In this episode of The Leadership Habit podcast, host Jenn DeWall sits down with executive coach, speaker, and author Elina Teboul. Together, they explore a thought-provoking and timely topic: how embracing feminine intelligence can transform how we lead. They unpack the concept of balancing both masculine and feminine energies in leadership and discuss how embracing our whole selves—logic and intuition, action and stillness—can unlock higher performance, empathy, and purpose. 

Whether you’re a CEO or an aspiring manager, this conversation will challenge your assumptions and offer a powerful framework to lead with greater authenticity and impact.

Meet Elina Teboul

Elina Teboul is a globally recognized leadership expert and executive coach with a unique career journey. She began her professional life as a corporate attorney at a top New York City law firm before pivoting toward her true passion—understanding what drives purposeful, conscious leadership. She holds advanced degrees in psychology and law from Columbia University and now runs a successful leadership advisory practice in London. Elina is also an adjunct professor at Fordham Law School, a keynote speaker, and the author of the book Feminine Intelligence: Reclaiming Wholeness in Leadership and Life.

Balancing Head and Heart: Masculine vs. Feminine Intelligence in Leadership

Throughout the episode, Elina shares how traditional leadership models have long favored masculine traits—rational thinking, assertiveness, linear decision-making—while often devaluing qualities linked to the feminine, such as empathy, creativity, and emotional intuition. As she puts it, “We are only half human if we ignore the more intuitive, relational parts of ourselves.”

Jenn reflects on her own experience working in male-dominated corporate cultures and recalls feeling like showing emotion made her appear weak. Elina emphasizes that embracing feminine intelligence is not about abandoning structure but integrating multiple dimensions of human intelligence to become whole: “This is not about gender. It’s about energy—and the need for balance.”

The TRUE Framework: A Roadmap to Conscious Leadership

A central highlight of the episode is Elina’s TRUE framework—a simple yet powerful guide to help leaders become more conscious, self-aware, and effective. TRUE stands for Time, Relationships, Uncertainty, and Emotions—four domains Elina believes every leader must master to reach their full potential.

• Time: “The most senior, successful leaders are stingy with their calendars,” Elina says. They make space for thinking, feeling, and aligning with purpose. Blocking time for reflection isn’t optional—it’s essential. Jenn adds, “Even five minutes before a meeting can make a huge difference in showing up with clarity.”
• Relationships: At the heart of great leadership is the ability to build meaningful connections. “We all think we’re good listeners, but most of us are not,” Elina shares. True listening requires setting aside ego, mirroring what we hear, and being open to perspectives that challenge our own.
• Uncertainty: Leadership isn’t about having all the answers—it’s about having the courage to sit with complexity. “Most people default to logic and control,” Elina explains, “but true innovation happens when we expand the space between stimulus and response.” Embracing uncertainty allows leaders to access empathy, intuition, and creativity.
• Emotions: Emotional intelligence starts within. “You have to know your triggers—often rooted in childhood—before you can manage them,” Elina says. By understanding the stories that shape our responses, we can better lead ourselves and others. Jenn agrees: “If you can’t own it, you can’t control it.”

This framework is more than a tool—it’s a call to lead with your whole self. As Elina puts it, “When we ignore parts of ourselves, we limit our potential. TRUE is about reconnecting with our full humanity.”

Leadership Through Balance, Not Extremes

Throughout the conversation, Elina makes it clear that feminine intelligence isn’t about gender—it’s about energy. While traditional leadership models often emphasize masculine traits like logic, assertiveness, and linear thinking, Elina advocates for integrating the equally powerful feminine traits: intuition, empathy, creativity, and connection.

She shares a striking example from her book—a story about Lieutenant Chris Hughes in Iraq, who de-escalated a tense situation not with force, but by choosing empathy and stillness. “It’s a perfect example of feminine intelligence in action,” she notes. “Whether you’re on the battlefield or in the boardroom, that kind of presence changes everything.”

The episode is a powerful reminder that conscious leadership starts with inner work. “You can’t create a values-driven culture if you haven’t done the work to understand your own,” Elina says. And as Jenn reflects, “This isn’t just about being a better leader—it’s about being a more whole human.”

By the end of the episode, Jenn and Elina make the case that authentic leadership begins with self-awareness. Leaders must do the inner work to uncover childhood triggers, understand emotional patterns, and develop the courage to lead authentically. As Elina puts it: “If you ignore parts of yourself, you limit your full potential.”

Where to Find More from Elina Teboul