Despite the fact that the U.S. Latino GDP would rank as the fifth-largest economy globally, Latinas still face the steepest climb up the U.S. corporate ladder in 2025, hindered by systemic bias, cultural taxation, and lack of meaningful support.
Amidst a disconnect between the growing economic impact of Latinas and their stalled advancement in corporate leadership, we highlight the culturally grounded and self-empowering strategies that Latinas can take to rewrite the narrative that corporate culture is lagging to recast.
Latino GDP in the U.S. Is an Economic Force
The Latino population is a force within the U.S. economy that isn’t slowing down anytime soon. According to the 2025 U.S. Latino GDP Report, Latino economic output in 2023 was $4.1 trillion.
Were it a country, the U.S. Latino GDP would rank as the fifth largest GDP worldwide, growing 2.7 times faster than non-Latino GDP in the U.S.
From 2010 to 2013, Latino real consumption also grew 2.9 times faster than non-Latinos, proving to be a real economic engine.
Latinas are also the fastest growing group of entrepreneurs, starting businesses at six times the rate of other groups.
The Steepest Climb Up the Leadership Ladder
Latina’s face “the steepest climb up the corporate ladder” according to The State of Latinas in Corporate America 2024 report by Lean In, based upon 2019 to 2023 data.
Latinas are the most underrepresented of any group at entry level jobs (5% vs 9% of general population) and have the greatest drops (78%) in representation on the way to the C-Suite.
Only 1% of C-suite executive positions in Corporate America are held by Latinas. The data showed two broken rungs on the pipeline ladder: one is at the initial promotion to manager and the other at promotion to VP.
Despite the barriers, Latinas continue to demonstrate the ambition and talent for leadership. Latinas are more likely (71%) than the average woman (63%) to be interested in becoming leaders and to indicate it’s increasingly important to them.
Professional Neglect: A Retention Issue
In her research among Latina leaders, Dr. Zaibis Muñoz-Isme, of American University, explores aspects of “professional neglect” for Latinas in leadership—a phrase shared in conversation by Dr. Sofia Pertuz, workplace cultural strategist.
- Tokenistic inclusion – representing diversity at the table without meaningful support or inclusion in decision-making processes
- Cultural taxation – the burden of being positioned as the lone representative of an entire group
- Lack of mentorship/sponsorship – navigating leadership without the support networks, advocates and guidance that peers have access to
- Dismissal of expertise – having ideas dismissed or co-opted by individuals who lack the lived experience informing them
- Micro aggressions and bias – subtle forms of discrimination that undermine belonging and confidence
Indeed, the Lean In report showed that Latinas do not feel as supported as peers in the corporate world—neither by managers or peers. They are less likely than overall women to report managers ensure they get credit for their work or show interest in their career advancement. And less likely to say that senior colleagues praise their accomplishments or advocate for compensation raises.
Muñoz-Isme also found that Latinas in leadership roles were not as supportive of other junior Latina women as she expected, perhaps due to Queen Bee syndrome. When the culture is not inherently and structurally supportive, it creates strain on those Latina leaders who do manage to break through.
Belonging and Flexibility Matter
Lean In shares that 37% of Latina women report having the “only experience—being the only person of their group identity in a room, compared to 13% of all women. Compared to overall women, these Latina “only’s” are twice as likely to hear insults towards their culture (15% vs 7%), twice as likely to feel they are expected to speak on behalf of their cultural identity (20% vs 9%), and nearly three times as likely to deal with other’s comments on their language skills (21% vs 8%).
Experiencing these micro aggressions more than doubles the odds of feeling burnt out, feeling unable to advance as well as others, and considering leaving the company for a different work culture.
Additionally, while many Latinas remain highly committed to work and community, they do not feel they have the flexibility they need to balance their diverse commitments.
Six in ten Latinas feel pressure towards both family obligations and to succeed at work. According to Lean In, Latinas reported being less able to work remotely, set their own hours, step away from work, or take family time off compared to women overall.
As written by Nathalie Darras in Hispanic Executive, motherhood and professional work are often seen by many Latinas as two divergent paths, a dichotomy that need not exist, but results from the lack of support to balance out life.
Four Self-Empowering Actions for Latina Leaders
With the force that the Latinx population represent in the U.S. economy, it’s inevitable that Latinx leaders will change the composition of leadership, but changing the character depends upon authenticity.
Each Latina leader who brings her whole self to the workplace is going to help drive that change, because it’s people who hold the power to change culture and call organizations to a greater collective accountability.
1) Carve a self-directed career path.
Muñoz-Isme recommends that Latinas embrace a self-directed career path and take initiative in their own goals and advancement wherever possible, leveraging cultural assets.
Latinas can own their relational strengths in finding mentors and sponsors, seeking out allies, and putting your name in for opportunities. Being self-directed also means advocating for yourself, despite cultural resistance around self-promotion, leveraging existing networks of support and building new ones, as well as defining your terms of success.
It’s also important to discern your capacity to thrive in different environments, because not all work cultures are cultivated equally.
As Johanna Diaz, Global Head of Alternatives Product Strategy at Goldman Sachs, recently told us, “In facing challenges or change, I always go back to the questions: Am I in the right place? Am I surrounded by the right people? Am I learning? Am I growing?”
2) Be aware of and leverage cultural scripts and drivers.
For many Latinas, internalized cultural drivers shape behavior and decisions, often in ways that go against the grain of what is being rewarded in corporate culture. Some of these drivers are:
- familismo: the importance of close and extended family relationships as guiding parameter for decision-making
- marianismo: gender beliefs in which women are expected to be selfless, self-sacrificing, and nurturing
- personalismo: creating personal and meaningful relationships
- colectivismo: the importance of belonging to a group and recognizing the needs of that group
- respeto: respect granted to others because of formal authority, age, or social power, without questioning
- simpatía: promoting pleasant interactions and positive relationships, while avoiding conflict and disharmony
Embracing culturally relevant leadership means becoming aware of how these drivers influence you, as well as how they can be leveraged as assets within your leadership.
For example, Latinas must challenge the inhibiting influence of respeto and marianismo when it comes to sharing their voices and perspectives. Equally, they can leverage personalismo and colectivismo in building influence through collaboration and strong relationships.
Leveraging the strengths of cultural scripts can help Latina leaders to foster cultural pride, leadership skills, and empowerment.
3) Stay authentic.
Many Latinas have reported checking aspects of self at the door in order to fit into corporate cultural norms. But as the composition of the workforce and leadership changes, slowly and inevitably, so will culture. People ultimately create and influence culture.
While it requires courage and true resilience for Latinas to move in authenticity within a corporate context designed on different values, nothing will compromise your vitality and wellbeing more than contorting your authentic self while trying to fit in.
True belonging hinges on authenticity. It’s important that Latinas let themselves be felt in the workplace and in leadership, so that eventually, the corporate environment responds.
4) Leverage cultural wealth.
Latinas can flip the narrative by owning their cultural wealth: “an array of knowledge, skills, strengths and experiences that are learned and shared by people of color and marginalized groups; the values and behaviors that are nurtured through culture work together to create a way of knowing and being.”
Six forms of community cultural wealth, outlined by Dr. Tara J. Yosso, that Latinas can leverage in leadership include:
- aspirational: the ability to sustain and work towards a vision for the future amidst both real and perceived barriers
- navigational: the ability to maneuver through systems and contexts not historically designed to support you
- social: the ability to leverage community resource and connections in building a network of support
- linguistic: the sum intellectual, social and communication skills obtained through multicultural history, bilingual or multilingual capacity, and experiences
- familial: the cultural knowledge and nuance obtained from family and community experiences
- resistant: the cultural legacy of challenging inequalities and the status quo, and ability to resist stereotypes
Despite structural barriers, cultural bias, and underrepresentation, Latinas are ready to lead and are leading.
