Mark Zuckerberg’s recent comments on Joe Rogan’s podcast that “a lot of the corporate world is pretty culturally neutered” and could benefit from more “masculine energy” sparked a conversation that feels straight out of a dystopian satire. This notion of injecting more masculinity into leadership isn’t just eyebrow-raising—it’s a glaring reminder of how skewed our perspectives on power in leadership have been for, well, forever—and felt more strongly as of late.
Let’s unpack this wild idea and ask the obvious: Did we ever come close to experiencing “feminine energy” in leadership, especially when most CEOs and leaders are white men?
The Leadership Status Quo: A “Masculine” Default
First, let’s get something straight. The corporate world—from boardrooms to corner offices—has long been dominated by what society traditionally associates with masculine traits: competitiveness, assertiveness, aggression, and dominance. It’s not just anecdotal; studies consistently show that women, especially women of color, are vastly underrepresented in leadership roles. According to the 2023 Women in the Workplace report by McKinsey and Lean In, only about 10% of C-suite roles are held by women of color, and white men still occupy the lion’s share of executive positions.
What’s more, corporate environments often reward traditionally masculine behaviors while penalizing traditionally feminine ones like collaboration, empathy, and humility. So, when Zuckerberg talks about needing more masculine energy, the real question is: what is he even talking about? The system is already drenched in it.
What Is “Feminine Energy” in Leadership?
“Feminine energy” doesn’t mean women’s energy. It refers to traits often associated with femininity, regardless of gender: emotional intelligence, collaboration, vulnerability, intuition, and the ability to nurture growth. These traits are critical for building psychologically safe workplaces, promoting innovation, and driving long-term success.
Think about leaders like Jacinda Ardern, who led New Zealand with empathy and decisiveness during a global pandemic. Or Satya Nadella at Microsoft, who shifted the company’s cutthroat culture to one of learning and inclusion, boosting both morale and market value. These examples highlight that so-called feminine energy in leadership isn’t a weakness; it’s a strength that’s sorely needed.
And yet, these approaches are still seen as the exception rather than the rule. When was the last time we celebrated a leader for being empathetic without first questioning their competence?
Toxic vs. Healthy Masculinity in Leadership
It’s worth noting that masculinity itself isn’t inherently bad. Traits like decisiveness, resilience, and boldness are valuable in any leadership style. But when masculinity leans into toxic territory, it becomes a problem. Toxic masculinity manifests as aggression without accountability, competitiveness without collaboration, and dominance without empathy. It creates work cultures where bullying and burnout thrive.
On the other hand, healthy masculinity in leadership can support resilience, decisiveness, and courage while embracing empathy and collaboration. It recognizes the importance of balancing traditionally masculine traits with feminine ones to create inclusive and sustainable workplaces.
Zuckerberg’s comments about wanting to see more masculine energy feel particularly jarring given the current climate. Over the past decade, toxic masculinity in corporate culture has contributed to scandals like Uber’s harassment crisis, WeWork’s implosion, and countless others. These cases show what happens when “masculine energy”—unchecked and unbalanced—goes off the rails.
The Myth of the “Culturally Neutered” Workplace
Zuckerberg’s description of the corporate world as “culturally neutered” is also worth interrogating. It implies that workplaces lack vitality or energy, but for whom? For white men like Zuckerberg, who’ve always had the loudest voices in the room, the push for more inclusive cultures—where empathy, collaboration, and fairness are valued—might feel stifling. But for historically excluded groups, these changes are a breath of fresh air.
What Zuckerberg calls “culturally neutered” might actually be workplaces striving for balance. Over the past few years, there’s been a deliberate push to make work cultures more accepting, inclusive, and humane. Traits traditionally viewed as feminine have begun to be recognized as essential to creating environments where people can thrive. And yes, that’s feminine energy at work. But now, with leaders like Elon Musk and a president whose policies seem to align with a “bro” ethos, we’re witnessing backlash—a desire to reassert masculine dominance as a counter to this push for equality.
Feminism Is About Equality, Not Overreaction
The backlash underscores a fundamental misunderstanding of feminism. Feminism isn’t about elevating women over men; it’s about creating equality. It’s about ensuring that everyone—regardless of gender—can show up authentically and succeed. The fear that feminine energy or inclusivity somehow threatens masculinity reveals more about the insecurities of those in power than it does about the reality of inclusive work cultures.
This overreaction to inclusivity feels like a pendulum swing—a knee-jerk response to the progress we’ve made. The reality is that recognizing and valuing feminine energy doesn’t mean eliminating masculine energy. It means creating space for both.
The Problem With “More” Masculine Energy
So, what’s the danger of doubling down on masculine energy? It risks alienating the very people organizations need to innovate and grow. Employees today are demanding more inclusive, empathetic, and flexible workplaces. Millennials and Gen Z, who now make up a significant portion of the workforce, prioritize values like mental health, diversity, and social responsibility.
Adding more “masculine energy” to a system that’s already steeped in is regressive. It signals to employees that traits like empathy and collaboration—traits we desperately need more of in leadership—are somehow less valuable.
A Call for Balance
The solution isn’t to eradicate healthy masculine energy; it’s to balance it with feminine energy. It’s to create workplaces where all employees—regardless of their gender identity or leadership style—feel valued and empowered to contribute.
We’ve seen what happens when workplaces lean too far into one energy. The hyper-masculine cultures of the past led to burnout, inequality, and toxic work environments. By striving for balance, we can build organizations that aren’t just profitable but also sustainable and humane.
Final Thoughts
Mark Zuckerberg’s comments feel like a throwback to an outdated worldview, and they also remind us of how far we still have to go. Leadership doesn’t need more masculine energy; it needs balance, inclusivity, and a willingness to rethink outdated norms.
If we ever came close to experiencing true feminine energy in leadership, the results were undeniable: innovation flourished, employees thrived, and organizations became stronger. Let’s not regress to an era of unbalanced power dynamics. Instead, let’s aim for a future where leadership—and the energy behind it—reflects the diversity and complexity of the world we live in.