Women Business Leadership

Let these 15 leadership skills help you overcome the challenges of today so that you can lead for a better tomorrow. Stepping into the shoes of a leadership or managerial role is never easy. It’s a challenge that constantly puts you face to face with conflicts, disagreements, decisions, and people – all of which need to be brought together to work like a well-oiled machine. But the biggest challenge is the thoughts in your own mind that bring you down, especially those of the confidence-busting, imposter syndrome variety.

If you’re anything like journalist Stephanie McNeal—aka, a millennial woman—you spend hours every day indulging in Instagram’s infinite scroll. The influencers on the platform aren’t just providing eye candy; these tastemakers impact how we cook, consume, parent, decorate, think, and live. But what exactly is going on behind the curtain of the perfectly curated Instagram grids we obsess over the most? Through intimate, funny, and vulnerable reporting, McNeal takes us through the looking glass and into the secretive real world of three major influencers.

Accomplished leadership advisor Jenna Fisher reveals how the world faces a once-in-a-generation opportunity to close the gender gap at the top of organizations today. You'll discover how traits often held by women—including compassion, empathy, communication, mentorship, and collaboration—are now in high demand. And why, in this time of volatility and disruption, women are standing on the most solid foundation for success than ever before.

Deep and meaningful interpersonal connections at work are critical to your career—and to your well-being. Bonds built on trust allow women to help one another, exchange information, and be more productive. But high-quality professional relationships are only possible with emotional openness—and not all women feel they can be vulnerable enough in the office to develop these kinds of ties. Making Real Connections explores the many ways that our working relationships with other women are usually amazing—and sometimes messy.

Barbie and Ruth is the remarkable true story of the world’s most famous toy and the woman who created her. It is a fascinating account of how one visionary woman and her product changed an industry and sparked a lasting debate about women’s roles. At once a business book, a colorful portrait of an extraordinary female entrepreneur, and a breathtaking look at a cultural phenomenon, Barbie and Ruth is a must-listen for anyone who ever owned a Barbie doll.

From small indignities to unconscious slights, women experience situations at work every day that may seem small or unimportant but that effectively differentiate and exclude them. These are micro-offenses; the small, awkward, or uncomfortable moments that slow-build until the unwelcome environment takes hold and women disengage.

The first two decades of the 21st century have seen financial collapse, a global pandemic, the devastation of our environment and the disintegration of democracies. But while some at the top are telling us 'it is what is it', there's a new generation of leaders showing the world how to be better. They're building trust, investing wisely and acting decisively. And they've got one thing in common.

Chief Carmen Best has spent the last 28 years as a member of a big-city police force, an institution where minorities and women have historically found it especially difficult to succeed. She defied the odds and became the first Black woman to lead the Seattle Police Department.

Geared toward women who are considering getting into tech, or those already in a tech job who want to take their career to the next level, this book combines practical career advice and inspiring personal stories from successful female tech professionals Brianna Wu, Angie Chang, Keren Elazari, Katie Cunningham, Miah Johnson, Kristin Toth Smith, and Kamilah Taylor. Written by a female startup CEO and featuring a host of other successful contributors.

You're in the Leadership Chair, Now What? by Dr. Kim D. Moore is an essential guide for female leaders stepping into leadership for the first time, transitioning to new roles, or aiming to leave a lasting impact as senior leaders. The book equips women with the tools, strategies, and mindset needed to navigate the complexities of leadership while fostering success for themselves and their teams. Dr. Moore reflects on her leadership journey across various fields, from military service to corporate and educational roles.

In A Good Time to Be a Girl, Helena Morrissey sets out how we might achieve the next big breakthrough towards a truly inclusive modern society. Drawing on her experience as a City CEO, mother of nine, and founder of the influential 30% Club, which campaigns for gender-balanced UK company boards, her manifesto for new ways of working, living, loving and raising families is for everyone, not just women.

Lisa Lisson's life seemed perfect: she had married her high school sweetheart, applied her marketing degree to a position at FedEx Express Canada, and would ultimately become president of the company. One night, after putting their four children to bed, her husband, Patrick, marvelled at their lives. Just a few hours later, Patrick had a massive heart attack and was in a coma. Part leadership guide, part memoir of loss, and part personal empowerment primer on how to achieve your goals, Resilience is an inspirational story.

This brilliant adaptation of the ancient masterpiece The Art of War shows women how to use Sun Tzu's philosophy to win in every aspect of life. In the West, when we think of war, we imagine battle, casualties, brutality. But Sun Tsu, who wrote The Art of War 2,500 years ago, was Chinese, and their view of war is not about fighting. It is about determining the most efficient way of gaining victory with the least amount of conflict.

Chapters include, among others, “9 Non-threatening Leadership Strategies for Women,” "How to Ace Your Job Interview Without Over-acing It," and “Choose Your Own Adventure: Do You Want to Be Likable or Successful?” Each chapter also features an exercise with a set of "inaction items" designed to challenge women to be less challenging.

With its gripping narrative and relatable takeaways, The Grit Factor is both inspiring and pragmatic, a book that will energize and enlighten current and aspiring leaders everywhere - whether male or female.

As a woman you have a unique opportunity to stand out as a leader. With only 24% of senior leadership positions in the global workforce held by women, it's easy to feel like you're fighting a losing battle. But not anymore! World Dominating Leadership for Women provides you with the strategies and action plans you can use to inspire your team, skyrocket your results and lead from the heart, and with strength.

Even though the world has made progress in gender equality, there is still an underrepresentation of women in top positions due to an unconscious gender bias toward women. But it doesn't have to be this way. Things are changing. In this profound book, Sophie Lawrence provides actionable advice for women to use to build a thriving business or a satisfying career and achieve personal fulfillment, without sacrificing their true values or hiding their authentic personalities.

Women define career success in a wide variety of ways. But whatever a woman's personal definition, if she is in a traditionally male-dominated career - virtually all high status, highly compensated fields - her career is at risk because of pervasive gender stereotypes. This highly practical book makes clear that women don't need to change who they are to succeed in their chosen careers, and they certainly don't need to act more like men.

In Pushback: How Smart Women Ask-and Stand Up-for What They Want, top leadership consultant Selena Rezvani reveals how women can secure promotion opportunities, plum assignments, and higher pay by standing their ground and pushing back for what's rightfully theirs. This revised and expanded version features interviews from dozens of executive leaders, including Darla Price, President of Ogilvy New York, Jen Fisher, Chief Well-being Officer at Deloitte, and Jayshree Seth, Chief Science Advocate and Corporate Scientist at 3M.

It's pure myth that women need to be more aggressive to succeed. Since the time when Sheryl Sandberg's Lean In was first published in 2013, one thing has become strikingly clear: leaning in simply isn't enough to turn the tide. To the contrary, studies show that imitating male behavior doesn't translate to professional advancement for women. The distinctive missing link is influence. The Influence Effect focuses on building influence that will enable women to gain traction in their careers and to achieve the advancement they deserve.