By embracing cultural strengths, carving self-directed paths, and showing up authentically. The future of leadership will be shaped not just by who gets a seat at the table, but by how leaders redefine the table itself. Latinas have the vision and the voice to lead in ways that are authentic, inclusive, and transformative.
It is no longer a question of if Latinas will lead, but when. And with every step upward, they expand the definition of leadership for everyone.
By: Aimee Hansen. Alongside years of writing on leadership, Aimee Hansen is the founder of Storyteller Within and leads the Journey Into Sacred Expression women’s retreat on Lake Atitlan, Guatemala. Follow her at thestorytellerwithin.com, on instagram, and via Linked In.
Op-Ed: From Imposter to Expert – My Five Steps To Finally Gaining Confidence as a Leader
Career Advice, Career Tip of the Week!For some, those feelings subside as you gradually gain confidence through experience. But for others, it can incessantly linger with no end in sight, clouding every accomplishment.
I was at a VC event in Miami while building my second start-up. The event was held in a club, and due to the VC’s pedigree, most attendees were male. The firm hosting the event hired models to walk around as eye candy to make the event feel “cooler” to the male founders.
I know this may seem hard to believe, but this was only three years ago, in 2022. I acted like I was supposed to be there, even though I didn’t feel like I was.
My inner CEO was trying to crawl into the corner and wait for the perfect time to exit, but she has goals to achieve and won’t reach them by sitting in the corner and leaving early.
Understanding Imposter Syndrome
Imposter syndrome is when we feel anxious and can’t experience success internally, despite being high performing in objective ways. This condition often results in people feeling like “a fraud” or “a phony” and doubting their abilities. With imposter syndrome, inadequacy and competence are symbiotic. You attribute external success to things like circumstance or luck.
Limiting beliefs are intertwined with self-worth. Our programming is a culmination of things that have happened. When you haven’t done the work to understand the stories you’re telling yourself, you will operate daily from their subconscious, the 95% below the surface that we don’t see. (Picture the iceberg)
Five Steps to Increase Confidence
It can be frustrating to watch others take bold leaps of faith while you feel stuck on the sidelines, second-guessing every move. But contrary to popular belief, confidence is not something everyone is just born with, but a skill that you can build up with time. Here are five steps to start building that muscle:
Step 1: Pattern Recognition – The first step is recognizing patterns, loops, or mud that you find yourself often walking through. Create a note in your phone titled “Stories vs. Facts.” Whenever you catch yourself in a moment feeling stuck, pause and ask yourself: What Story am I Telling Myself Right Now?
Step 2: Future Casting – Close your eyes and picture that perfect day, and say it out loud as if it’s actually happening now. Sometimes it helps to picture the person you want to emulate in your life. Study them. Use them as your source of inspiration.
Step 3: Fact-finding – Look at the stories you’ve been telling yourself. It’s time to combat the stories with the facts. Think of the concrete examples that balance out your story. Acknowledge black-and-white thinking and add some gray to the mix.
Step 4: Reframe & Action Plan – Reframing is a powerful tool that examines a situation, thought, or feeling from a different perspective. In changing the framing, we change its meaning. Now that you have the facts, you can reframe your situation and add an action plan.
Step 5: Repetition Increasing – Confidence takes time and practice. You can’t expect to start playing the game of life at an expert level immediately, but these five steps will give you the practice you need to master the skills that will get you to where you want to go.
Taking Control of Your Career
In my first job out of college, my boss sat me down and told me a harsh fact: no one is ever going to look out for my career; that’s my job. “My work will speak for itself,” or that “If I just work harder, they will notice me.” That’s BS. No one can read your mind, and no one can see all the work you are doing.
I created a tool called “Managing Up Mondays,” where I send an email every Monday to the people who are in charge of my fate within my company or career. The format is simple:
Hey [Manager]! I wanted to start a weekly “what’s on my plate” email to help with three things. 1. Give line of sight into my priorities. 2. Get ahead of misalignment/strategy shifts. 3. Share any roadblocks or answers I may need from you to move faster. I also wanted to highlight a few wins from the week prior.
—–
When you take your career into your own hands, you will notice how much “luckier” you become. Fake feelings can lead to actual feelings. Fake confidence can lead to real confidence. Just don’t fake knowledge, experience, and connections. Those are for you to collect along the way.
Adapted from “Toxic Grit” by Amanda Goetz
By: Amanda Goetz is a 2x founder, 5x chief marketing officer, and was a single mom to three small children before finding love again. She spent two decades building and growing consumer-facing brands before shifting to writing, teaching, and coaching ambitious working parents on how to balance success and life. She graduated summa cum laude from the University of Illinois and, after hustling the streets of New York City for over a decade, is now testing out every sunscreen in the world on her children in Miami. And this October she released her first book, Toxic Grit.
(Guest Contribution: The opinions and views of guest contributions are not necessarily those of theglasshammer.com)
Nicole Young: Head of CRE Portfolio Management, Wells Fargo
People, Voices of ExperienceYoung is a leader whose passion lies in transformation: unlocking potential in people, teams, and entire organizations. She shares how this mindset has guided her career, from CMBS to consumer lending and back to commercial real estate, where she now leads Wells Fargo’s portfolio management organization.
Building from the Ground Up
With nearly thirty years in commercial real estate at Wells Fargo, Young has navigated multiple facets of the business, from underwriting and origination to credit approval and even workouts during the Global Financial Crisis. Each role sharpened her expertise and resilience, but more importantly, it revealed her talent for building and shaping something from the ground up.
“I was fortunate to be asked to start from scratch and lead our small loan CMBS (Commercial-Backed Mortgage Securities) program, which focused on loans between 1 million and 15 million,” she recalls. “I started the group, structured how it would work, hired the people, developed the process. That was really fulfilling…it’s where I got the taste for building something from the ground up.”
After fifteen years in CMBS, Young made a pivotal decision to move to Wells Fargo’s consumer side, leading underwriting for the home lending group. The transition required scaling her leadership from 20 people to more than 1,700 while transforming the organization to be more efficient and effective. “That was a steep learning curve,” she says. “I had to really learn to lead with data… and understand how standardized processes are critical to making an organization of that size run efficiently and effectively.”
When Kara McShane, Head of Commercial Real Estate, asked her to return five years later to take on a role that demanded both large-scale leadership and efficiency shaped from the start, the decision was an easy one.
“I had always admired Kara’s leadership and knew I would love to work for her. When she contacted me about coming back to CRE, I was thrilled.” She continues, “Wells Fargo had recently consolidated its commercial real estate lines of business, but no one was managing the portfolio as a whole and making sure those businesses were acting and making decisions as one. There was a huge opportunity to create efficiencies through standardization, and I got to build the new Portfolio Management organization from the ground up.”
Today, Young’s group of nearly 400 professionals oversees capital strategy, underwriting, closing, and portfolio management, bringing consistency, efficiency, and risk mitigation across the organization.
“Kara’s vision of bringing those groups together and leading them as one unit has really paid off given that we are rated the #1 Global Real Estate Bond Bookrunner, #1 CMBS, #1 Bank Agency lender, #1 Construction lender, and #1 in Loan Syndications.”
Learning to Lead at Scale
As Young progressed into senior leadership, she quickly realized that success required developing new skills, most notably, learning how to lead at scale and communicate effectively across large, complex organizations. When she transitioned to leading a team of 1,700, she remembers her boss giving her valuable advice that fundamentally shifted her mindset.
“He said, ‘I need you to lead the people, not the work’…it really shifted me from feeling like I needed to be the subject matter expert to recognizing that I’m here to lead the people. They can be the subject matter experts. My job is to guide them, give them the vision, and make sure the organization is moving in the right direction.”
