DALIA GRYBAUSKAITE

Energy is always geopolitics.

If you need to pursue your interests, do not expect anyone else to do it for you.

I don't subscribe to that school of thought that leadership can be altogether defined by gender.

The examples of female success stories are important on the global scale, as they help to disseminate the idea of gender equality and to spread the roots for the actual implementation of equal rights for women and men and democratic values among different cultures, societies and traditions.

The world has become more diversified, with women becoming a real power of change.

The precondition of success and entry to the top politics is primarily one's will - that is, making one's own decisions, because it means having to leave your home or move your family, quit social networking and build new contacts, [since] central governments are seated in capitals.

I am a person of action. If I see I can bring a positive change, I will go for it, never mind that something might be hard to achieve.

If women decide that their mission, their political career, balances out what they have to give up, they can be and are equally successful as men.

During my election campaign I was not giving out empty promises, but invited every member of society to join the efforts to work for a better life in Lithuania.

If there were more women heads of state in the world, the world would be more peaceful and better focused on the improvement of the overall quality of life and welfare.

As a woman, I think my style defines my leadership in that it's a gentler, more compassionate approach. Rather than tell people what's good for them, I consult, I listen and I compromise where it's in the best interest of the citizens.

From day one, my mantra has been - and will continue to be - that as a government we were there to serve the people, not the other way around.

Lithuania is a small country, so our contribution would not be that large. We are not afraid of our responsibility. We receive 25 percent of our national budget from the European Union. We understand the value of solidarity.

During conflicts and tense situations, women often work in a more collaborative way, include a larger variety of viewpoints, and function more frequently outside traditional hierarchical means. Women leaders often take a consolidated and reconciliatory position in the society.

For a small open economy that trades mostly with the euro zone it makes absolute sense to be part of the currency union. Our currency has already pegged to the euro since 2002. We don't have an independent monetary policy. We are regulated by the European Central Bank in Frankfurt, but we are not able to reap all the profits. Our businesses want to save the transaction costs.

Women are more focused on the development of the quality of life in their countries. They are more involved in social and family policies, childcare, and poverty reduction.

Some countries need extra stimulus in specific areas. Something has to be done against high youth unemployment in Greece and Spain, for example. But in the end, there is no way around it: The debt levels have to come down.

Any work you do, do it the best you can and achieve the maximum result.

Hard work, courage and commitment - these are the key elements for success.

Women always look for a peaceful solution to a conflict. They are more sensible when they go for compromise or when they stand by their position. They are ready to listen to different views, to hear all the voices in society.

I have learned from my own experience that if you work hard you will succeed.

My advice and wish to every woman in my country and in the world is very simple: Do not be afraid to be yourself, to have your dream, your vision, and to go for it. We can achieve a lot if we are sincerely committed to our goals and work hard to realize them.

I want to use my position of influence to change the laws of the land to the benefit of the women of Trinidad and Tobago, divide the economic pie more evenly and appoint more women to positions within the government.

We do not have many women leaders in the world. But if you look at the current examples, most of those few female leaders that we have today lead their countries under the pressure of difficult political and economic circumstances. They all posses strong personalities and have real political influence on the domestic and international scene.

There is an English saying, "When the going gets tough, the tough get going." Women often become these tough ones.