From Quiet Strength to Confident Voice: Common Shifts We’ve Seen in Women Leaders
August 28, 2025
Over the years, we’ve had the privilege of running Development Centres (DCs) for hundreds of women leaders across diverse industries as part of our Women’s Leadership Development programs. While every participant brings her own story, aspirations, and challenges, certain patterns have emerged consistently.
This blog draws on feedback gathered across multiple clients and years — capturing what women leaders were already doing well, where they most often needed to focus, and the most significant shifts we’ve observed post-program.
The Strengths They Already Brought to the Table
One of the biggest myths about women in leadership is that they lack confidence. In reality, we’ve consistently seen strong self-assurance — not just in what they do, but in how authentically they show up.
Before the programs, many were:
- Authentic in their sharing — speaking from personal conviction and values.
- Clear about broad career direction — even if the specifics needed refinement.
- Willing to take feedback — often with a genuine openness to introspect.
- Committed to their teams and stakeholders — showing empathy and ownership.
Confidence wasn’t always the missing piece. Instead, it was about channelling that confidence with clarity, impact, and strategic intent.
The Most Common Development Needs
Across clients, the following themes emerged as the top growth areas before the programs:
- Letting go of guilt and self-criticism — moving past the mental loop of “I should have done more/better.”
- Impactful communication — expressing views concisely, avoiding fillers, and holding audience attention.
- Assertiveness — stating their viewpoint, saying “no” when needed, and handling conflict with poise.
- Asking for what they want — career aspirations, resources, opportunities — clearly and specifically.
- Articulating a vision — for themselves and their teams.
- Networking strategically — building visibility with leaders beyond immediate circles.
The Shifts We Saw Post-Program
The changes were not just in skills, but in mindset, in the invisible self-talk that drives behaviour.
Breaking Free from Limiting Beliefs
A consistent, powerful shift was the ability to identify and replace self-limiting beliefs.
| Before: “I need to have all the information before I start.” |
| After: “I can gather data along the way.” |
| Before: “I must handle everything myself.” |
| After: “I can delegate.” |
Participants began giving themselves permissions they had never consciously voiced before:
“It is ok to prioritise time for myself.”
“It is ok to ask for help.”
“It is ok to express my thoughts.”
2. Stronger Presence and Leadership Impact
From confident body language to sharper, more engaging communication, leaders began showing up with greater presence — whether in person or virtually.
- Using specifics and data to strengthen their point of view.
- Responding confidently to criticism or resistance.
- Holding the room (or screen) with a calm, steady presence.
3. Career Clarity and Proactive Ownership
Career clarity jumped significantly — in one program, from 53% to 82% of participants. Women began:
- Asking for opportunities aligned to their aspirations.
- Opening up career discussions with their leaders.
- Building a personal brand based on strengths and values.
4. Saying ‘No’ Without Guilt
Perhaps one of the most liberating skills — the ability to set boundaries firmly, without over apologising or over-explaining.
While this remains a work in progress for many, those who embraced it reported more focus, better time allocation, and a sense of agency.
5. Handling Conflict with Composure
Using frameworks like the Drama Triangle helped participants step out of unhelpful “victim”, “rescuer”, or “persecutor” roles and adopt a neutral, constructive stance.
Some mastered the use of “I” statements to express concerns without triggering defensiveness in others.
What Still Needs Work
While the progress was remarkable, some areas remain consistent growth opportunities:
- Asking open-ended questions, especially in conflict situations.
- Avoiding over-explanation or tangential details when making a point.
- Strengthening the ability to say ‘no’ without sugarcoating.
- Using more engaging, audience-friendly presentation techniques.
In Their Own Words
Hearing participants articulate their growth in their own words brings these shifts to life:
| “I have overcome the fear of speaking in front of stakeholders. It’s ok not to be perfect.” |
| “Earlier, I thought asking for help would make me seem incapable. Now I know it’s ok to ask.” |
| “I used to get anxious in difficult situations. Now I see that anything can be handled if I stay calm.” |
The Bigger Picture
These transformations go beyond individual careers. When women leaders let go of guilt, speak with impact, and take ownership of their growth, they not only advance their own journeys, they inspire those around them.
For organisations, the takeaway is clear:
- Development isn’t just about teaching skills; it’s about shifting beliefs.
- Programs must create safe spaces for women to experiment, speak up, and reframe old narratives.
- The return on investment isn’t just in promotions or performance scores — it’s in the ripple effect of confident, authentic leadership across the organisation.
In the end, the most common shift we’ve seen is this: women leaders moving from “I should…” to “I choose to.”
And that choice changes everything.
Women’s Leadership Development is a topic that all of us at Navgati are passionate about – we believe that the world needs more women in leadership roles and over the years, we have designed a range of creative learning interventions focused on helping women become as potent as they could be.
You may be wondering why this special focus on women – don’t all leaders need to focus on personal growth? Absolutely they do but the reality is that women face a unique set of external and internal challenges. External challenges like unconscious bias, social conditioning and gender role expectations; internal challenges like discomfort with ambition; talking about their work; focusing overly on their jobs vs their careers…
If you’d like to discuss more on how we can support you design and deliver an impactful leadership development program for your women leaders, do write to us at deepa@navgati.in