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.
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.
Spacious Presence: The Power of Self-Exploratory Writing
Career Advice, Career Tip of the Week!Whereas when you feel spacious in your presence and perception, you are more capable of holding the whole of life: the ups, the downs, the words and behavior of others, the changes of emotional weather within, and the ever-shifting waves of life.
You’re also able to act from a wider vantage point and feel more energetically centered at work and home. You are less reactive to circumstances, not allowing them to dictate your sense of yourself or the world. Instead, you are grounded in your inner truth.
One simple tool for returning to that truth is self-exploratory writing—a practice that invites clarity, emotional spaciousness, and inner alignment.
The Underrated Value of Simple Practices
The habits that serve wellbeing and inner harmony are so basic, so mundane, and so immediately available, we tend to overlook them—good sleep, anyone?—in search of a magic fix or a peak moment experience. Culturally, we undervalue what matters the most.
Burnout is a consequence of a culture, or internalized culture, that does not prioritize wellbeing. Managing burnout becomes a coping strategy. Within that context, self-alignment and self-care are the origin points of a woman who knows her innate value and that the paradigm won’t change unless how you regard yourself does.
Inner spaciousness can be cultivated through practices such as meditation, breathwork, mindfulness, contemplation, myofascial release, dance and movement practices, grounding—and reflective and expressive journaling.
Writing To Support Emotional Wellness
Author Natalie Goldberg wrote to the power of spontaneous writing to access your first thoughts: “The aim is to burn through to first thoughts, to the place where energy is unobstructed by social politeness or the internal censor, to the place where you are writing what your mind actually sees and feels, not what it thinks it should see or feel.”
When we recognize that emotions are energy in motion, we can get curious about them on the page, which can also help clarify what motives are at play in decision-making. Exploring your feelings, especially the ones you often resist, can deepen your self-understanding, expand your emotional bandwidth and resilience, and point you toward aligned action with your values and intuitive knowing.
Reflective and expressive journaling, which focuses on what’s truly on your mind and heart, has been shown to increase emotional awareness and emotional wellness while enhancing your overall outlook. Ultimately, it becomes a practice in emotional intelligence.
Cultivating An Orientation of Gratitude
People who orient in gratitude experience lower levels of stress and depression and better relationships. With practice, you can improve your ability to tap into the state of gratitude, elevating your “set point” of perception.
Practicing gratitude enhances wellbeing—for example, supporting better rest, less inflammation, and peace of mind while reducing symptoms of anxiety or depression.
Writing to express gratitude can help shift attention away from rumination and heavy emotions, and train the brain to more readily access appreciation. Not only this, but the positive effects on mental wellbeing compound like interest, creating accumulating benefits over time.
Processing Complex Emotions
Writing can also help to unwind and process trauma caught in the body’s cellular memory.
When we feel safe, writing about traumatic events or emotional experiences can help to organize chaotic thoughts, release locked-up emotions, and facilitate mental clarity and resilience long term.
Expressive therapeutic writing has also been shown to support physical health and immune function across a range of conditions, while reducing stress, anxiety, and symptoms of PTSD.
Visioning Yourself in Growth
Expressive writing which focuses on self-reflection, gratitude, and imagining a positive future increases experiences of life satisfaction and happiness. In one study, people who journaled for 15 minutes a day felt significantly less anxiety, distress, and depressive symptoms.
When you uncover and explore a new insight on paper, remember a gift that’s gone dormant, or admit future visions or goals for yourself, you are bringing them into your awareness to galvanize energy towards them.
Neuroscience has found that when it comes to goals, people who very vividly describe or picture their goals on paper (men tend to do so more) are significantly (1.2-1.4 times) more likely to achieve those goals. Part of the reason is writing them down improves the biological encoding process by which your hippocampus drops a pin and says, remember this.
Creating Spaciousness Through Reflection
When you put what is inside on paper through reflective journaling, you create spaciousness—within yourself and between you and your thoughts. Often, you can discover how you truly feel through writing and increase your self-awareness.
When you are honest on the page and guided with revealing questions, you have the ability to externalize and explore the narrative, examine triggers, reveal thought and behavior patterns, recognize values, and reveal truths. Increasing your self-awareness, you can begin to see where you are locked into the past, or into thoughts and emotions, so you can come back to presence.
As Goldberg writes, “When you are present, the world is truly alive.”
Start Now: Five Prompts For Embodying Self-Respect
Why not start now? Here are five journaling prompts related to embodying self-respect that you can write to today.
In the practice of yoga, more than half the task is getting onto the mat. With expressive or reflective writing, more than half the task is getting onto the page.
So often, we stay stuck in the same mental and emotional energetic loops, but self-exploratory journaling in response to powerful questions can open new doors of awareness which allow us into more of ourselves—and more of our lives and our unique leadership.