Young notes that another key part of leading at scale is mastering communication in many directions: down to the team, out to the organization, and up to executive leadership.
“With my team that means ensuring they understand the vision, are aligned around the priorities and the mission, and are inspired to do their best work to deliver for our clients. To do that, I spend a lot of time with the team individually and in groups.”
In communicating up and out to executives, regulators, and the board, Young explains, “It’s about taking the complex and making it simple, understanding your audience, and tailoring your message with the right level of detail.” For Young, effective leadership at scale depends on both connecting with her team and translating that insight for the broader organization.
Authenticity and Grit
Young’s experience learning to lead at scale also reinforced a few key traits that have consistently supported her success. Young attributes much of her leadership growth to a willingness to embrace new challenges and learn continuously. “I’ve taken on different roles throughout my career where I didn’t necessarily have deep expertise,” she says, “but I was always willing to dig in and figure it out. That willingness to learn and to tackle hard challenges is important.”
Young also points to authenticity as foundational to her approach. “I don’t put on a façade…I’m direct and frank, which some people like and some may not, but this is the real me. I lead my team that way, and I try to always be honest and transparent.” That straightforward approach, combined with high expectations, has helped her bring out the best in the people she leads. “One of the things I’m most proud of is the team I build and what I can help them achieve.”
Finally, grit and drive are an important part of the mix. “You can’t underestimate the power of hard work,” she notes. “It has served me well throughout my career.”
Believing in Others as They Believed in Her
While Young’s drive, authenticity, and willingness to take on challenges were essential building blocks to her career progression, she is quick to credit the support she received from both Wells Fargo and the people around her. Early on, she balanced career ambitions with family responsibilities, working part-time as a young mother while continuing to excel in her role.
“People saw my potential and believed in me—Wells Fargo believed in me—and were willing to wait until the time was right for me to step into bigger roles…I appreciate that I was given the time and space when I needed it and I try to do the same for my team.”
Now, Young pays that support forward. “When I see someone’s potential, I bring them in, help them develop, and give them a platform to grow. Sometimes that even means helping them move to other parts of the organization where they can expand their skills.”
Bringing Out the Best
The commitment to lifting others up naturally extends into how Young leads her own team. A defining principle of her leadership is written clearly on her whiteboard: What did I do today to make the team better?
“I spend time really trying to figure out what motivates people individually and collectively as at team to bring out the best in them. I give stretch assignments that get them to do more than they think is possible,” she explains. “When they’ve done the work, I make sure they’re the ones presenting it. They deserve the visibility and the access to other leaders.”
That people-first philosophy is both Young’s leadership signature and her source of fulfillment. She finds meaning in seeing her team grow, whether it is employees she once hired fresh out of college who are now thriving across the organization, or former team members who choose to come back and work for her again. “That to me is amazing,” she says. “Seeing people’s success and knowing you had a part in getting them there is truly fulfilling.”
Even after building multiple teams and functions, Young remains motivated by challenge and transformation. “We have a few more years before this group is a completely well-oiled machine… but it’s exciting to see the impact. Ultimately, success isn’t just efficiency—it’s the growth and fulfillment of the people I lead.”
By Jessica Robaire
Op-Ed: Small Moves, Big Life – How to Reclaim Energy and Beat Perfectionism
Career Advice, Career Tip of the Week!It’s not just a mindset – it’s a tax on your time, nergy, and cognitive capacity. It chips away at your ability to delegate, pause, and make clear, strategic decisions. It steals presence and sustainability, replacing them with exhaustion and self-doubt. Burnout runs rampant. Morning Consult even found that half of employed women say they are feeling burnout at work, with younger women most likely to report burnout.
The good news? You don’t need to overhaul your entire life to reclaim clarity and power. You just need to interrupt the pattern. Let’s step out of performance mode and stop chasing balance – instead, let’s move into momentum and into a rhythm that actually supports your leadership.
If you’re a woman in leadership, you’ve likely internalized the need to be both exceptional and approachable, competent and warm, relentless and easy to work with. I’ve lived this pressure myself. When these double standards conflict, perfectionism often becomes the strategy to hold it all together. But it’s a brittle kind of control. Perfectionism doesn’t make you better; it makes you smaller. It narrows your focus to what’s missing or wrong, keeping your nervous system in a state of low-level threat. You don’t need to stop striving. But you do need to create space to lead from your whole self – not just the over-functioning version of you.
Micro-Movement and Breathwork as Cognitive Performance Tools
Your body is your most underutilized leadership asset. Movement and breath aren’t just about fitness – they’re regulation tools that directly impact how you think, lead, and recover.
Even short bursts of movement can sharpen your mind, creating real, impactful change. Physical exercise helps all sorts of issues, including anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem. It can also improve memory, focus, and cognitive flexibility. Breathwork does the same. Short, daily breath practices reduce stress and enhance our moods – and anyone can do it! That’s not about mindfulness as a buzzword; it’s about giving your brain a reset switch.
This isn’t about squeezing in one more thing. It’s about strategic interruption. Small, intentional pauses that pull you out of survival mode and back into presence.
Three Daily Small Moves for Energy and Follow-Through
You don’t need a total lifestyle change. You need easy ways to show up with full energy. You need consistent rituals that ground and energize you, not exhaust you. These three practices are simple, evidence-based, and designed to support you in even the most demanding roles.
1. Start with Breath Before Screens
Give yourself five minutes before opening your inbox, calendar, or Slack. Try box breathing (4-4-4-4) or even just slow, nose-only breathing with your feet on the floor. It’s not about finding peace; it’s about claiming presence. This short ritual sets your brain up for clearer decisions all day long.
2. Use Movement as a Reset, Not a Workout
Instead of planning hour-long gym sessions, insert movement in between meetings, emails, and strategy sessions. Focus on mini workouts – small bites, not the whole pie! A few pliés at your standing desk. Spinal twists before a call. Even a 10-minute walk boosts energy and clarity. You can improve your mood and reduce fatigue without disrupting productivity or even leaving your desk.
3. End the Day with Recovery Rituals
Leadership requires recovery, and a big part of letting our brains and bodies recover is getting quality sleep. Even 10 minutes of downshifting like gentle stretching, breathwork, or a hot bath before bed helps close the stress loop and tell your body it’s safe to rest. Shutting off those screens can’t hurt either! High performance doesn’t come from doing more. It comes from knowing when to pause.
You’ve likely spent years mastering how to be productive. What you may not have practiced is how to feel well while doing it. Instead of pushing harder and harder, try staying connected to your body, your breath, your values, and your energy. Small moves in your day-to-day rhythm can unlock bigger changes than any new planner, time-blocking app, or performance metric ever could. It starts with 30 minutes throughout your day.
By: Andrea Leigh Rogers, celebrity trainer, entrepreneur, and founder of the global fitness brand Xtend Barre. In her new book, Small Moves, Big Life: 7 Daily Practices to Supercharge Your Energy, Productivity, and Happiness (in Just Minutes a Day) (BenBella Books // October 7 2025)
(Guest Contribution: The opinions and views of guest contributions are not necessarily those of theglasshammer.com)
Angela Cruz: Sales Effectiveness Leader, Sales Excellence, Accenture
People, Voices of ExperienceFor Cruz, the work matters, but it is the people, the learning, and the community that make it meaningful. She shares how through every chapter of her journey, authenticity, connection, curiosity, and service are the compass guiding both her growth and her leadership.
From Technical Skills to Personal Alignment
Moving from the Dominican Republic to the United States at fifteen, Cruz faced the dual challenges of learning English and adapting to a new culture, yet she remained optimistic about the possibilities ahead. She started her studies at a community college, the most affordable and accessible option, and explored different paths before settling on electrical engineering. The choice was pragmatic rather than inspired. “It wasn’t a calling,” she reflects. “I wanted to finish college with a career that had a financially stable future, and technical careers were very well paid.”
