Women today are at the forefront of major breakthroughs across industries. They no longer shy away from leadership roles, nor are they perceived as exceptions in such positions. Women in leadership are increasingly accepted, respected, and recognized for their competence. Through my own experiences, I have had the privilege of interacting with some remarkable women leaders who have deeply shaped my understanding of what effective leadership truly looks like.
Research often highlights that women leaders bring a nurturing and empathetic approach to leadership. They tend to be supportive, emotionally intelligent, and naturally inclined towards uplifting their teams. Many women leaders are also willing to take calculated risks hopeful of success, yet resilient enough to prepare for failure. They believe in learning from setbacks and returning stronger, rather than being defined by them.
Even today, we see women who lead organizations effectively while also managing responsibilities at home. Many have learned to balance both roles with grace and strength. Over the years, the perception of women leaders has evolved significantly. Leadership traits such as decisiveness, risk-taking, and authority once stereotypically associated with men are now equally attributed to women. Increasingly, merit takes precedence over gender when it comes to promotions and leadership opportunities.
However, this progress has not been without its challenges. In earlier times, the “glass cliff” phenomenon was quite common where women were appointed to leadership roles during times of crisis or when failure seemed inevitable. If the team succeeded, the woman leader was praised for her compassion; if it failed, the outcome was often rationalized or excused because a woman was at the helm. In some cases, women were chosen with the expectation that they would at least provide emotional support to the team if success was unattainable. While opportunities existed, they often came with disproportionate risk.
Indra Nooyi – Indian-American Business professional and former CEO of Pepsico, once poignantly mentioned in one of her interviews that when women reach the peak of their careers, they are often pulled back by increasing household responsibilities caring for ageing parents, in-laws, and growing children. This reality continues to resonate deeply. Even today, societal expectations place a heavier burden on women when it comes to caregiving and household responsibilities.
I continue to encounter households where both partners earn equally, yet domestic responsibilities disproportionately fall on the woman. Despite being educated, financially independent, and professionally successful, women are still judged for not dedicating “enough” time to their families. Child-rearing and value-building are instinctively viewed as a mother’s responsibility, while men often continue to enjoy the privilege of selective participation.
I strongly believe that a woman is most likely to thrive as a leader when she has a supportive family one that does not diminish her worth for not conforming to traditional roles. Constant reminders of what she is not doing at home can quietly erode her confidence. True empowerment begins when a woman is allowed to pursue her ambitions without guilt or judgement.
Often, when a woman excels both at work and at home, she is glorified as the “perfect woman.” Yet, we rarely pause to ask her whether she is truly happy. In the process of managing everything and everyone, many women lose touch with their own identities. Society readily accepts ambition in men but still struggles to embrace ambition in women. A man is allowed to rest after work; a woman is expected to serve first and rest later. This imbalance is deeply unfair.
A woman should be free to choose her path whether she wants to work, lead, build a business, or be a homemaker. The key lies in choice. Families must offer women the same support they readily extend to men. As a society, we also need to stop glorifying the silent overwork of women at home. Working women put in 8–10 hours at their workplace and continue with household responsibilities before and after work. Instead of romanticizing this exhaustion, we should normalize sharing responsibilities.
When we speak about women leaders, conversations naturally drift towards their roles within their families. This rarely happens when we speak of male leaders. Even accomplished women often feel compelled to emphasize their success at home alongside their professional achievements. This deep-rooted conditioning frequently leads women to experience guilt for aspiring to grow professionally.
However, the next generation of women is thinking differently. They are clearer about their aspirations and less willing to crumble under societal pressure. Women today are founding startups, leading organizations, investing, excelling in sports, and breaking barriers across domains. Indian women in sports, in particular, have created powerful legacies, paving the way for future generations through sheer commitment, discipline, and excellence.
There is no field untouched by women. Recently, at a seafarers’ conference, I met a young female seafarer whose grit and passion left a lasting impression on me. In a profession where women are still underrepresented, her determination to carve a space for herself was both inspiring and humbling.
While we have educated the girls in our society, an important question remains have we truly made them independent? More importantly, have we prepared society to accept independent women? Is society ready to take responsibility for itself without relying on a woman to constantly hold it together?
Before we speak of empowering women, we must first empower the mindset of our society. A society that can genuinely accept, respect, and support its women as leaders not just in words, but in everyday actions.
About the Author
Harshana Uchil Kuveskar is an accomplished academician and Human Resources professional with over a decade of experience in teaching psychology and contributing to the field through research, corporate exposure, and student mentorship. She holds a master’s degree in Industrial Organizational Psychology. She comes with 10 years of teaching experience and has headed the Department of Psychology at Guru Nanak College of Arts, Science and Commerce, Mumbai. She has also worked in HR roles with organizations such as Wipro BPS and Rallis India Ltd. Harshana is a published researcher, having authored papers on workplace attitudes, stress, and mental health awareness.
She is also associated with International Seafarers' Welfare and Assistance Network (ISWAN) as an external trainer to conduct mental wellbeing training for the seafarers and their families.
She is a Licensed Prevention of Sexual Harassment (PoSH) Trainer, accredited by the Center for Human Resource Management and Professional Development (CHRMP).