This was a really interesting take on the power of feminine leadership with some of the challenges our world currently faces.

I actually found it a hopeful read, filled with interesting stories and perspectives on how more representation of some of the traits more commonly associated with women could help to increase engagement, creativity and problem-solving to the problems that we face in this century. It was a short, easy and enjoyable read with plenty of food for thought.

Thanks to Maria Brinck, John Murray Business and NetGalley for this ARC in return for an honest review.

The Leadership We Need is a well-structured and paced book with some invaluable tips about leadership.
The roadmap and the assessments are a nice addition to the literature on leadership.
To be perfectly honest, while I understand the discussions around patriarchy and male-dominated leadership, I am never keen on concepts such as feminine and masculine energy and leadership as I find them vague and not scientific.
Though, that being said, the values Brinck associates with feminine leadership are awesome.

A timely exploration of how leadership must evolve to meet the challenges of the twenty-first century. Drawing from her global experiences—from corporate boardrooms to indigenous communities in the Congo Basin—Maria argues that humanity cannot overcome crises like climate change, inequality, and technological disruption with the same leadership models that created them. For too long, leadership has been dominated by masculine-coded traits such as competition and control. While not dismissing their value, she insists that the future requires balance: empathy, collaboration, and long-term thinking must be elevated as core leadership qualities.

Central to the book is the argument that excluding women from leadership impoverishes humanity’s potential. With fewer than 10% of Fortune 500 CEOs being women, Maria calls for dismantling the monopoly of masculine leadership and creating cultures where women’s authentic strengths are valued rather than suppressed. She also critiques current education systems and economic metrics, urging a redefinition of success around human well-being, not just GDP or shareholder value.

Ultimately, the book is both a warning and a hopeful vision. By embracing inclusive, balanced leadership, Maria believes humanity can not only survive but flourish, unlocking its greatest potential.

The Leadership We Need is a fascinating look at the value qualities commonly associated with the feminine bring to leadership. The writing style was engaging with a fair mix of discussion and stories of other leaders (both male and female) who exemplify these qualities. One critique I have is that this book did get political, and while I didn’t necessarily mind it, I feel like the myriad of good points the author made might be overlooked by those who disagree with her politically. The author conceded to this inevitability in the pages of the book, so it does seem it was a conscious choice.

I would like to thank John Murray Business and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.