That practical decision laid the foundation for Cruz’ first professional chapter at AT&T Bell Labs, where she spent 15 years. She describes it as “like what working for Google or Apple is today,” a place defined by PhDs and cutting-edge innovation. “That’s where I grew up professionally,” she says. But just as important, “that’s where I also learned about corporate culture… to get involved in passion projects that contributed to the culture of the team and the company.”
After more than a decade in technical roles, Cruz realized her personality aligned more naturally with business development. Marketing became a bridge into sales, where she discovered the work felt intuitive. “Sales isn’t something you really learn in a university,” she explains. “It was something I evolved to, and it had a lot to do with my personality—my ability to connect people and build relationships, which is the heart of what sales is.”
Cruz’ combination of technical grounding and people-centered skills propelled her into sales leadership across the telecommunications and software platform landscape. Today at Accenture, she brings those same strengths to her role as Sales Effectiveness leader for Sales Excellence.
“I’m in a sales-effectiveness role, helping account teams bring innovative solutions to clients, all anchored on GenAI and Agentic Architecture. To be in a role that is so relevant to what’s business reinvention and transformation– it’s a huge privilege.”
Connection, Adaptability, and Purpose
The qualities that have carried Cruz forward extend well beyond relationship-building; she describes how cultural alignment, adaptability, and purpose also play a defining role.
“I learned at a certain point in my career what my strengths were in terms of cultural alignment. When I transitioned into sales, I worked a lot with Caribbean and Latin America, which is where I come from. Having the dual language and the cultural sensitivity gave me an edge in navigating that transition, which was very motivating for me.”
That shift into sales also coincided with a move from New Jersey to Miami, which tested and reinforced her adaptability. “Flexibility, being open to adjust to different environments, adapting to new circumstances, it’s something I learned very early on, and that trait has helped me along the way as I navigated my career.”
While connection and adaptability opened doors, purpose is the force that sustains Cruz.
“Every company I’ve been at, I’ve always combined my responsibilities with volunteer work both within the company and within the community. That’s what has kept me with a high level of enthusiasm for what I do. I always need to have the two: not just the job, but also the engagement.”
Leaning on Guidance
As much as Cruz’ strengths have contributed to her achievement, so too are the people who believed in her potential. “I’ve always had a personal board of directors. Some people come into your life for a season, for a reason, or for a lifetime. I’ve had all those types of influences.”
Cruz highlights the mentor who gave her a chance when she had no sales experience and sponsored her move to Miami. “I experienced impostor syndrome in the beginning, but his encouragement eased the transition. He’s always been invested in my success and has been there through every career milestone.”
That kind of support has remained important at every stage of her career. When Cruz joined Accenture through an acquisition, she recalls how overwhelming the transition felt. “When you come as a group that was just acquired, you’re completely lost. But I was fortunate to work with people like Alex Tyler, a Managing Director and extraordinary leader who was kind, patient and recognized my value.” Those experiences of being championed are at the heart of why she invests so deeply in others. “I know the power of sponsorship, mentorship, and advocacy. I’ve fully taken advantage of it, and that’s why I feel so strongly about paying it forward!”
Family is also a grounding force. Cruz credits her grandmother, now 101, as a pillar and role model. “She had 13 kids, and now there are about 169 family members over five generations. She’s taught me resilience, strength, faith, and positive mindset. She loves music, she’s witty, light-hearted and full of joy. She’s been a huge influence and my source of inspiration.”
Bring Your Full Self and Build Community
Nearly four decades after making the pivotal decision to study electrical engineering, Cruz was invited to return to her alma mater to deliver the commencement address. Speaking to over 1,800 graduates, many from underrepresented backgrounds, her message was both simple and profound: “Always be proud of who you are, and bring your full self to whatever environment you’re in. It’s what makes you unique, and the world needs you as an individual and what you bring to the table.”
Second, she highlighted the importance of building community. “I’ve moved and started over several times. Managing those transitions successfully is only possible when you make community, when you connect with people, when you find affinity and appreciate differences. The differences are where you learn.”
For Cruz, this same principle applies in business. Networking, she explains, is less about career advancement than about deepening understanding. “That’s where you really learn –when you connect with people in different companies that do different things than you do. It enriches you as a professional and as a person.”
Continuous Learning, Lasting Pride
Even at this stage of her career, Cruz challenges herself to try something new, recognizing that part of her success is a willingness to evolve. “Continuous learning has been a key driver,” she reflects. “I have reinvented myself quite a few times because I’ve always been open, flexible, and curious to learn.”
Her current position at Accenture is a clear example of that mindset in action. “This was a stretch assignment for me. While I had worked in Sales Operations in the past, the scope is much broader here, in fact is called Sales Excellence for a reason, best in class. There was a lot I needed to learn… and I said, yes, I’ll do it.”
Cruz reflects on the impact of that choice. “Fast forward one year, I feel very privileged and successful, because I helped the team achieve the goals the firm established. It fills me with a lot of pride.”
When it comes to her greatest accomplishment, however, Cruz does not look to her career. “I have very strong family values and my kids are a huge source of pride for me. They are grown and very successful professionals – my older son is in cybersecurity at Zendesk, my younger son is a digital content producer with the Miami Heat, and my daughter works for the president of TelevisaUnivision. I raised them as single parent, and to me, that is, besides work or anything else, my biggest accomplishment. They are my anchor and my beacon of light.”
By Jessica Robaire
Latinas in Leadership: Self-Empowerment And a Steep Ascent
Career Advice, Career Tip of the Week!Amidst a disconnect between the growing economic impact of Latinas and their stalled advancement in corporate leadership, we highlight the culturally grounded and self-empowering strategies that Latinas can take to rewrite the narrative that corporate culture is lagging to recast.
Latino GDP in the U.S. Is an Economic Force
The Latino population is a force within the U.S. economy that isn’t slowing down anytime soon. According to the 2025 U.S. Latino GDP Report, Latino economic output in 2023 was $4.1 trillion.
Were it a country, the U.S. Latino GDP would rank as the fifth largest GDP worldwide, growing 2.7 times faster than non-Latino GDP in the U.S.
From 2010 to 2013, Latino real consumption also grew 2.9 times faster than non-Latinos, proving to be a real economic engine.
Latinas are also the fastest growing group of entrepreneurs, starting businesses at six times the rate of other groups.
The Steepest Climb Up the Leadership Ladder
Latina’s face “the steepest climb up the corporate ladder” according to The State of Latinas in Corporate America 2024 report by Lean In, based upon 2019 to 2023 data.
Latinas are the most underrepresented of any group at entry level jobs (5% vs 9% of general population) and have the greatest drops (78%) in representation on the way to the C-Suite.
Only 1% of C-suite executive positions in Corporate America are held by Latinas. The data showed two broken rungs on the pipeline ladder: one is at the initial promotion to manager and the other at promotion to VP.
Despite the barriers, Latinas continue to demonstrate the ambition and talent for leadership. Latinas are more likely (71%) than the average woman (63%) to be interested in becoming leaders and to indicate it’s increasingly important to them.
Professional Neglect: A Retention Issue
In her research among Latina leaders, Dr. Zaibis Muñoz-Isme, of American University, explores aspects of “professional neglect” for Latinas in leadership—a phrase shared in conversation by Dr. Sofia Pertuz, workplace cultural strategist.
Indeed, the Lean In report showed that Latinas do not feel as supported as peers in the corporate world—neither by managers or peers. They are less likely than overall women to report managers ensure they get credit for their work or show interest in their career advancement. And less likely to say that senior colleagues praise their accomplishments or advocate for compensation raises.
Muñoz-Isme also found that Latinas in leadership roles were not as supportive of other junior Latina women as she expected, perhaps due to Queen Bee syndrome. When the culture is not inherently and structurally supportive, it creates strain on those Latina leaders who do manage to break through.
