On International Women’s Day 2022, the ELN is proud to showcase some of the brilliant women in our network.

Speaking at the Salon Luitpold at a joint side event on the margins of the Munich Security Conference 2022, ELN Network members Nathalie Tocci, Marietje Schaake, Nana Kalandarishvili and Julia Berghofer discussed ‘what do we want from good, responsible leadership in the post-pandemic setting?’

Throughout the pandemic, we often heard that countries led by women were handling COVID-19 most effectively. This stands in stark contrast to the number of states where women hold the highest position of executive power, which has never been higher than 10% compared to male counterparts. We know that positive leadership is not tied to any particular gender, age, ethnic or religious background but that effective leadership is most often associated with diversity. Despite broad public discussion and support for the value of young people, women, and representatives of minority groups in power in all societal fields, be it politics, business, or academia, reality still falls short. There remains inequity in the distribution of positions of power.

Together with three outstanding women leaders from diverse professional and national backgrounds, they discuss good leadership and share our understanding and experiences of it. What kind of leadership do our panellists embrace in their fields? Is there really such a thing as a “male leadership style”, and must women change when in positions of influence? Why do barriers remain for young people, minorities, and women to take centre stage? How can these be overcome? And last but not least: will the pandemic lead to a rethinking of good leadership now that we have seen and celebrated such positive alternatives?

Watch a recording of the video here: