Redefining Women in Leadership for the New World of Work, a Conversation with Dr. Jessica Conser, Ph.D.

In the wake of profound digital transformation—and at the beginning of another one—the world has seen a shift in traditional leadership roles, boundaries are blurring, and new ways of working are forming. Women at the centre of this change, redefining what it means to be a successful leader in a digital world. In this article, we explore this topic through a conversation with Dr. Jessica Conser, Ph.D. , Global Leadership Development Product & Innovation Lead at LHH.

Opening thoughts from Dr. Jessica Conser, Ph.D.

"This is a moment where all leaders are asked to balance paradoxes, tensions, and extremes: imagination and automation, agility and stability, intuition and data, connection and productivity. All leaders are called upon to harmonize these contrasts to make a bigger impact on themselves, their teams, their families, and the communities in which they work. This call disproportionately impacts women, who, in addition to their professional responsibilities, currently perform 76% of the unpaid caregiving labour around the globe.

I’m a single mom of two. One of my children is neurodivergent. I sometimes find it challenging to harmonize my full-time leadership responsibilities of running a global product and innovation team, helping the children thrive, and finding time for myself. I am nowhere near unusual or alone in this. Women often prioritize their professional and caregiving responsibilities, which leaves very little time for our personal development, growing our networks, or self-care. But just because we’re busier doesn’t mean we don’t find ways to develop when we know there’s real opportunity. We know better than anyone how to get more done with less.

In the last few years, in so many organizations, the value of women in leadership has become more and more clear. What I love to see is that, as more and more companies learn how to demonstrate a sincere intention to have more women leaders—and create real opportunities for them—women from every situation and background are finding ways to create their own paths to leadership."

Q: How are women redefining leadership success in this new world of work? And what are the trends that you are seeing emerge?

Jessica Conser: "Overall, research shows that women are bringing a more multidimensional, human-centric, and purpose-oriented approach to leadership, redefining what success looks like in the process. While these trends are being driven by women, they are shaping new norms of good leadership for everyone.

I see women redefining leadership success through their connections, curiosity, and collaboration. The pandemic caused a large-scale reappraisal of priorities, from overall life goals related to health and family, to ways of working and the use of technology. Some of this new order fell into a “new normal” rhythm post-pandemic, only to be called into question again with inflation and AI. Women are often called upon to constantly reorient themselves, their teams, their families, and their communities to the changing world they live in. Many of them are doing so by seeking support and guidance from their closest network, asking deeper questions that illuminate their needs within the context of the environment they live in, and exploring new ways of working that drive greater impact through collective contributions."

❝The pandemic caused a large-scale reappraisal of priorities, from overall life goals related to health and family, to ways of working and the use of technology. Some of this new order fell into a “new normal” rhythm post-pandemic, only to be called into question again with inflation and AI.❞

Q: Can you share some insights from LHH's research on specific mindsets and behaviours for women in leadership?

Jessica Conser: "What’s most interesting to me is that our research shows that women who have successfully achieved or exceeded their career expectations tend to hold certain mindsets and beliefs about their success.

 Guilt is an important one to talk about. Women often experience guilt when managing the competing priorities of their professional and personal lives, myself included. Women who move past guilt tend to frame the personal sacrifices that leadership demands as a positive contribution to their family, themselves, and their communities. By connecting professional results to caregiving results, many women find a new sense of peace in investing in their professional advancement and fulfilment.

Communication is another. Our research found that women more often go into a passive or tentative form of communication in professional situations, for example by apologizing frequently, or by not speaking up meetings even though they have useful insights or information. Women who are more successful in their career communicate with clarity, purpose, and conviction. This courage and clarity in communication are needed now more than ever as we navigate complex, ambiguous changes across our organizations. When it comes to bringing this to life, the thoughts of Brené Brown often come to mind: Being clear is being kind; being unclear—in your expectations, needs, or objectives—is unkind. This is a really natural lens women can use to lean into a more successful communication style: clarity is kind. Be clear."

Q: How can companies encourage and empower women to define their own leadership journeys, regardless of societal expectations and external pressures?

Jessica Conser: "In these conversations we can get caught up trying to “deliver” women into these positions as though they can’t get there on their own. But women rising to the occasion hasn’t been the issue. The presence of real opportunity was. Companies can say anything they like about wanting women in leadership. But it’s only talk unless there is a material appreciation of women’s unique contributions that are then rewarded with promotions into leadership. Once it’s true that there are places for women in leadership, women will create their own paths. Count on it.

But in a company where this is a few steps from being a reality, the first step is to set and enforce some norms. These are practical as much as cultural—a lot of it comes down to how we run meetings. What we assume and who we ask. Ensuring women's voices are sought out, heard, and valued is the first step.

 And there are plenty of ways to facilitate getting more women being interested and empowered to pursue leadership. Provide mentorship and sponsorship opportunities. Connect women with experienced leaders who can offer guidance and advocacy. Highlight successful women leaders as role models and engage male leadership allies in challenging gender stereotypes and advocating for women's advancement. 

Offering leadership development programs tailored to women's experiences is also helpful. These programs can encourage women to value their unique strengths and perspectives, while challenging limiting beliefs and boosting confidence to help them rise above social conditioning that has made so many women hesitate to pursue leadership.

But what’s even more important is celebrating diverse leadership styles and recognizing that there is no single mold for what a leader looks like. Examine promotion and evaluation practices for gender biases. And other biases, too, while you’re at it. 