Belonging and Flexibility Matter
Lean In shares that 37% of Latina women report having the “only experience—being the only person of their group identity in a room, compared to 13% of all women. Compared to overall women, these Latina “only’s” are twice as likely to hear insults towards their culture (15% vs 7%), twice as likely to feel they are expected to speak on behalf of their cultural identity (20% vs 9%), and nearly three times as likely to deal with other’s comments on their language skills (21% vs 8%).
Experiencing these micro aggressions more than doubles the odds of feeling burnt out, feeling unable to advance as well as others, and considering leaving the company for a different work culture.
Additionally, while many Latinas remain highly committed to work and community, they do not feel they have the flexibility they need to balance their diverse commitments.
Six in ten Latinas feel pressure towards both family obligations and to succeed at work. According to Lean In, Latinas reported being less able to work remotely, set their own hours, step away from work, or take family time off compared to women overall.
As written by Nathalie Darras in Hispanic Executive, motherhood and professional work are often seen by many Latinas as two divergent paths, a dichotomy that need not exist, but results from the lack of support to balance out life.
Four Self-Empowering Actions for Latina Leaders
With the force that the Latinx population represent in the U.S. economy, it’s inevitable that Latinx leaders will change the composition of leadership, but changing the character depends upon authenticity.
Each Latina leader who brings her whole self to the workplace is going to help drive that change, because it’s people who hold the power to change culture and call organizations to a greater collective accountability.
1) Carve a self-directed career path.
Muñoz-Isme recommends that Latinas embrace a self-directed career path and take initiative in their own goals and advancement wherever possible, leveraging cultural assets.
Latinas can own their relational strengths in finding mentors and sponsors, seeking out allies, and putting your name in for opportunities. Being self-directed also means advocating for yourself, despite cultural resistance around self-promotion, leveraging existing networks of support and building new ones, as well as defining your terms of success.
It’s also important to discern your capacity to thrive in different environments, because not all work cultures are cultivated equally.
As Johanna Diaz, Global Head of Alternatives Product Strategy at Goldman Sachs, recently told us, “In facing challenges or change, I always go back to the questions: Am I in the right place? Am I surrounded by the right people? Am I learning? Am I growing?”
2) Be aware of and leverage cultural scripts and drivers.
For many Latinas, internalized cultural drivers shape behavior and decisions, often in ways that go against the grain of what is being rewarded in corporate culture. Some of these drivers are:
Embracing culturally relevant leadership means becoming aware of how these drivers influence you, as well as how they can be leveraged as assets within your leadership.
For example, Latinas must challenge the inhibiting influence of respeto and marianismo when it comes to sharing their voices and perspectives. Equally, they can leverage personalismo and colectivismo in building influence through collaboration and strong relationships.
Leveraging the strengths of cultural scripts can help Latina leaders to foster cultural pride, leadership skills, and empowerment.
3) Stay authentic.
Many Latinas have reported checking aspects of self at the door in order to fit into corporate cultural norms. But as the composition of the workforce and leadership changes, slowly and inevitably, so will culture. People ultimately create and influence culture.
While it requires courage and true resilience for Latinas to move in authenticity within a corporate context designed on different values, nothing will compromise your vitality and wellbeing more than contorting your authentic self while trying to fit in.
True belonging hinges on authenticity. It’s important that Latinas let themselves be felt in the workplace and in leadership, so that eventually, the corporate environment responds.
4) Leverage cultural wealth.
Latinas can flip the narrative by owning their cultural wealth: “an array of knowledge, skills, strengths and experiences that are learned and shared by people of color and marginalized groups; the values and behaviors that are nurtured through culture work together to create a way of knowing and being.”
Six forms of community cultural wealth, outlined by Dr. Tara J. Yosso, that Latinas can leverage in leadership include:
Despite structural barriers, cultural bias, and underrepresentation, Latinas are ready to lead and are leading.
By embracing cultural strengths, carving self-directed paths, and showing up authentically. The future of leadership will be shaped not just by who gets a seat at the table, but by how leaders redefine the table itself. Latinas have the vision and the voice to lead in ways that are authentic, inclusive, and transformative.
It is no longer a question of if Latinas will lead, but when. And with every step upward, they expand the definition of leadership for everyone.
By: Aimee Hansen. Alongside years of writing on leadership, Aimee Hansen is the founder of Storyteller Within and leads the Journey Into Sacred Expression women’s retreat on Lake Atitlan, Guatemala. Follow her at thestorytellerwithin.com, on instagram, and via Linked In.
Johanna Diaz: Global Head of Alternatives Product Strategy, Goldman Sachs
People, Voices of ExperienceLed as much by her intuition as by the foundational aspirations of her first-generation beginnings, Diaz leverages every opportunity to learn, grow, and lead. She shares how her trajectory reflects not only her resilience but also the support of mentors whose influence continues to inform her leadership.
From the Bronx to Goldman Sachs
Born in the Bronx to parents who immigrated from the Dominican Republic, Diaz understood the value of education from an early age: “being a first-generation American, my parents made it a priority for my siblings and me. We were the first in our family to attend university and enter the business world.”
For Diaz, that focus on education was also a path to financial stability, which led her to pursue accounting — a profession she saw as both practical and reliable. Starting her career first as an intern and then as a CPA at Grant Thornton, Diaz gained both skills and exposure. When she was first introduced to Goldman Sachs as a client of Grant Thornton, the experience left an impression.
“I was blown away by the caliber of the people, the rigor around collaborative teamwork and the focus on delivery.” That exposure opened her eyes to possibilities beyond what Diaz had imagined. When the opportunity came to join Goldman, she took the leap. “That was the first big twist in my career as it redirected my vision from accounting to a whole other world of possibility.”
Over the next two decades, Diaz’ career grew organically across business development, research, and ultimately asset management to be the Global Head of Alternatives Product Strategy, a role that she finds equally rewarding and inspiring.
“The last five years have been so incredible, pivoting to the alternative investing landscape. I’ve had the opportunity to help build a business from scratch and expand the shelf as it relates to our products. The content, as well as being a part of a team that is integral to Goldman Sachs’ growth has been so fulfilling.”
The Influence of Mentors and Executive Coaching
Diaz credits her ability to pivot, take risks, and grow in new roles as being bolstered by the mentors who offered guidance and perspective along the way. An early mentor gave her a piece of advice that still resonates: take stock every few years.
“That conversation was pivotal for me. Even 20 years later, every two to three years, I take a personal moment of deep reflection: Where am I? Have I accomplished what I set out to do? Could there be more? That practice has guided me throughout my entire time at Goldman.”
She sees mentors as a personal “board of directors” — people who know her well and can be honest when she calls on them for guidance, whether about career decisions or balancing family and work. “My mentors played a huge role in helping me navigate my personal journey, including building a family, while building momentum in my career.”
Executive coaching complemented that support, giving Diaz structured feedback and tools to grow. Early programs offered through Goldman helped her refine presentation skills, while later on she focused on refining “leadership and communication skills but in a more nuanced way than I’d ever had before.”
Together, mentorship and coaching have provided Diaz with both a trusted sounding board and a framework for continuous growth, shaping the leader she is today.
Values-Driven Leadership
Beyond the mentors and coaches who helped guide her, Diaz points to a foundation of authenticity and integrity as key to her success.
“First and foremost, it’s important to remain true to yourself,” she says. “All of my values anchor around being a good human and working with high integrity. They guide me through everything I do.”
Fairness is equally central. Diaz strives to create a work environment where people feel valued, connected, and confident that they will be treated justly. “I want to be someone people feel comfortable approaching,” she explains. “They should know I’ll listen and provide support.” Drawing on lessons from leaders she has worked with, Diaz shapes her leadership around trust, relationship-building, and followership.
