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Women leaders bring new leadership culture in male-dominated sectors

Women in leadership roles are transforming how work gets done and improving outcomes across technical industries. Image: Supplied In male-dominated sectors such as construction, engineering, and mining, women are redefining what good leadership looks like. Serisha Sirputh, director at built environment consultancy LDM, said the growing presence of women in leadership is transforming how work gets done and improving outcomes across technical industries. 'We're not trying to fit women into outdated moulds. It is about diverse thinking, emotional intelligence, and leadership styles that strengthen outcomes.' A McKinsey & Company report has shown that companies in the top quartile for gender-diverse executive teams are 25% more likely to post above-average profitability. Drawing on both industry experience and international research, Sirputh highlights several key strengths that women bring to high-performance environments. The first is enhanced problem-solving and innovation. 'This approach doesn't just fix issues, it sparks innovation and strengthens team dynamics,' says Sirputh. Diverse teams, she adds, approach challenges with broader perspectives, building consensus and seeking sustainable solutions. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ Authenticity and empathy also define strong female leadership. 'Empathy is a critical leadership trait, and studies show that women often score higher in emotional intelligence competencies, including empathy.' Combined with authenticity, this fosters trust, resolves conflict, and supports high-functioning teams. Sirputh added that women also bring strategic foresight and sustainability thinking. 'Women leaders are known for their ability to think beyond immediate tasks, anticipating downstream effects and aligning projects with strategic and sustainable goals.' In industries where projects often involve complex stakeholder relationships, effective communication and persuasion are vital. 'Their inclusive and cooperative communication style and ability to connect enables them to build trust and influence stakeholders, which can reduce delays.' Resilience and adaptability are also hallmarks of women in technical environments. Having navigated industries that were not always welcoming, many have developed the ability to lead through uncertainty and drive innovation under pressure. The presence of women in leadership also helps to break stereotypes and expand opportunities for future generations. As Sirputh puts it: 'Building gender-diverse teams is not about meeting quotas. It is about enabling different styles of leadership that drive better performance across the board.' THE MERCURY