A frequently asked question about female leadership is: is there such a thing as typical female leadership? Our research and experience has taught us that there are two possible answers to this question, “yes” and “no”. The question itself is relevant enough to explore and we will do so in this chapter. Diversity, based on gender or other aspects, has proven to lead to more inclusive and more productive organisations. Bo...

This is the first phase in the Double Healix model. In this phase you are preparing for your journey. The history you carry, as an individual, as part of your family, as a female or male, and as homo sapiens, shapes how you will respond to what is to come. The competencies that are particularly important in this phase relate to this subconscious preparation: your ability to trust and give in to the process, your intuitio...

This is the second phase in the Double Healix model: the phase in which you receive your main impetus for adventure. This Call can come from within or without, can be a pleasant or an unpleasant one. It demarcates a point of no return in our journey, even though it will often be followed by a period of resistance or procrastination. This phase addresses competences that relate to initiating or mobilising processes: takin...

The next phase after Call to Adventure is Resistance to Change. This ‘resistance’ can either come from an outside source (“you will never succeed at that”, “we will not allow you to do that”) or from internal voices (“I cannot do this”, “I am not ready for this”). Women are often very familiar with both types of resistance. What can be said about the impostor syndrome? And what do people need to be able to overcome? C...

This is the fourth phase in the Double Healix. The Mentor phase introduces a new way of thinking. The Mentor is often an experienced person who teaches you new skills, helps you reflect and find different perspectives on yourself. These skills and perspectives will help you pass the Selection Threshold in the next phase, phase 5. The Mentor can also be a role inside yourself, when you get new ideas and explore new ways of...

In the Double Healix model the Selection Threshold is the phase in which you need to deliver measurable results. The Threshold can refer to passing an actual test or meeting an important deadline. Often the test provides access to a new world that offers something you have been aiming to achieve since the Call to Adventure. It requires you to adapt to the status quo of that new world. That status quo is typically guarded...

This is the sixth phase in the Double Healix model, Star for a Day. After passing the Selection Threshold, we have reason to be proud of ourselves and our team. In this phase, we celebrate our success, receive the first recognition for our efforts, and are the center of attention. The competences that you address or develop here are: celebrating success, expressiveness, charm, charisma, visibility, self-confidence, pers...

This is the seventh phase in the Double Healix model: Grounding. After celebrating the first success, it is important to get back to normal, and stay level-headed, keeping both feet on the ground. In this phase, the intuitive, spontaneous, and creative processes from the previous phases need to be formalised. This formalising provides us with guidance to new successes, and prepares you and your organisation for difficult...

This is the eighth phase in the Double Healix: just like the Call is the announcement of the beginning of the journey (see phase 2), the Reversal of Fortune is the announcement of the last phases of the adventure. This time, the Call comes in the form of a serious setback, that plunges you into a crisis. You have to learn to endure, wait, and show solidarity with your buddies and fellow sufferers. Competences required in...

This is the ninth phase in the Double Healix model, the Dagger. The crisis deepens and you gain more insight into the dark side of human nature. The Dagger stands for betrayal, lies, failure to keep promises, and breaking taboos. At the same time, the most painful discoveries can also lead to the most informative and valuable experiences. Competences that you develop further in the Dagger phase are: analytical skills, de...

This is the tenth phase in the Double Healix model, Return to the Light. You find a way out of the crisis by rediscovering your own core direction in life. Within the journey, this is also often called "Return of the Mentor” where you remember the main lessons of your biggest teacher. This helps you to clearly remember your deepest ideals and goals. The competences that are needed and strengthened in this phase are: the...

This is the eleventh phase in the Double Healix model, Resurrection. In your journey, this is the last major barrier to take. The opposing phase, phase 5, is about ambition and results. In phase 11, it's about how we can save our soul. This usually concerns the question of whether we have the courage to stand for what we really value, and who we really want to be. An act of heroism often involves making a sacrifice for s...

This is the twelfth and last phase in the Double Healix model, the Elixir. After the profound transformation in the previous phase, you can reap the benefits of your journey and distribute them in the larger community. Often it's not about what you do, but about the radiance of purification, gentleness, and being relatively free of fear to do what is important. The competences that you need in this phase are: helpfulness...

We have now gone through the 12 phases of the Double Healix model for all-round leadership development, and illustrated and discussed the competences that are important in each phase. This model will help you recognise which competences you can develop further, and when it would be better to employ someone else who has the qualities that are needed in a particular phase. Hopefully, the many examples from movies, question...

In this chapter, we will explore the journey Angela Merkel has made, from her childhood to 2019. It is a journey of female leadership from which we can learn a lot. We will follow the phases of the Double Healix model chronologically, and for each phase we will discuss the competences that Angela Merkel shows us, and has shown us throughout the years. Her journey corresponds with the Double Healix cycle discussed before....

After the explanation of the 12 phases in the circle of leadership development, and the many examples of Female Leaders, we have come to the end of this course.