Hard work and high standards also define her approach. She believes in delivering quality work with reliable outcomes and modeling excellence to inspire her team to do the same. “As a baseline, I expect that not only of myself, but it’s also important to me to set the right example that my team then wants to follow,” she notes.
Embracing Risk
While Diaz’s career has been marked by achievement, it has not been without moments of uncertainty. She recalls these moments as an opportunity to pause and reflect.
“Early on, I faced a decision about whether to continue in research or move toward a more strategic, leadership-focused role. It was uncomfortable because I wasn’t sure I’d excel, but I leaned on my core values and trusted mentors to guide the decision.”
Over time, Diaz has learned to embrace risk thoughtfully, viewing it as an opportunity to challenge herself and explore new possibilities. Her recent transition into asset management illustrates this approach. Encouraged by a mentor to consider another part of the firm, she reflects, “it was through that conversation that I realized that it was time to take a risk. I was super comfortable. I had a lot of security. I had to consider, ‘do I want to push myself a little more?’”
Deciding to “take a risk on herself” and accept the opportunity to become the COO of Goldman’s growth business, Diaz says, “was a big transition. But it pushed me, and it’s been the most pivotal part of my career.”
Legacy of Access and Opportunity
Looking ahead, Diaz is focused on creating opportunities for others to grow, much like she was supported throughout her career. “I hope to provide a platform for the teams I work with, and for the junior professionals I mentor, where they have access, exposure, and opportunity the way I did.”
Reflecting on her own journey, Diaz acknowledges how her first-generation roots are a part of shaping this commitment. “We really have lived the proverbial American dream. My parents grew up on a farm — my mom one of 12 kids, my dad one of nine — and through a combination of hard work, timing, and a little luck, we’ve seen growth that isn’t just financial. It’s also about access to the world, to opportunities that otherwise wouldn’t have been organic. It’s important to me and my family to pay it forward.”
Thanks to the holistic support embedded in Goldman’s culture, Diaz also makes an impact beyond the firm through programs like 10,000 Small Businesses. “Having the opportunity to serve as a mentor in the program, I have listened to small business owners’ pitches and given feedback—providing people with access that they otherwise wouldn’t have.”
Ultimately, Diaz measures her legacy by the people she supports. By combining high standards, integrity, and a values-driven leadership style, she aims to cultivate talent, inspire confidence, and foster a culture where people feel valued, challenged, and capable of achieving their potential.
“If, 20 years from now, I can look back and see that the people I touched built successful, meaningful careers, then I’ll know I’ve done my part.”
By Jessica Robaire
Business Travel for Professional Women in a Volatile World
Career Advice, Career Tip of the Week!In our latest global World Travel Protection online survey of more than 2,000 business travelers, 70% of women said they believe travel is riskier for them than for their male colleagues. Across every category measured, women expressed greater concern about business travel. Harassment and discrimination were cited as major concerns by 65% of women, compared to 53% of men. Nearly one in six women also reported having either experienced or witnessed harassment linked to gender or sexuality while travelling.
Worries about sexual assault were also high, with 64% of women expressing concern while 46% of men (which is almost half of men surveyed) also were afraid of sexual assault. This is a serious crime and these are not abstract fears, they are real concerns.
To navigate these challenges, individuals can take specific precautions to protect themselves, but organizations also have a duty of care to put robust travel risk management plans in place. At World Travel Protection, we use a practical framework built around three key areas: the Traveler, the Destination, and the Activity.
The Traveler: Knowing Your Profile
Your gender, age, ethnicity, seniority and travel experience can all affect how you’re perceived and treated abroad. A senior woman executive might command respect in one region while facing cultural resistance in another because of societal restrictions. Organizations should invest in inclusive policies that consider travel risks through a woman’s viewpoint – not just generic safety advice.
Before you travel, have an open and honest discussion with your company’s security or HR team. Are you comfortable with the destination? Will you be traveling solo or with a companion? It’s important to voice any concerns, preferences or support needs.
The Destination: Digging Deeper
While most companies assess destinations for obvious risks, such as political instability or health concerns, they may overlook subtler cultural challenges. How are women in leadership perceived? Will legal systems support you if something goes wrong? Are there local dress expectations or religious customs that impact how you should behave?
It’s essential to understand how society functions before setting foot in it. That includes knowing what areas to avoid, what cultural faux pas to steer clear of, and even how local elections or protests might disrupt transport or safety. Travel safety apps, such as our Travel Assist app, send location-specific, live insights and alerts, and help a traveler stay informed, particularly in a changing environment. These tools are essential for understanding whether, say, a local election might increase protest activity, or a cultural event could impact transport links.
The Activity: What You Do Matters
Different business activities expose travelers to different levels of risk. A journalist covering a political story may draw public scrutiny or unwanted attention, while a woman attending closed-door meetings may avoid such exposure. In contrast, a woman hosting a client dinner in a conservative society might even face hostility or discomfort. We recently supported a woman executive travelling to rural Pakistan. Every element of her trip was carefully planned – from how she dressed and conducted herself to how she navigated armed checkpoints. We also addressed medical access and emergency protocols, ensuring she had support for everything from potential evacuation to food access during Ramadan fasting hours. This is responsible planning.
We offer training specifically for women travelers – covering everything from emergency protocols to situational awareness, how to handle harassment, recognize manipulation, and stay digitally secure. These sessions, whether online or in-person, empower women to travel with confidence and give companies assurance that their duty of care is being fulfilled.
What Can Women Travelers Do
While company support is essential, there are practical steps women can take to feel more confident and in control while traveling. It starts with the fundamentals: dress appropriately for the destination’s climate and cultural expectations, leave expensive jewelry or valuables at home to minimize unwanted attention and assess the safety of attending after-hours meetings when traveling solo.
Accommodation is another critical factor. Always stay in vetted hotels, ideally with robust security procedures. Larger hotel chains often have dedicated security teams and are better equipped to support business travelers. When booking, request a room that is not on the ground floor and is away from isolated stairwells or emergency exits. Consider using simple tools like a portable door lock or wedge to enhance hotel room security.
Above all, trust your instincts. If something doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t. Don’t hesitate to remove yourself from a situation whether that means stepping away from an uncomfortable conversation or asking hotel staff or security for assistance.
Alcohol and Food Safety
One often-overlooked threat, especially in Southeast Asia, is the risk of tampered alcohol. Methanol poisoning is often undetectable and usually comes from counterfeit or home-brewed spirits. Only consume drinks you’ve seen opened or poured, avoid suspiciously cheap cocktails, and be particularly cautious with local liquors.
Drink-spiking is another real risk, especially for solo travelers. Never leave your drink unattended and don’t accept drinks from strangers even if they seem friendly and well-meaning. It’s vital to stay alert in social settings.
The Taboo Every Woman Should Be Prepared For
Menstruation remains one of the least talked-about but critical travel issue for women. In conservative or remote locations, sanitary products can be difficult to find or even considered inappropriate to sell in public.
For example, there is the story of a woman at Istanbul International Airport who spent hours searching five terminals for tampons. She left feeling humiliated and paid nearly $20 for a basic pack. Another woman in China was told that sanitary pads were considered “private items” and not available for sale on public transport. Always carry what you need, even if you don’t expect to need it.
Stay in Touch
A simple tip is to check in regularly. According to our World Travel Protection survey, many women say they want more frequent contact from their employer while travelling, and a third report checking in with family or colleagues as part of their routine. Also, share your itinerary before departure, keep emergency contact information saved and written down, and let someone know if your plans change.
