanding in yourself, and for creating and nurturing the yin-yang leadership qualities already within you.
Anne-Maria Yritys 
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