Ultimately, creating an ecosystem of support where women feel seen, valued, and empowered to step into leadership in their own authentic way requires a multi-pronged approach. This includes developing women's capabilities, shifting organizational practices, and evolving the overall culture to be more inclusive, allowing women to bring their whole selves to their leadership journey and truly thrive." 

❝Each company needs to create policies and processes to underline the need, clear the way, and support efforts to build a strong sense of community. But it's the people within that organization that actually create a culture of belonging, make it work, and evolve it over time.❞

Q: How can companies foster a strong sense of community and belonging for women leaders?

Jessica Conser: "Each company needs to create policies and processes to underline the need, clear the way, and support efforts to build a strong sense of community. But it's the people within that organization that actually create a culture of belonging, make it work, and evolve it over time. There are a number of indicators of strong inclusive cultures that extend beyond the DEI metrics, such as:

• Leaders at all levels creating a psychologically safe space where open and honest dialogue promotes a greater understanding of the individual differences and needs that exist. This is where a sense of community starts.
• An active presence of affinity groups that identify, attract, and develop women who want to be leaders—and interest more women in leadership in the first place!
• Transparency of open roles, stretch assignments, or strategic projects that enable women to contribute in a broader capacity and step into more responsibility.
• Flexible working arrangements for the unique circumstances of employees and the needs of the business.
• Active mentoring and coaching programs for women at all levels of the organization."

Q: Speaking of mentoring, what role can mentorship and sponsorship programs play in supporting and advancing women leaders' careers?

Jessica Conser: "Mentorship and sponsorship programs can play a big role. Women like to connect, discuss our experiences, and learn from others. And post-pandemic, even women who usually prefer to do it all alone or tend to feel guilty investing more time in their careers are increasingly drawn to seek or build a professional community they can contribute to and find strength in. Having a structured mentorship and/or sponsorship program creates opportunities for further dialogue, contribution, and development. It creates an adaptive community that allows women to progress throughout the course of their careers, whether they want to step in, step up, step over, or step out." 

❝So much of a leader’s impact comes from being intentional about who you connect with. Understand your network relative to where you want to go. Do a network analysis—with your goals in mind, not just generally speaking. To get your lists done, who are the key sponsors, advisors, influencers, and stakeholders? Where are the gaps?❞

Q: What are some of the practical tips that you would have for women leaders to build meaningful connections and networks with other leaders?

Jessica Conser: "So much of a leader’s impact comes from being intentional about who you connect with. Understand your network relative to where you want to go. Do a network analysis—with your goals in mind, not just generally speaking. To get your lists done, who are the key sponsors, advisors, influencers, and stakeholders? Where are the gaps?

Once you figure out who you need to start connecting with, or connecting more frequently, or more deeply, then you can reach out and connect with them. The more that you can connect to their business strategy or business goals, the easier the conversation's going to become because it shifts the focus away from you and onto them. This is good advice for anyone, but for women in particular it diffuses the need to talk about yourself; research shows that a lot of women don't like to appear self-promotional or pushing for their own agendas. So, by exploring network conversations from a curious perspective, learn about others’ business goals or objectives for the next 6-12 months, can be a really nice way to frame the conversation and uncover how you can influence and collaborate."

❝...if you can feel it, then you can believe it, and that belief is the foundation creating a new reality. If you connect to your intentions, you can achieve what you set out to.❞

Q: Is there anything practical you can share from LHH's Elevating Women in Leadership Program that someone who's interested in progressing as a leader can do right now to explore their own potential as a leader?

Jessica Conser: "We ask program participants to ask themselves an important question: “What's possible for you?” We ask them to step back and think about what's possible and to keep that top of mind. To keep coming back to it to make sure that it's coming from a place of true intention and connected to your heart. And we do this because if you can feel it, then you can believe it, and that belief is the foundation creating a new reality. If you connect to your intentions, you can achieve what you set out to. So what’s possible? Really possible. Not based on a self-limiting belief. By stepping back and exploring this question with genuine intention and heart-centred reflection, women can tap into their unique leadership potential and chart a course for meaningful growth. Regular self-assessment, feedback from people you trust, and purposeful goal-setting are key to this journey of self-discovery. When women connect deeply with their aspirations and believe in their own possibilities, they lay the foundation for transforming their leadership goals into reality and making a lasting impact on their organizations and communities."

. . .

As our conversation shows, women leaders are displaying incredible resilience, adaptability, and heart in the era of AI transformation. They are not merely navigating change but driving it, redefining success and forging new paths to achieve it.

Today's women leaders are masters of paradox, harmonizing the demands of work, family, and self and refusing to compromise on what matters most. They weave together technical skill, empathy, curiosity, and courage to create a tapestry of leadership that is more vibrant, inclusive, and impactful than ever before.

However, this transformation cannot be achieved by women alone. Organizations must actively create the conditions for women leaders to thrive by reshaping cultures, norms, and expectations to celebrate and elevate diverse leadership styles. When companies embrace this shift and support this development, they unlock the full potential of their talent and tap into a new current of innovation and growth.

The time for women to redefine leadership is now, and the opportunity is limitless. As more women claim their power and believe fiercely in the unique value they bring, they will continue to drive transformative impact across industries and communities. The future of leadership is being shaped by the bold vision and unrelenting spirit of women forging their own paths and definitions of success.

If you’d like to learn more about our Women in Leadership program or leadership development offerings, please visit: LHH Leadership and Team Development

If you’d like to speak to one of our team about your business’s leadership development needs, please visit: Contact LHH