If you have access to a travel assistance app, make sure it’s turned on. The Travel Assist app offers flexible geolocation settings, allowing users to preserve privacy with a 5km radius or, with a quick adjustment, switch to precise location sharing when needed. This means that during a crisis – whether it’s a natural disaster, political unrest, or a terror incident – organizations can accurately locate and assist travellers. Travel should never mean going off the radar.
In today’s volatile world, business travel requires more than just a flight and a printed itinerary. With the right preparation, awareness, and support, executive women can navigate the global landscape not just safely, but with confidence and authority.
By: Kate Fitzpatrick, World Travel Protection’s Regional Security Director (EMEA). Kate has lived and worked in the Middle East, Africa and Europe. In Afghanistan, she was Security Risk Manager for the European Union Delegation in Kabul; in Nigeria, she worked as Security Risk Manager and a Senior Intelligence Analyst for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; in Switzerland as Corporate Security Manager for the TAP Trans Adriatic Pipeline (Europe); and, most recently in London as Director of Security and Safety for Bvlgari Hotels and Resorts.
(Guest Contribution: The opinions and views of guest contributions are not necessarily those of theglasshammer.com)
Heather Plumski: President, Stearns Bank
People, Voices of ExperienceAs President of Stearns Bank, Plumski brings a rare blend of head and heart. She shares how her leadership is driven by values, grounded in purpose, and distinguished by forward thinking with a readiness to own both the good and the bad.
From Part-Time Teller to President
Plumski’s journey started in forensic science before pivoting to accounting, completing her degree in two years. While classmates chased big-city roles, she chose central Minnesota and a part-time teller job that turned into a career.
“I didn’t even know what a credit analyst was,” she recalls. “But it let me work with numbers and small businesses both objectively and subjectively to understand their needs…which I found to be incredibly rewarding.”
Since joining Stearns in 2005, Plumski has led through every phase from underwriting through the Great Recession to helping build the SBA and equipment finance programs. As CFO, she drove strategy. Now, as President, she leads a women-owned, employee-owned institution committed to helping people reach their full financial potential.
“We walk the walk. As employee-owners, we understand the challenges our customers face, and we build solutions that serve them.”
Authentic, Inclusive Leadership
Plumski’s leadership style is rooted in authenticity. “You can’t fake it,” she says. “When you’re aligned with who you are, your decisions get clearer, your leadership gets stronger.”
Her collaborative approach encourages open thinking. “I used to wait until every idea was perfect. Now, I bring it to the table early. It invites feedback and makes the work better.”
She credits her growth to staying curious and stretching beyond her comfort zone. One major stretch? Leading technology. “It was like learning a new language. But I learned I didn’t need to know everything I needed to trust the experts around me.”
Just Keep Going
Plumski pushes back on perfectionism and encourages boldness. “Women often hesitate if they don’t check every box. My advice? Don’t count yourself out – say yes before you say no.”
Her mantra: “Don’t quit on a bad day.” That resilience, she says, has made all the difference.
Coaching, Clarity, and Perspective
Executive coaching has been a game changer for Plumski. “It pulls me out of the weeds. I walk away with clearer thinking, stronger communication, and better perspective.”
Even when she feels too busy to take the call, she never skips it. “I always leave better than I came.”
Empowering Employees, Growing Communities
Looking forward, Plumski is focused on deepening Stearns Bank’s impact from growing employee ownership to expanding inclusive financial solutions nationwide.
“Our Employee Stock Ownership Plan isn’t just a model. It’s a movement,” she says. “When we help our customers succeed, our employee-owners build generational wealth.”
That sense of shared prosperity also drives Stearns’ focus on underserved markets. “We listen first. Then we build whether it’s through our Salaam Banking Division or nonprofit solutions. And by the time the rest of the industry catches up, we’re already on to what’s next.”
Family and the Mountains
When she’s not leading a national bank, Plumski is hiking, running, canoeing and simply soaking in family life with her four kids, husband and extended friends and family.
“There’s something about the mountains,” she says. “They remind me how small we are, and how big our purpose can be.”
By Jessica Robaire
Op-Ed: 5 Ways Women Leaders Can Build a Respect-Rich Workplace Culture
Career Advice, Career Tip of the Week!Workplace incivility, or persistent disrespect, now costs U.S. businesses a staggering $2 billion per day, according to Gallup estimates. That’s not just a human problem – it’s a bottom-line problem. A Harvard Business Review study found that 50% of employees who experienced workplace incivility reduced work effort, and 12% left their jobs.
And for women in leadership roles, the stakes are sometimes higher. When we lead, we’re often scrutinized more harshly and held to different standards. But we also have a powerful opportunity to model a leadership style that encourages loyalty, psychological safety, and measurable success.
As the former CEO of Syms Corp., the first off-price retailer of its kind, I learned early on that cultivating respect wasn’t a luxury. It was a leadership imperative. In a male-dominated industry, I rose to become the youngest female president of a company listed on the New York Stock Exchange. And I did it by building a culture where people felt seen, valued, and heard. That’s still rare. But it shouldn’t be.
In my upcoming book, Leading with Respect, I argue that creating a workplace grounded in dignity is no longer optional – it’s the most sustainable way forward in today’s anxious, fast-moving professional landscape. With 31% of employees feeling disengaged, according to Gallup, now is the time for leaders to focus on improving performance, collaboration, and retention.
Below are five ways women executives can lead with respect and reshape the cultures they’re part of, from the top down.
1. Set the Tone Early and Often
Respect starts at the top. Leaders who model respect and inclusion empower others to do the same. If you ignore microaggressions, tolerate dismissiveness, or let egos dominate meetings, your silence sets the tone. So does your presence.
Whether you’re onboarding a new analyst or presenting to the board, show up in a way that centers clarity, presence, and attentiveness. Respect isn’t about being “nice” – it’s about creating space for everyone to contribute meaningfully.
In team meetings, implement a simple practice of rotating who leads or facilitates. This democratizes airtime and signals that hierarchy doesn’t override value.
2. Listen Like It’s a Leadership Skill (Because It Is)
Too often, leadership is associated with speaking. But in high-performing firms, real power comes from listening. Employees, especially those in early or marginalized career stages, might not volunteer truth unless they trust you’re genuinely open to hearing it. And we know women are interrupted 50% more often than men in professional settings, so let’s interrupt that pattern with active listening. This also builds psychological safety, which makes employees feel more comfortable. When people feel heard, they stay engaged. When they don’t, they quietly check out.
Replace “Any questions?” with “What’s not clear yet?” or “What am I missing from your perspective?” These prompts unlock better dialogue and better data.
3. Respect Boundaries – Yours and Theirs
Respect also means knowing when to pause. In industries where overwork is normalized (“hustle culture”) and availability signals loyalty, boundary-setting can feel risky. But leaders who respect their own limits model sustainability. And those who acknowledge their team’s personal and professional boundaries earn deeper trust.
It’s especially vital for women leaders to reclaim time and enforce boundaries as part of workplace culture, not despite being ambitious, but because of it.
Normalize “focus hours” on team calendars. Publicly support people who decline late meetings or take full parental leave. Set the example without apology.
4. Reward Integrity Over Optics
Too often, loud performers get the spotlight while quiet excellence goes unnoticed. If your culture rewards only visibility, you risk alienating the very people who keep your business running with consistency and integrity.
Women leaders are uniquely positioned to challenge performative cultures by rewarding substance over showmanship. Promote those who lift others, not just themselves.
In performance reviews, build in metrics for collaboration, mentorship, and ethical decision-making, not just revenue or output.
5. Be Explicit About Inclusion and Act on It
Don’t assume that respect will trickle down. Cultures of inclusion must be intentionally built. That means regularly reviewing who’s in the room, who gets airtime, and who’s being overlooked.
When women in leadership elevate others, especially across lines of identity and background, we disrupt exclusionary systems that thrive in silence.
Create sponsorship programs, not just mentorship ones. Advocate for underrepresented voices when promotions, stretch projects, or visibility opportunities arise.