Aimee Hansen is co-author of This Book Is a Retreat: 101 Soul-Nourishing Questions to Reconnect with Yourself to be released on August 22, 2025 (prior to that, available for pre-order), a co-creation with USA Today bestselling author, Marianne Richmond. She is the founder of Storyteller Within and has led the Journey Into Sacred Expression women’s retreat on Lake Atitlan, Guatemala for the past ten years. As a lover of the questions that open us, she’s inspired hundreds of women in writing their hearts into expansion.
(Guest Contribution: The opinions and views of guest contributions are not necessarily those of theglasshammer.com)
Marie Bober: Chief Compliance Officer and Senior Counsel, Moelis Asset Management
People, Voices of ExperienceFrom captaining sports teams as a kid to speaking up in moments of silence, taking charge has always felt instinctive for Bober. “I come from a really long line of very bossy women,” she laughs. “I think it’s probably genetic.” While her grandmothers ran their households with authority, her mother broke barriers, becoming one of the first women to earn a PhD in chemistry from NYU in 1972.
That inherited sense of purpose shaped Bober’s own unconventional path. She started college as a chemistry major but quickly pivoted to psychology. Drawn to forensic work, she earned a master’s and spent three years at a pediatric psychopharmacology lab at Massachusetts General Hospital researching ADHD and pediatric bipolar disorder.
“My plan was to go on to get my PhD, but research itself started to feel like a tough long-term path with low pay, questionable ethics in some corners, and not a great ROI if you wanted a sustainable career.”
Still captivated by the intersection of law and human behavior, Bober pivoted again, this time to law school at Northeastern University. Being a part of Northeastern’s distinctive co-op program allowed her to try a little bit of everything: working with a solo practitioner, in a judge’s chambers, the DA’s office, and an in-house legal team.
“In-house was by far my favorite, but you don’t just go from law school to in-house,” says Bober. Instead, she built her experience through small firms, auditing work, and ultimately opened her own practice while keeping her eye on the long game.
Bober’s diligence paid off when a friend offered her an in-house legal role at Gracie Asset Management, a Moelis subsidiary. The only catch was the job was in New York, which meant that Bober and her wife had to live long distance for a few years. When Gracie had a key man event resulting in steep layoffs, Bober moved over to the parent company. After a few internal moves – and the sudden loss of a friend that left a senior counsel role vacant – she was promoted into her current role as Chief Compliance Officer and Senior Counsel at Moelis Asset Management.
Breadth that Delivers
Looking back on what has helped her succeed, Bober points to adaptability and a breadth of knowledge, both of which are essential in a role that spans legal and compliance.
“To be in this particular role, you can’t be rigid or precious,” she explains. “We’re an entrepreneurial business…everybody’s got to do a little bit of something, and you have to be okay with that. We’re always thinking about new strategies, markets to tap and ways to get clients. It’s flexibility and a willingness to pick up the next thing and learn.”
Bober points to the growth of the business as another part of what requires adaptability: “when we started, we were private equity. Now we’re private equity, broadly syndicated loans, direct lending, seeding of emerging managers, venture capital.”
As the business expands, so too does Bober’s knowledge base, which is necessary for her to guide legal and compliance issues.
“I call myself a triage nurse because there are certain areas that I’m deep in, like fund formation or structuring, but then I also have to be able to direct counsel for things like litigation, tax matters, or employment. I might not be an expert on all those issues, but I must be conversant enough so that my subject matter experts can direct me effectively.”
What They Didn’t Teach in Law School
Beyond technical range and flexibility, Bober believes that one skill rises above the rest when it comes to lasting success: knowing how to navigate people.
“How to handle and approach people is key; it gets you so much further than even your technical knowledge,” she emphasizes. “One of the things law school doesn’t teach you is that if you’re a practicing lawyer in a firm, networking is 98% of your job. To be a partner at a law firm means that you bring in a good amount of business.”
Bober adds, “My boss likes to joke that he thinks that my psych degree sometimes helps me more than my law degree because it definitely gives you a framework for understanding people.”
That understanding shapes the way Bober communicates, builds relationships, and earns trust, especially in the context of leadership and knowing how to manage in all directions.
“Managing up is a skill that’s rarely taught, and it matters just as much as managing direct reports. I’ve learned how to communicate differently depending on who I’m talking to, and how to present something in a way that gets the right response.” As Chief Compliance Officer, she often needs people to act on specific requests and ideally, do so with genuine buy-in. “I’ve seen people try to lead through fear or pressure, but that only works for so long. Eventually, people tune you out.”
It is a message she impresses on junior staff as well: “be proactive, message appropriately, be polite and respectful, and if you make a mistake or get it wrong, have the ego to walk it back and take responsibility. It builds trust.”
Leadership as a Team Sport: Fostering Growth Over Competition
In an industry known for individual ambition, Bober takes a different approach to leadership; one that is shaped by hard-earned lessons and a clear sense of the kind of environment she wants to create.
