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• When women develop greater self-confidence and build up their unique strengths, they will be poised to succeed in a VUCA and BANI world.
• Women build powerful networks when they consciously create and leverage connections and don’t allow themselves to be constrained by self-limiting beliefs.
• To become more inclusive leaders, women should cultivate awareness of their positionality, enhance the capacity to have uncomfortable conversations, and develop the discipline to seek constant feedback.

 
As a Chinese female professional living and working in Europe for the past 14 years, I have found the concept of “thriving at work” deeply meaningful. It is both a personal goal and a vision I strive to bring to life within organizations through my work. But many women can find that goal challenging unless they have access to the right resources, networks, and opportunities.

At ESMT Berlin, we believe business schools can be crucial actors in helping women build the self-awareness, connections, and advocacy they need to succeed in the workplace. That’s because schools can help women transform three aspects of their lives: the Self, the Network, and the System.

Transforming the Self

The powerful first step toward ensuring that women succeed in their careers is to enhance their self-awareness and self-confidence. by Gretchen Spreitzer and co-authors shows that when individuals experience high levels of vitality and learning at work, they are more likely to flourish.

Self-awareness and self-confidence are particularly important traits in a world considered both VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous) and (brittle, anxious, nonlinear, and incomprehensible). In such a setting, professionals need to develop adaptable mindsets and competencies.

At ESMT, we aim to redefine leadership outside patriarchal norms, encouraging women to learn about and develop their own strengths with confidence. Through our Women’s Leadership Excellence (WLE) Program, we share research and engage participants in discussions about how traditionally “feminine” strengths—such as empathy, collaboration, and communication—contribute to today’s leadership, workplace, and business needs.

These qualities help create psychologically safe workplaces where individuals feel valued and empowered. These traits also lead to more creativity and engagement, enabling organizations to respond more effectively to disruption and maintain a competitive edge in a constantly evolving landscape.

Recent WLE graduates have shared with us how developing these strengths has helped them on the job. For example, one woman said that, because of the program’s confidence-building activities and expert coaching, she has been able to make a transition in her leadership style. She shifted from always needing to prove herself to being able to embrace her authentic self. Another told us that, as a result of regular self-reflection and enhanced self-awareness, she has discovered the strength to set priorities and take mindful pauses instead of always hustling between tasks.

Traditionally “feminine” strengths—such as empathy, collaboration, and communication—help create psychologically safe workplaces where individuals feel valued and empowered.

While it is vital for women to possess cognitive self-confidence, they must embody and practice that confidence in ways that align with their authentic selves. In the WLE Program, we emphasize that moving from “knowing” to “being” requires a deep integration of body and voice. This is why we collaborate with experienced acting coaches who can guide participants as they learn to express confidence physically and verbally.

The program also includes a day for groups of participants to articulate their strengths, values, and self-limiting beliefs under the guidance of experienced executive coaches. In such a supportive environment, participants can reflect on their assumptions about what it means to be a leader and gain insights by sharing their experiences with each other. This enables them to more strongly integrate their cognitive and embodied confidence.

By equipping women to recognize, embrace, and build on their unique strengths and values, business schools can foster in them the deep confidence and self-efficacy essential for thriving in high-stakes environments. We can help them identify their leadership purpose, break free from limiting beliefs ingrained by outdated systems, and replace those beliefs with empowering narratives that fuel resilience and ambition. This lays the groundwork for women to lead with authenticity, presence, and impact.

Transforming the Network

While networking is a critical driver of professional advancement, it remains a complex and sometimes challenging area for many women. Research consistently shows that women approach networking differently than men. Because women sometimes view networking as self-serving or inauthentic, they tend to make smaller, less instrumental connections and gain little access to high-level influencers.

Women also make certain limiting assumptions, such as “Networking should be based on natural relationships” or “Networking is personality-dependent.” These attitudes tend to make their efforts to build relationships even less fruitful.

In the WLE Program, participants learn why they should develop a conscious networking strategy and how to leverage connections effectively to support their career goals. One memorable takeaway we shared with a recent cohort was that professionals need to block time to systematically network. Women in the program learn that, when they intentionally cultivate connections, they open doors to vital resources, which helps them navigate career challenges and access new opportunities.

