Alpha Women: Their Talent and Motivation Opens Doors
Alpha women are everywhere these days. They are talented, sure of themselves, assertive, and they know what they want to achieve. Not only that, but their empathetic leadership and social cohesion are more intuitive than the classic alpha male. These days, woman are taking center stage in the public sphere more and more.
Many of our readers might be asking themselves if these “alpha women” really exist. We are aware that in our society today, these types of labels are really common. We understand the skepticism. So, it is worth mentioning that the terms “alpha” and “beta” are usually used primarily in etiology to describe the social system of groups of animals.
“One is not born, but rather becomes, a woman.”
-Simone de Beauvoir-
In 2006, when the book The Alpha Girls was published, this idea appeared for the first time. This label then passed from the world of etiology to the psychological context. It was Dr. Dan Kindlon, a clinical psychologist, professor, and researcher in the Psychiatric Department at Harvard University, who first published about this idea. He decided that it was important to write about this interesting social change that women in our society are experiencing.
We are witnesses of the unstoppable advances that come with this new millennium. Women now outnumber men in many college majors, such as law. The same thing is happening in medicine and other fields. Women are beginning to take front and center in places that were dominated by men until very recently.
Change is here, and it is undoubtedly very interesting.
Alpha women and false stereotypes
When people talk about alpha women, something curious and incredibly interesting happens. Socially, the traits that people attribute to this type of personality are almost always the same. We describe them as women with a high sense of superiority, sometimes egotistical, bossy, manipulative, intelligent, cold, attractive, and dominant.
This highly sexualized and pejorative view of alpha women is very common in our society. In some ways, it calls to mind Glenn Close’s character in the movie Fatal Attraction. However, Dr. Dan Kindlon who we mentioned before, invites us to change our ideas a bit. He proposes that we take a more realistic view.
Think, instead, of Sigourney Weaver and her character in the movie Alien. Her character combined intelligence, courage, and sensitivity. It is important to remember that alpha women also have “classic” feminine characteristics. Among those are empathy, warmth, understanding…
When most of us think about alpha women, we almost always compare them to alpha men. This idea of undisputed leaders that combine dominance, coldness, and power. However, in the case of women, the social model is different.
The alpha woman isn’t imitating men. Instead, she symbolizes something closer to the matriarchal society of elephants, for example. These are females who lead the group with strength, wisdom, and the ability to maintain unity.
Traits of alpha women
When you ask people to give an example of an alpha woman, they often name Margaret Thatcher. Now, using her as an example is definitely a mistake. The Iron Lady and Prime Minister during the most difficult period of the United Kingdom is an extreme version of the alpha woman. Thatcher put together an all-male cabinet because she didn’t want any other female presence. She was an extremely harsh leader and her politics were completely inflexible.
Today, the authentic alpha woman has come from the private sphere to dominate in the public sphere. The modern alpha woman has different traits than someone like Margaret Thatcher. Let’s see what they are.
Confidant, self-actualized women who are comfortable in their own skin
The alpha woman is self-made. She never needs to fulfill anyone else’s expectations for her. The only ones that matter are the ones she sets for herself. Her personal journey, her studies, her experiences, and her effort are the internal capital that motivates her every day to keep getting better. She feels proud of what she has accomplished, but she knows she can do more. Her confidence, her high self-esteem, and her assertiveness are her best resources to keep fighting for her goals.
Leadership ability and social cohesion
Alpha women are natural leaders. They are determined people who have a series of goals they want to achieve. To make it happen, they won’t hesitate to use their leadership skills to motivate and guide others.
- They have enough charisma to motivate others.
- They know how to delegate responsibilities to other people and they know how to create a team. Alpha women trust other people’s abilities because they know that we can achieve more as a team.
- Alpha women inspire trust. They also help others trust their own resources. They don’t like gossip or wasting time on things that distract the team from their goals. They know how to be firm when the circumstances require it.
Alpha women are different than alpha men
Alpha women are great at mediating, facilitating, bringing people together, and enhancing human capital. Their leadership isn’t aggressive or dominate. It is empathetic. They know how to connect with other people. Alpha women recognize each person’s value and understand emotional intelligence. They are good at encouraging their teams in such a way that fosters innovation.
In conclusion, this type of feminine personality is quickly gaining ground in the social sphere. Consequently, it is important not to fall into the traditional and pejorative idea of what we usually associate with alpha men and women. We should simply value those who know how to be good leaders and recognize those who encourage others with their values, abilities, and resources for the benefit of all.