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Women leaders

Empowering Women Leaders in Pakistan: The Role of ‘Personal Why’ in Leadership Positions

by Guest Author April 26, 2023

written by Guest Author

The Women in Leadership (WIL) Programme, in partnership with the British Council and Clore Social, is making waves in Pakistan by empowering women to lead the charge towards gender parity.

This programme provides a platform for women to come together, share their experiences, and work towards creating tangible solutions to achieve their goals.

One of the key components of Clore’s Social Leadership training is helping women understand their personal ‘why’ and how it can help them become better leaders. Understanding one’s personal ‘why’ can provide clarity and purpose, enabling individuals to become more effective leaders.

For Razia from Quetta, this was a game-changer. She shared how the programme’s module ‘Know Your Whys’ helped her gain a better reflection of her personal ‘why’ and how it provided her with more meaning and purpose in her profession.

A Psychosocial Support Officer by profession, Razia explained how understanding her personal ‘why’ has helped her in her role at her workplace. “The newfound understanding of my personal ‘why’ has allowed me to lead with conviction and purpose,” said Razia.

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“The programme has taught us that creating a balance between one’s personal ‘why’ and the needs and goals of the organization is crucial. When individuals align their personal ‘why’ with the goals of the organization, they are more likely to be fulfilled and productive in their roles,” she expounded.

The WIL Programme is full of inspiring leaders who have effectively communicated their personal ‘why’ and inspired others to follow their vision. The facilitators in the programme serve as role models, encouraging others to explore and articulate their own personal ‘why.’

But staying motivated and connected to one’s personal ‘why’ during challenging times or when faced with obstacles can be difficult. Razia shared how challenging times have reminded her of her personal why, providing the motivation needed to overcome obstacles.

“As leaders, it is important to encourage our teams to explore and articulate their own personal ‘why.’ When individuals are able to connect with their personal ‘why,’ they are more likely to be engaged and motivated in their work. Incorporating one’s personal ‘why’ into the decision-making process can help ensure that decisions are aligned with one’s values and goals,” she said.

Clore’s Social Leadership training module ‘Know Your Whys’ has been a valuable tool for participants of the Women in Leadership Programme. It has helped them gain a better understanding of their personal ‘why’ and how it can guide them in their approach to working in a leadership role. Understanding one’s personal ‘why’ is essential to becoming an effective leader who is passionate, committed, and fulfilled.

“Understanding one’s personal ‘why’ can provide clarity and purpose, enabling individuals to become effective leaders,” said Razia.

The WIL Programme is creating a ripple effect of empowered women leaders who are making a difference in their communities and workplaces. By recognizing and embracing their personal ‘why,’ they are leading with purpose and driving change towards a more equitable future.

This article has been contributed by :

Tehreem M. Alam, Comms Manager SEED Ventures

Disclaimer:

The articles, podcasts, and impact videos by WOW360 (in strategic partnership with SEED Ventures ) serve as additional learning material for the British Council Women in Leadership (WIL) Programme.

These materials provide a local context that is essential for participants to have a deeper understanding of the content they have learned. They also offer diverse perspectives on how leadership is reflected at the grassroots level, and at higher management and are designed to benefit both facilitators and participants of the WIL Programme

The interviewee is a participant in the WIL Programme.

April 26, 2023 0 comment

Heer Soho to Become the First-ever Woman Tribal Head in Sindh

by Sahrish Shakeel March 24, 2022

written by Sahrish Shakeel

In a first for Pakistan, a woman named Heer Soho has been appointed the chief of her tribe in the southern Sindh province. For Soho, it is a tremendous honour.

Heer Soho is a lawmaker at the provincial assembly of Sindh. Similar to all cases, Soho also had a robust support system – her family and the community members in running the clan’s affairs. The previous chief of the tribe and Heer’s father, Muhammad Ismail Soho, passed away in February due to coronavirus. Henceforth, his clan picked his daughter, Heer Soho, as its new chief.

Tribalism is dense in Sindh; however, it doesn’t have a tradition of women in leadership positions such as becoming a clan chief. While speaking to a reputable publication over the phone, Heer addressed her latest milestone.

She said, “This is a huge honour for me but a big challenge, as well as I, will need to resolve the issues of my community, which lives in the coastal belt mostly and is faced with many problems.” Some of these include the provision of drinking and agricultural water and the opening of schools.

Ghulam Rasool Soho, who is Heer’s uncle, said that the decision to choose her was taken due to her leadership qualities and an attempt to alter rigid mindsets in the region.“Heer is chosen because she is politically active and can better lead and guide the tribe. While a man can lead a tribe, a woman can lead and guide her people in a much better manner.”

Pakistan’s Emma Alam Wins 13th World Speed Reading Championship. Read the full story here:

On the 21st of March, Pakistan’s Emma Alam won the 13th World Speed Reading Championship. Alam beat more than 100 participants who were participating from different countries. Emma defeated her Chinese competitors in the finals and won the world speed-reading championship. The championship concluded this week with a great victory for Team Pakistan. Due to Covid-19, the tournament was earlier delayed but then held in hybrid form.

Pakistan’s Emma Alam Wins 13th World Speed Reading Championship

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March 24, 2022 0 comment

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Research Suggests Women are Less Likely to be Corrupt as Compared to Men in the Same Positions

by Sahrish Shakeel February 23, 2022

written by Sahrish Shakeel

The world as we know it is facing a severe corruption problem, and the best solution, as per experts, is hiring more women, stated in a recent article in “The Economist”.

An NGO, Transparency International, had earlier released its annual report on corruption. The information was based on corruption that takes place globally. It reveals that there has been no improvement over the past 10 years in terms of corruption.

The situation is much worse in third world countries. To diminish corruption, some solutions proposed by experts are cracking down on financial crime, strengthening anti-corruption agencies, and making public spending more transparent.

While the above-stated solutions are imperative, some countries have taken an alternative route by hiring more women. In 2001, the idea gained more support after the World Bank published a report that critically looked into about 100 countries. As per the report, officials were less likely to ask for bribes in countries with a greater proportion of female legislators.

Francesco Decarolis of Bocconi University in Milan, including a research group of academics, found out that hiring more women combat corruption. Collectively, they looked into cases in China and Italy. “Between 1979 and 2014, senior female bureaucrats in China were 81% less likely to have been arrested for corruption than their male colleagues. In Italy between 2000 and 2016, female officials were 22% less likely than male ones to be investigated for corruption.”

Here is why academics Elin Bjarnegard of Uppsala University think women are less corrupt:

1 – Female officials don’t have strong circles as men, who have dominated powerful positions in the world. So they have fewer opportunities to take brides or, as a matter of fact, tie improper connections.

2 – The study revealed women are severely punished if found guilty of corruption. It is a plausible explanation as to why they avoid corruption.

3 – Women are expected to be rightful, which leads them to be more careful when taking risks than men on average.

Why is Diversity & Inclusivity Becoming a Core Value of Corporate Culture in Pakistan? Read the full story here:

One of the most significant changes in corporate culture today is the importance given to diversity and inclusivity. This is not only happening globally, but even in Pakistan, companies have started to make this a priority. In an inclusive and diverse environment, everyone can perform better and experience a higher level of learning. Organizations are taking steps to make team members feel comfortable in the work environment and to explore their true potential.

Why is Diversity & Inclusivity Becoming a Core Value of Corporate Culture in Pakistan?