ESMT goes further by actively addressing networking barriers. During a dedicated half-day in the WLE Program, participants first reflect on assumptions that might be hindering their networking efforts, and then formulate action plans. Peer coaching exercises help participants craft network-building strategies that align with their goals, empowering them to overcome limiting beliefs and establish meaningful, strategic connections.

While networking is a critical driver of professional advancement, women tend to view it as self-serving or inauthentic, so they make smaller, less instrumental connections.

Moreover, ESMT cultivates partnerships that facilitate supportive communities. For example, for the past three years we have held an annual Women in Leadership event in collaboration with the Cranfield School of Management in the U.K., Imperial College Business School in London, and the Rotterdam School of Management in the Netherlands. Together, we provide a cross-institutional platform for women leaders to connect, share insights, and grow professionally.

Each event features presentations and discussions on topics such as how women can control their professional narratives, improve career visibility, shatter the effects of “,” and gain visibility in the workplace. Speakers offer practical solutions, tips, and tricks designed to help attendees advance their careers and develop their leadership skills.

In addition, ESMT is committed to sharing research that provides women with roadmaps for overcoming obstacles and optimizing networking strategies. A recent example of such research is “” by Carla Rua-Gomez of SKEMA Business School, Gianluca Carnabuci of ESMT, and Martin Goossen of Tilburg University.

By bridging knowledge gaps, addressing barriers, and facilitating professional communities, business schools can support women leaders as they develop the strategic networks necessary for long-term success and sustainability.

Transforming the System

Having lived and worked outside of China for over a decade, I am acutely aware of what it means for a workplace to be inclusive. A workplace’s level of inclusivity isn’t measured by whether it meets diversity quotas. It’s revealed in every conversation and decision, in both spoken and unspoken interactions. It is evident in how leaders listen, think, communicate, share information, make decisions, and engage with those around them.

To create a workplace where everyone can flourish, all leaders, especially those in senior positions, must make an effort to change the system itself by practicing inclusive leadership. They must intentionally shape work setups, processes, policies, and the culture to create an inclusive mindset. They must ground their actions in the deep belief that everyone, regardless of gender, deserves to thrive at work.

If the women in our programs are going to make inclusive leadership a habit once they’re managers, they must cultivate three attributes. First, they must develop an awareness of their own , explains Sarah Horn, ESMT’s program director of executive education. They must understand how their identities influence their principles, behaviors, and decisions. This awareness enables them to step into others’ shoes, embrace diverse perspectives, and make more empathetic, informed choices.

Second, they must develop the capacity and skills to engage in difficult conversations, model inclusive behaviors, and create space for all voices, even when doing so is uncomfortable.

If women are going to make inclusive leadership a habit once they’re managers, they must cultivate awareness, capacity, and discipline.

Finally, they must have the discipline to seek consistent feedback, assess psychological safety, gather input on belonging, and build trust across the organization.

At ESMT Berlin, we believe these three attributes are so crucial that they will form the foundation of our upcoming , which launches in May 2025. We also believe that, when managers exhibit inclusive leadership, they will contribute to systemic change.

A Call to Action

If business schools want to ensure that women thrive in the workplace, we must move beyond individual development programs. We must commit to a holistic approach that integrates strategies for the Self, the Network, and the System. Like ESMT, business schools worldwide can empower the next generation of women leaders by taking some of these actions:

Broaden leadership perspectives. Conduct research and facilitate discussions that highlight the diverse, adaptive mindsets essential for navigating today’s complex environments. Emphasize how traditionally feminine strengths such as empathy and collaboration enhance modern leadership.

Create reflective and supportive spaces. Offer coaching and mentorship opportunities that allow women to explore their strengths and identify their limiting beliefs. These sessions will foster both self-awareness and collective insight. Complement cognitive confidence with embodied practices to build authentic, grounded leadership.

Facilitate strategic networking opportunities. Address barriers to networking by providing structured frameworks and guidance on building professional relationships. Develop cross-institutional partnerships that expand access to diverse resources and insights.

Prioritize inclusive leadership training. Equip leaders with the tools they need to foster psychological safety, seek feedback on inclusivity, and champion diverse perspectives. Highlight the link between inclusive cultures and organizational success, so that leaders are inspired to make inclusion a core operational value.

By making these changes, business schools help shape workplaces where women truly thrive at work.