For decades, women have made strides in political and corporate arenas. Still, there’s a lot of ground to cover before we’re equally represented, especially in the upper echelons of the business world. But the changes that have occurred in the last two years call for the skill sets that many women naturally possess.

Employees everywhere are struggling with stress, anxiety and outright trauma due to the pandemic. If they’re working remotely, it’s harder for them to connect with co-workers and leaders. And, of course, the nature of business itself gets more complex by the day.

Today’s leaders need to break mental health stigmas and create an environment of psychological safety. Many will be asked to transform a group of scattered remote workers into a connected team. They’ll all be balancing multiple shifting deadlines, responsibilities and challenges. Women have the communication skills, emotional intelligence, flexibility and agility to meet these challenges and step into more prominent roles within organizations. Here are 10 reasons women are uniquely poised to lead and succeed in 2022 and beyond:

1. Women are stellar collaborators.

The problems we face in the business world are more complex than ever. This means we need more perspectives at the table to solve them. Rather than competing with others, women are more inclined to join forces with them, which makes us perfectly suited for leading teams.

2. And know how to share the screen.

In 2020, those of us who weren’t already familiar with video conferences and Zoom meetings got a crash course. Leaders in the virtual workspace need to be comfortable putting forth ideas and information to the group, while sharing that space with others. Women are great at this. We have a sense of give-and-take and reciprocity that draws people out and encourages others to speak up.

3. Our natural communication skills serve companies well in challenging times.

Especially in a disruption or crisis, leaders need to be highly visible: sharing information, reassuring, showing empathy and compassion, and reinforcing a sense of camaraderie. Women can leverage our gift for communication — and good listening — to keep people calm and focused.

4. Women are empathetic connectors.

Thanks to the pandemic, our society has been through a collective trauma. Many employees are feeling unmoored and uncertain, and others are struggling with mental health issues. Leaders need to be aware of how each team member is feeling and respond with caring and empathy, while still driving progress.

5. Women are not afraid to ask for help.

Women understand that addressing any deficits by asking for help is often the most efficient way to move forward, not a sign of weakness or failure.

6. Or offer it.

Women don’t tend to view knowledge and expertise with a scarcity mindset; they know that resources are most valuable when shared. And they’re just as likely to give help as they are to ask for it.

7. We’re givers.

Women understand the power of giving, whether that means giving of our time, energy and emotional bandwidth to help someone solve a problem; serving as a mentor; or just finding ways to lift people up.

8. Women aren’t crippled by criticism.

There’s a pernicious stereotype that women are “soft” and “sensitive.” In reality, women are used to living with — and succeeding in spite of — negative feedback. Explicitly and implicitly, we’re all bombarded with critiques about our careers, appearance, parenting, tone of voice, priorities, and much more.

9. We find strength in flexibility.

The pandemic was brutally effective at teaching leaders the value of being able to rethink, regroup and adapt at a moment’s notice. Adaptability, resilience, flexibility and agility — all female strengths — are more sought after than ever. Women know how to navigate unexpected roadblocks while keeping the team on board and the destination in mind.

10. We’re world-class multitaskers.

Over the past two years, women have interfaced with clients, run meetings, balanced budgets, created content, confronted supply problems, mediated employee disputes, hired new talent, and so much more from their kitchen tables … often while managing their children’s virtual education, caring for their parents, and keeping their households from falling apart.

Throughout history, women’s innate qualities have enabled them to navigate difficult times, learn what they can from them, and move forward. What makes right now different is the fact that women are perfectly positioned to step into more prominent and important leadership roles than ever, break barriers, and actively shape the world’s future.