Leading Change: How Women Uniquely Drive Transformation in Organizations

Why does so much organizational change fail—and why do women often excel when it comes to leading transformation?

In this episode, we’ll unpack:

• The unique strengths women bring to driving change (collaboration, empathy, resilience).
• The headwinds women face—like double standards, invisible work, and lack of sponsorship.
• Real-world stories of leaders like Mary Barra (GM), Anne Mulcahy (Xerox), and Jane Fraser (Citi) who led bold transformations.
• Practical tools you can use right now—listening tours, inclusive decision-making, quick wins, and more.

If you’re carrying a change agenda—big or small—this episode will give you both encouragement and a practical playbook.

Transcript

Today’s topic is a big one: Leading Change. Why is it so hard? Why do so many change efforts stall out, and why do women so often rise to the occasion when the assignment is “transformation”?

Here’s the deal: we know change is tough. We’ve all lived through the “new system rollout” that fizzled, or the “big strategy shift” that never really landed. But here’s what I’ve seen time and again—when women step into leading change, they bring something powerful. Not just process. Not just vision. They bring people with them. And that’s what makes change actually stick.

So here’s what we’re going to cover today:

• First, the natural strengths many women bring to change leadership.
  
  
  
• Second, the obstacles they face when driving transformation.
  
  
  
• Third, some real-world stories of women who’ve led big change.
  
  
  
• And last, practical tools you can use if you’re carrying a change agenda right now.
  
  
  

Sound good? Let’s dive in.

Segment 1: The Strengths Women Bring

When we talk about transformation, it’s not about rearranging org charts or handing out new strategy binders. Change succeeds—or fails—based on people. Do people believe in it? Do they adopt it? Do they see themselves in the future you’re describing?

That’s where women so often shine.

One of the first strengths I see is collaboration. Many women leaders naturally lean into “we” language. They ask questions, they invite voices into the room, they make people feel part of the story. And when people feel part of it, they’re a lot more likely to own it.

The second is empathy. Think about it—when change is announced, most people’s first reaction isn’t excitement. It’s fear. “What does this mean for me? Will my role change? Am I going to lose influence? Is my workload about to double?” Leaders who pause long enough to hear those concerns, to name them out loud, and to care about them—those are the ones who help people cross the bridge.

The third is resilience. Change is never smooth. There are setbacks, delays, critics, skeptics. Leaders who can stay steady, even when things wobble, give everyone else permission to keep going.

So when you combine collaboration, empathy, and resilience—you get a style of change leadership that feels less like being dragged and more like being invited.

Segment 2: The Obstacles Women Face

But let’s be honest—it’s not all smooth sailing. Women often face extra headwinds when they lead transformation.

There’s the classic double standard. Push too hard and you’re labeled aggressive. Take a more collaborative approach and someone calls you soft. It’s a no-win at times.

There’s also the problem of invisible work. Think about all the behind-the-scenes things that make change possible—mentoring, smoothing conflicts between teams, making sure communication doesn’t break down. Those things rarely show up in a quarterly report, but they’re absolutely critical. And too often, women are doing that heavy lifting without it being recognized.

Then there’s representation pressure. If you’re the only woman in the room, you know what that feels like. Every word carries extra weight. Every decision feels like you’re not just speaking for yourself, but for everyone who looks like you. That pressure can make change even heavier.

And finally, lack of sponsorship. Change leaders need champions—senior voices who clear roadblocks and fund resources. Too many women leaders still find themselves with lots of mentors giving advice but not enough sponsors fighting for their initiatives.

So yes—women bring unique strengths to change leadership, but they often do it against tougher odds.

Segment 3: Stories of Women Leading Change

Now let’s make this real.

Mary Barra at GM. She stepped into the CEO role just as GM was in crisis. Recalls, lawsuits, credibility on the line. Not only did she steer through the crisis, she doubled down on the future—boldly declaring GM would go “all-electric.” That’s not just an operational shift—that’s a cultural one. It takes resilience to keep championing the future when critics are loud, and it takes empathy to carry thousands of employees through that shift.

Anne Mulcahy at Xerox. When she became CEO, the company was nearly bankrupt. She could’ve played it safe—sold off divisions, trimmed down. Instead, she rebuilt trust. She listened, she leveled with employees and customers, she made the tough calls. Within a few years, Xerox was back in the black. It’s a reminder: change doesn’t require a miracle. It requires honesty, courage, and bringing people with you.

Jane Fraser at Citigroup. She took on the task of radically simplifying one of the most complex banks in the world. Layers of management, sprawling businesses across dozens of countries. She started cutting through that complexity, exiting some markets, flattening the structure. That kind of change isn’t glamorous—it’s hard, messy, disruptive. But she framed it as essential, and she kept people focused on the long game.

What I love about all these stories is that they’re not about being the loudest or the flashiest. They’re about leading change in a way that’s steady, people-focused, and bold.

Segment 4: Tools for Leading Change

Now let’s bring this down to earth. Maybe you’re leading a transformation in your company right now—or even in your family, your community, your own life. What are some tools you can use?

Tool #1: Run a Listening Tour.
 Before you roll out a big plan, spend a few weeks listening. Ask people what’s working, what’s broken, what they’d change first if they were in charge. And then, here’s the kicker—circle back and tell them what you heard. Even if you can’t fix everything, people feel respected when their input is acknowledged.

Tool #2: Make Decision-Making Inclusive.
 That doesn’t mean every decision gets voted on. It means you’re intentional about pulling in the right voices early. A diverse team sees risks you won’t. They’ll also spread the message faster because they feel ownership.

Tool #3: Celebrate Quick Wins.
 Nothing builds belief like proof. Find something you can fix in 30 days that makes people’s lives easier. Announce it, celebrate it, show that change is real. Quick wins create momentum for the bigger lifts.

Tool #4: Build Air Cover.
 Don’t try to do it alone. Make sure you’ve got at least one senior leader championing your work and clearing roadblocks. And don’t be shy about asking for it—you need that cover to protect the change and the people doing the heavy lifting.

Tool #5: Measure Adoption, Not Just Activity.
 Don’t just track how many meetings you held or emails you sent. Track whether people are actually living differently. Are they using the new process? Are they acting on the new priorities? That’s the metric that matters.

Segment 5: Pulling It Together

So here’s the big picture:

• Change is hard. Most attempts stumble because people don’t buy in.
  
  
  
• Women often bring the exact strengths needed—collaboration, empathy, resilience—to make change stick.
  
  
  
• But women also face extra headwinds—double standards, invisible work, pressure, lack of sponsorship.
  
  
  
• Real leaders like Mary Barra, Anne Mulcahy, and Jane Fraser show us that transformation is possible, and it’s not about being flashy—it’s about being steady, honest, and bold.
  
  
  
• And for you? Start with listening, build inclusion, land quick wins, secure air cover, and measure adoption.
  
  
  

The key idea I want to leave you with is this: transformation sticks when competence and relational leadership come together. It’s not just about the strategy. It’s about the people. And when you bring people with you, change doesn’t just happen—it lasts.

Thanks for hanging out with me today. If this episode encouraged you—or gave you some practical tools—share it with someone else who’s leading change right now. Trust me, they’ll appreciate it.

And if you want to dive deeper, connect with me—I’d love to help you apply these tools in your own leadership journey.

Until next time, remember: you don’t have to choose between competence and connection. Bring both, and you’ll build change that actually sticks.