Two Wings of Leadership: Balancing Feminine and Masculine Power in Life and Organizations

I’ve been attending the annual ebbf conferences and that’s how I became friends with Charles R. Howard. He and Mónica Martínez Vargas have co-authored a fascinating book called Two Wings of Leadership: Balancing Feminine and Masculine Power in Life and Organizations. To celebrate its recent launch, the e-book format of this publication is available for free for the next few days–so if you’re curious, now is a great time to check it out!

I’m grateful that Charles and Mónica were able to tell me all about this unique and insightful new book. Here is what they shared with me:

Can you tell us a little bit about the book?

Charles: Thank you. It’s wonderful to be here. Our book is built on a metaphor from the Baha’i writings where Abdul’-Baha states, “The world of humanity has two wings—one is women and the other men. Not until both wings are equally developed can the bird fly.” Our book is a deeply necessary call to action rooted in this idea. For too long, leadership has relied almost exclusively on just one wing—the masculine. We’ve over-emphasized traits like control, assertion, and strategy, while undervaluing equally vital qualities like empathy, collaboration, and intuition.  The book suggests that true leadership comes from balancing feminine and masculine energies in ourselves first.

Mónica: Exactly. Our book acknowledges that this imbalance isn’t a new problem; it’s a historical one. It’s a systemic issue that has led to a lot of the challenges we see in the world today. We wanted to offer a path forward, a new paradigm for leadership that weaves these two wings together. The book is really a guide to cultivating integrated leadership, which we see as the only way for organizations—and humanity as a whole—to build a resilient, just, and innovative future. And a key point we make is that this isn’t about gender. Every person has the capacity to develop both of these energies which are inside of each of us to consciously cultivate.

Can you tell us a little bit about why you wanted to write the book and why it’s important?

Charles: For me, it was a very personal journey that began in my childhood. I grew up in a household with five older sisters and my mother, so my home was a world that was dominated by what you might call “feminine” influence. I also grew up in the Baha’i Faith, which regards the equality of women and men as a core principle. This was my normal. But in college, I had a painful awakening when I took a women’s studies class and realized the systemic disadvantages and profound injustices that women faced globally. That contrast with my home life was a powerful catalyst. I realized I had a responsibility to be part of the solution, a conviction that was only strengthened when I had my own daughters. In the corporate world, I saw the exact same imbalance play out—a focus on command and control, a lack of emotional intelligence. I knew that was incomplete.

Mónica: My journey was very similar, although from a different perspective. For more than 25 years, I worked in male-dominated fields like engineering. I saw firsthand the consequences of an imbalanced system. Organizations were so focused on results and hierarchy that they lost sight of human connection. My own leadership style, which was built on trust, collaboration, and intuition, was often met with resistance, and I even experienced sexual harassment and retaliation for upholding my integrity. I knew that for organizations to truly unlock their potential, this had to change. I also had a personal realization after I took a step back from my business to focus on my daughters’ weddings. I realized that a sustainable approach to leadership—and to life—requires a constant balancing act between masculine and feminine energies. When Charles and I met, we found we had arrived at the exact same conclusion through different paths, and the synergy was incredible.

What do you hope readers will gain from the book?

Mónica: We hope they’ll gain a new paradigm for what leadership can be—not about power or charisma, but about balance, integration, and service. We want to give them the tools to see this for themselves.

Charles: Exactly. The book provides clear, actionable strategies to help readers develop these integrated qualities in themselves and their organizations. We want them to understand the historical context of the imbalance so they can recognize it and work to change it. Ultimately, we hope they will be inspired to join a movement to create a world where everyone can thrive, where we move beyond rigid binaries and towards wholeness. Our invitation is for them to lead with two wings and unlock their full potential.

What’s something about the book, or the process of writing it, that has touched you or that you found interesting?

Mónica: For me, the entire process was a healing container. Sharing my stories, including past pain from harassment, was an act of vulnerability. But with Charles’s warmth and compassion, I was able to revisit those experiences with a new level of clarity and peace. It was a powerful reminder of how vulnerability can be a source of strength, and it allowed me to align my personal purpose with my professional mission in a profound way. It was also a beautiful revelation for me to see Charles, an engineer by training, lead with such a natural feminine energy—with empathy and without fear or judgment.

Charles: I can echo that. As an engineer, I was trained to be very logical and structured. I was always looking for the most efficient path from A to B. But in my conversations with Mónica, I realized there’s always another approach, one that involves empathy and compassion. It was incredibly liberating. I saw how being open and vulnerable with a client could completely shift a conversation and lead to a more holistic solution. This process taught me to bring more of my feminine energy to my professional life, and I’ve seen the benefits in my personal life as well, particularly in my interactions with my children. Our collaboration was a constant lesson in energetic alignment and mutual respect.

How has being Baha’i influenced writing the book?

Charles: The influence is fundamental. That powerful metaphor of humanity as a bird with two wings, and the need for them to be equally strong, comes directly from the teachings of Abdu’l-Baha, the son of the founder of the Baha’i Faith, over a century ago. This simple but profound concept was the inspiration for the book. My own upbringing within the Baha’i Faith instilled the principle of equality between women and men as a foundational truth.

Mónica: And that influence extends beyond the core metaphor. The book’s appendix details a decision-making process called “unified consultation”, which is based on the Baha’i process of group consultation. It’s a method for reaching a holistic, principles-driven conclusion where everyone’s voice is heard, and the focus is on a shared search for truth rather than personal views. It’s a perfect example of what integrated leadership looks like in practice.

How can people find out more about yourselves and the book?

Charles: We invite everyone to learn more and join our community. You can start at our landing page, which has information about the book and a link to a three-minute overview video.

Mónica: We also have a QR code on the landing page that connects you to a global community of leaders. It’s a space where we can continue to learn, grow, and transform together. There are other ways to connect on the landing page link as well.

Is there anything else you’d like to tell us? 

Mónica: We want to emphasize that leadership is not a solo path—it’s a shared adventure. This book is an invitation to a global movement that values wholeness, inclusion, and sustainability. We truly believe that when one of us learns to fly with both wings, we lift the world.

Charles: Now is the time for integrated leadership. Now is the time to reach our full potential. Let’s soar, together.

Thank you both so much for sharing this with us!

You can find out more about Two Wings of Leadership: Balancing Feminine and Masculine Power in Life and Organizations by visiting its website where, for a limited time, you can download its e-book format for free.

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Naysan Naraqi

Naysan is passionate about using the arts and media to explore the teachings of the Baha’i Faith. Back in 2011, Naysan started up the Baha’i Blog project, channeling his experiences in both media and technology companies to help create a hub for Baha’i-inspired content online.