Secrets of Highly Successful Women CEOs: What Sets Them Apart
Women in elite leadership positions have been steadily rising over the last decade. In 2023, Catalyst released a global survey that reported that women hold approximately 10 percent of the fortune 500 CEO jobs. Even though that seems like a small percentage, progress is progress and these numbers show incremental, yet consistent, growth for women in the top leadership positions across the world’s boardrooms. Each of these women has her unique story of tenacity, perseverance, and vision. They are starting to change the meaning of modern leadership for businesses by being in positions of authority.
When we see women CEOs succeed, we notice some different themes. These leaders are not only leaders of businesses but are also taking on the traditional leadership framework. In their methods, choices and philosophies there are several themes that we can learn from to enable our own leadership careers. Those themes arise mostly from their leadership, but also their ability to reshape the meaning of leadership.
Leadership Traits of Women CEOs That Drive Success
Women CEOs are skilled at combining strategic clarity and human insight. Consider Indra Nooyi the former CEO of PepsiCo, as she guides PepsiCo in the direction of healthier product lines while still realizing the continued, constant, and consistent financial growth of the company. Nooyi aligned the expectations of shareholders with consumers wants and needs, while also taking care of the well-being of her employees.
Women often lead from a place of authenticity, which assists their ability to be honest about obstacles and potential. Successful women leaders do not hide behind a pretense. They assume that people can see through smoke and mirrors. Building trust across teams and allowing dialogue to flourish is a clear sign that a women’s leadership style is working. Successful women leaders simultaneously bring strength along with genuine context together to build a working environment where employees feel both involved and valued.
The Power of Emotional Intelligence in Women CEOs
Emotional intelligence is perhaps the most common trait in women CEOs. The capacity to conceive of emotions, have thoughtful reactions to those emotions, and engage those emotions in understanding how they guide interactions is a valuable leadership tool.
Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors, facilitated the company through difficult recalls and cultural shifts by emphasizing listening and accountability. Barra’s ability to emotionally connect with employees and customers gave a deeper level of trust. Emotional intelligence does not subtract from authority; it adds to authority by recognizing leadership is as much about connection as it is strategy.
Strategic Decision-Making Styles of Women CEOs
Decision-making is the differentiator of a leader vs. a manager. Women CEOs lean toward an analytical and deliberative approach when making significant decisions, usually weighed against risk and impact over time. Women CEOs consider stakeholder perspectives not only to recognize inherent bias but to incorporate different perspectives before taking action and lessen blind spots within the organization’s strategy.
For example, former IBM CEO Ginni Rometty successfully led the transition of IBM from traditional computing to an artificial intelligence company with cloud computing infrastructure. When she was making her decisions, she consulted people on the spectrum of artificial intelligence, including engineers, experts in the field, and customers to help her develop strategies going forward. She collaborated and considered others’ opinions while deciding and shaping a future-ready business, without abandoning all of the things that make the business what it is today.
How Women CEOs Build Inclusive Work Cultures
Not only does inclusivity represent a moral obligation, it is a business advantage. Women who are CEOs work to create cultures focused on respecting and hearing voices across backgrounds. The research from McKinsey demonstrates that companies with more diverse leadership earn higher profits than their peers. Women who lead understand the importance of inclusivity because many of them have lived through exclusion. Rosalind Brewer, the CEO of Walgreens Boots Alliance, has repeatedly prioritized diversity and inclusion throughout her career as a leader. She championed that businesses flourish in an effective manner when their workforce feels a sense of representation and respect.
For women who lead, affirming and advocating for inclusivity involves improving workplace morale, but it also opens the door to innovation by creating space for a breadth of ideas.
Women CEOs and the Role of Mentorship
Mentorship is integral to successful women’s leadership journeys. Many women who became CEOs will never forget their mentors who supported them on their journey. These women CEOs actively mentor others to ensure the cycle of mentorship continues.
Mentorship is not about giving someone a shortcut; it is about sharing insights, encouragement, and perspective. Ursula Burns, former CEO of Xerox, repeatedly mentioned the significance of mentors in her development of self-confidence and ambition. She now spends time mentoring budding leaders, especially women and minorities, to support their growth and development. This type of mentorship also helps with the creation of a pipeline of leaders.
Resilience and Adaptability of Women CEOs
The corporate pathway is hardly ever straight. Women CEOs usually exhibit extraordinary levels of resilience when facing barriers. Resilience helps them to have a good strategy for navigating crises without losing their sight of longer-term objectives. Adaptability, in contrast, allows them to reevaluate strategies when circumstances change.
Take Anne Wojcicki, CEO of 23andMe as an example. The company, which specializes in genetic testing and analysis, ran into serious regulatory challenges. The seriousness of the challenges was such that there was a real chance the company might not survive. Instead of throwing in the towel, Wojcicki reconstructed compliance strategies, worked with regulators, and re-established requests to what would be considered legitimate to make the company the credible organization it ultimately wound up becoming. Thus, Wojcicki’s resilient adaptive nature allowed her company, which had the imminent possibility of collapse, re-establishment and re-engagement after collapse into a new prospect.
The Balance Between Empathy and Authority in Women CEOs
Striking the right balance between empathy and authority is a hallmark of women CEOs. Empathy helps them understand and support their teams, while authority ensures that decisions are respected and followed. Too much emphasis on either side can weaken leadership, but the ability to balance both builds sustainable influence.
For example, Sheryl Sandberg during her tenure as COO of Meta showed how empathetic leadership can coexist with a strong operational focus. She cultivated an environment where employees felt supported while also driving strict accountability in performance. This equilibrium often defines the unique leadership style of women at the top.
Lessons Future Leaders Can Learn from Women CEOs
The journey of women CEOs carries lessons for all aspiring leaders, regardless of gender. Authenticity builds trust. Emotional intelligence strengthens relationships. Inclusive cultures drive innovation. Resilience transforms obstacles into opportunities. Mentorship creates future leaders.
Future leaders should study these qualities not as gender-specific traits but as essential elements of effective leadership. The experiences of women CEOs highlight that success does not come from rigid models of authority but from adaptable, human-centered approaches.
The rise of women CEOs represents more than individual achievement. It reflects a transformation in how leadership is understood and practiced. Their stories reveal that success at the highest levels is shaped by authenticity, empathy, strategic thinking, and resilience.
As more women enter leadership roles, the definition of success itself evolves. It moves away from outdated ideas of command and control and shifts toward collaboration, inclusion, and vision. The secrets of highly successful women CEOs remind us that leadership is not about gender. It is about the choices, values, and principles that guide actions.
The future of leadership will continue to be redefined by those who dare to lead differently, and women CEOs are at the heart of that change.