In the podcast series called Don’t Touch Your Face, the hosts Amy Mackinnon and James Palmer discuss how women in high executive positions are handling the coronavirus. Countries like Iceland, Finland, Taiwan, and New Zealand have found success in their responses to the pandemic – all of which happen to be run by women. The host of the podcast underscores that this is not a coincidence or related to gender norms. There are 17 countries where women hold high positions of power and the pandemic has highlighted the leadership styles which correlate to each country’s success. The podcast gives attention to the Prime Minister of New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern, and her methodologies of flattening the curve. From the earliest cases of COVID-19, New Zealand’s government kept a close eye on how other countries were controlling and stopping the spread of the virus. While every country had the same evidence, Jacinda Ardern decided to act a different way and took on the notion that human health matters more than the economy. Through the enforcement of a stringent countrywide lockdown early on in the global pandemic, New Zealand resulted in 20 deaths in a population of 5 million. The end of the podcast reiterates that this is not about gender, but mainly related to the kind of qualities in those who hold high leadership posts. Societies typically look towards male leaders who have demanding and strong leadership skills, whereas women are more caring, compassionate, and have clear communication skills. While gender may not be a factor, the coronavirus pandemic emphasizes the effectiveness of female leadership, especially during times of crisis.
