The Court of Electoral Disputes (TCE) issued a ruling in which it found that presidential binomials must be in accordance with parity between men and women. That is, movements and political parties are obliged to promote the participation of women.

The obligation stems from previous marginalization, cultural exclusion.

This is not a phenomenon typical of Ecuador, the UN Women article “Facts and Figures: Women’s Leadership and Political Participation” shows that as of January 1, 2023, there are 31 countries where women are heads of state and/or government, and at the current rate, equality of the sexes at the highest decision-making levels will not be achieved for another 130 years.

There are different perspectives to approach this debate. I want to focus on female leadership.

Certain researches establish differences between the ways of leading men and women, which, to put it simply, would be historically determined by the formation of man as a hunter man who subdues and mother woman, farmer, protector of children and cave.

This led to the identification of certain traits of male leadership in politics: focus on results, authority and control, competition, rivalry and independence. Also, characteristics of female leadership: focus on cooperation, assertive communication, emphasis on social issues, resilience and empathy.

My idea here is not to polarize leadership styles, but to understand that leadership fits the times we live in…

My idea here is not to polarize leadership styles, but to understand that leadership corresponds to the times we live in, and today we are dealing with a paradigm shift that calls us to rethink the management models developed in the last 200 years, perhaps thinking about a more integrative, inclusive and humane style. It is not about men or women being leaders, but about how men and women can develop the kind of leadership that combines and balances male and female leadership styles.

Humberto Maturana, in his last book published before he died (The Reflexive Revolution, 2021), states that before this competitive present there were matríztic communities in ancient Europe, which did not have the idea of ​​competition as a central value in their culture. Since they did not need to feel superior to their peers, their way of life was based on cooperation. He suggests that it is essential, as a society, to move from the era of competition to the era of cooperation, where instead of negating the other, they are legitimized in order to build something valuable together. That is why it speaks of the end of leadership and the beginning of the era of co-inspiration and cooperation. In politics, it is pointed out how ridiculous it is and how harmful it is for citizens to start a process with a party that is deliberately declared to be the opposition.

The invitation is to question the statements of our candidates and leaders, to open new conversations about what we need as a society.

Today, I see the need to strengthen the female leadership approach, and of course women should have a certain advantage. (OR)