Respect Isn’t Soft; It’s Smart
In the boardroom, courtroom, or C-suite, respect is not a sentiment. It’s a strategy. And while it costs nothing to implement, it pays dividends across every business metric that matters. According to Deloitte, leaders who model respect and inclusion significantly outperform those who don’t.
For women in leadership, leading with respect is also a form of defiance. It says: I don’t have to emulate toxic models to succeed. I can build something better, and I can bring others with me.
In a world where too many companies are quietly cracking under the weight of incivility, women executives have the power and responsibility to lead differently. To lead with respect.
By: Marcy Syms is a social entrepreneur, philanthropist, and the former chair and CEO of Syms Corp., the first truly off-price retail chain in America. Her forthcoming book Leading with Respect: Adventures of an Off-Price Fashion Pioneer (Citadel // August 26, 2025) explores how respect-focused leadership fuels performance and purpose in today’s workplace.
(Guest Contribution: The opinions and views of guest contributions are not necessarily those of theglasshammer.com)
Sally J. Clarke: Entrepreneur and Author
Extraordinary Lives, PeopleFrom leading communications at some of the world’s largest fintech companies to writing novels, building a business, and advising boards, Clarke has consistently evolved while staying true to her values of creativity, integrity, and impact.
Clarke shared with The Glass Hammer her experiences in shaping a career defined by movement, meaning, and a refusal to be boxed in.
On embracing a portfolio career:
“At the world’s largest financial technology companies, I led global marketing and communications over an eleven-year period. I’ve built and sold an online arts business, won multiple awards in the technology industry, published my fiction novel Ringside Gamble, established the advisory practice of Asia’s leading think tank, visited Iran and Kazakhstan on writing assignments, sat on several boards across both the arts and technology sectors, and am now writing two new books. One non-fiction and the other fiction.
“It took me a long time to realise that I am a verb, not a noun. That’s why I now have a portfolio career. From my home in Singapore, I divide my time between advising technology companies solving complex problems, writing, and participating on boards. My career continues to be an evolutionary process, not a ladder, but a landscape.”
On the personal qualities that shaped her path:
“I’m an optimistic team player — resilient and reflective. I was born into a working-class family and had my first job at the age of 14, delivering newspapers in rain, sunshine, sleet, and snow on my not-so-trusty, rusty bicycle. To this day, I can still remember the click-clacking sound the pedals made! I supported myself and earned scholarships through university and two postgraduate Master’s degrees — one in International Finance and the other in Asian Art History. I work hard to stand in the other person’s shoes.”
On living her values in high-stakes moments:
“Thanks to my parents, I have an internal compass forged in tungsten, a North Star I’ve trusted throughout my life. I take time to reflect and rely on qualitative as well as quantitative data when forming decisions.
“In Singapore, I faced significant pressure to tell a potential customer at one firm that we had paid pilots — when the company did not. The same founder misinformed about the readiness of the software, employed bullying tactics and took credit for other people’s achievements. As a consequence I found opportunities aligning to my integrity and transitioned from the firm.
“The second challenge was leading the development and rollout of a content management system (CMS) and the front-end client interface. I pitched and secured USD two million in funding to lead a team of developers, designers, and project managers to rapidly build a web platform for data distribution. When it came time to go-live, self-doubt crept in. Many people told me the CMS would be rolled back — I had countless sleepless nights. But I trusted the process, and the so-called Greek chorus of naysayers was wrong.”
On mentorship and the power of stories:
“I’ve had the honour of working on the teams of some incredible people, such as Michael Rushmore who was pivotal in contributing to the growth of IHS Markit, a company I joined as head of marketing and communications in 2007. Data giant S&P Global agreed to buy IHS Markit in a deal worth $44 billion in November 2020. Michael had phenomenal insights, which I still share to others. For example, “don’t make them have to work it out.” This golden nugget refers to the importance of communicating in such a way that your ideas land.
“Cristobal Conde former President, Chief Executive Officer and FIS and Chief Executive Officer at SunGard is a leader I admire. He was incredibly supportive of the sustainability framework I helped build during my time at the latter firm. At SunGard I won the President’s 100 per cent award.
“I read. A lot. Both fiction and non-fiction. Some of my favourite start up books, Shoe Dog by Nike co-founder Phil Knight, Start Up CEO, by Matt Blumberg, Play Nice but Win, by Michael Dell, and Venture Deals: Be Smarter than your Lawyer and Venture Capitalist by Brad Feld and Jason Mendelson are examples. I am inspired by stories. Indra Nooyi , former Chairman and CEO of PepsiCo, is another business leader I follow, and can thoroughly recommend My Life in Full.”
On how she leads with positivity and empathy:
“One piece of advice that shaped me early on was: “Don’t wait for permission.” It gave me the confidence to lead with conviction, long before I had a formal title. That mindset has served me well: whether I am building global brands, launching a start-up, or navigating difficult company mergers.
“But perhaps more influential than any single piece of guidance has been the example set by the leaders I’ve most admired. They led with clarity, composure, and care, especially in high-pressure situations. They didn’t command attention with noise; they earned respect with consistency. And they made people feel seen.
“Something I’ve carried with me through every chapter of my career is this: always role model the positive. Culture is shaped by what we tolerate, and by what we choose to amplify. So even when things are tough, I make a conscious choice to lead with optimism, empathy, and purpose. It’s not about pretending everything’s perfect; it’s about showing up in a way that helps others believe in what’s possible.
“And finally, I’ve learnt that how you leave matters as much as how you lead. It’s easy to focus on beginnings, but endings reveal who we really are. Whether moving on from a role, a company, or a chapter, I try to exit with the same integrity and thoughtfulness I brought to work itself.”
On redefining success:
“I often tell those I mentor that you can define success on your own terms, but only if you’re brave enough to step outside the conventional path. Early in my career, I tried to fit into other people’s expectations. It wasn’t until I started backing myself that I truly began to build things of value.
“I’ve learnt that leadership isn’t about knowing everything; it’s about being willing to go first, to take risks, and to bring others with you. I’ve built global brands, scaled start-ups, and now manage a portfolio career, and through it all, what’s mattered most is clarity of purpose, emotional resilience and having smart colleagues who challenge you.
“I would also say this: creativity is not a luxury; it’s a leadership superpower. Whether you’re building a business or writing a novel, the ability to imagine something that doesn’t exist yet and make it real is what sets great leaders apart. That, and the ability to walk away from what no longer serves you.
“Your career is not a ladder, it’s a landscape. Don’t be afraid to move sideways, take a leap, or build something of your own and test a hypothesis. Solving a big problem is where the real growth lies. If you opt to build a hobby business that’s fine too. Just define what success means to you.”
On blending purpose with creative pursuits:
“I aim to continue supporting the efforts of sustainable companies using technology to make the world a better place. One particularly impressive firm I have worked with is Yokahu, a leading innovator in parametric insurance.
“That same sense of purpose carries into the passion projects that are a part of my portfolio career. In 2023, Ringside Gamble, a universal story about a young boy with a big dream, was published. Christopher Hatton (Star Trek: The Next Generation, Raven’s Hollow) is attached as producer for the feature film adaptation. I donate a percentage of the royalties to support the purchase of books and school equipment for children in Khao Lak, Thailand.
“With Deborah Overdeput, Chief Operating Officer of Innovative Systems, I’m currently working on a non-fiction book. It features a series of interviews with C-suite women, many of whom have founded their own successful companies or hold senior roles at the world’s leading banks and technology firms. More than a series of personal narratives, it is a testament to resilience, ambition and the power of choice. Each story shares hard-won insights, lessons in leadership and practical guidance for those looking to shape their own future. We’re currently seeking a publisher, with submissions expected to begin in September 2025.