“I’m a competitive person,” she says, “but I try not to be competitive at work. That’s not the environment I want to foster.”
Earlier in her career, Bober saw firsthand how toxic leadership can erode trust. She recalls a former manager who guarded her influence closely and refused to use any of her political capital to support others.
“When my mom passed away, I got two days of bereavement. Other department heads had given people the full week, but my boss told me if I wanted the extra time to attend the funeral, I’d have to use vacation days. She didn’t want to spend any of her political capital justifying why I was not billing or there for that week.” That experience left a mark, but also a guidepost: “It taught me exactly the kind of leader I don’t want to be.”
Now, as a senior leader herself, Bober sees mentoring others not as a threat, but as part of what defines strong leadership. She draws inspiration from Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, a sport she trains in outside of work.
“My coach always says he never hides the best parts of his game because if someone can master it in two weeks and beat him, they deserve to win.” The same philosophy, she says, applies in leadership. “Helping my associate grow, bringing her along and giving her what I can to help her succeed doesn’t threaten me; it strengthens the team, and if I ever move on, she’s ready to step in.”
Success, On and Off the Mat
Whether she is preparing for a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu tournament in New Jersey or aiming for another podium finish at Masters Worlds in Las Vegas, Bober brings the same focus and drive to the mat that she brings to her role at Moelis. A two-time Masters World Champion as a brown belt and now a black belt competitor, she thrives on the discipline and challenge of competing and on the fulfillment it brings outside the office.
That mix of ambition and purpose is intentional. “I strove to have an in-house position. I strove to have work-life balance in my career,” she says. “And I think I’m in a spot where I can do both.”
For Bober, success is not about chasing the highest title or the biggest paycheck. It’s about feeling grounded, challenged, and able to pursue what matters. “I can sing in a rock choir on Tuesday nights. I can do jiu jitsu. That’s what makes it all worth it.”
By Jessica Robaire
Why Protecting Time for Deep Thought Makes You More Productive and More Alive
Career Advice, Career Tip of the Week!And yet, consider how many leaders spend their days: back-to-back meetings, two-line email replies, quick notes on a presentation or report. It’s all understandable—the organization’s engine is humming, employees need decisions, and a leader’s job is, among other things, to stay in touch broadly across a team or organization. It’s no wonder leaders often feel that they succeed based on their ability to task-switch as much as their ability to set a vision and galvanize a team.
Or more simply: Your calendar is probably packed. If there’s no time for lunch breaks, or even a bathroom break, there’s definitely no time for leisurely, expansive, deep thought. According to Dorie Clark in Harvard Business Review, 97 percent of leaders say long-term thinking is critical, and 96 percent of leaders say they don’t have time for it.
The reason frenzied executive calendars continue to exist for so many executives is that, in the short term, it is a functional way to get things done. Peers, teams and clients want discussions, an answer, an approval. That’s what they need to do their jobs. What we sometimes forget as leaders, amidst all the organizational bustle, is that it’s our job to tend to the visionary, strategic questions before they become threatening, existential questions. When we operate only in a place of stimulus-response, we’re actually playing out of position—like a goalie who’s left the goal. This might work for a while, but when a competitor shoots and scores because we weren’t protecting what was most important—our ability to think broadly, creatively, strategically—we lose.
Deep thought is important because as leaders we’re not usually measured by the quantity of our output. We’re measured by the quality of our thought. A brilliant vision. A unique understanding. A counter-intuitive strategy. A prescient decision. These are things that drive careers and businesses. No one was ever promoted for their email response time. Warren Buffett knew this and once said, “I insist on a lot of time being spent, almost every day, to just sit and think. That is very uncommon in American business.”
Deep thought is also important because it’s a beautiful way to spend our time! Warren Buffett ended the quote above not by saying, “I [sit and think] because it drives shareholder value.” He ended it with, “I do it because I like this kind of life.” It can be incredibly nourishing and invigorating to be lost in thought; to find a state of “flow” in which we’re so immersed in our thoughts that everything else seems to slip away.
Unfortunately, deep thought, as you likely know, is not easy to protect. And women managers often face the additional, biased expectation of being “a pleasure to work with”—available and attentive to others’ needs. It’s completely understandable why a female leader would be more inclined to return the email quickly, bolstering her reputation for being responsive, even when her time is better spent thinking deeply. It’s not an unbiased world. And yet we can still find ways to thrive within it.
Here are four things you can do in the next week to start protecting your time to think:
By: Bree Groff is a workplace culture expert and author of Today Was Fun: A Book About Work (Seriously). She has spent her career guiding executives at companies such as Microsoft, Pfizer, Calvin Klein, Google, Atlassian, Target, and Hilton through periods of complex change. She is a Senior Advisor to the global transformation consultancy SYPartners and previously served as the CEO of NOBL Collective. She is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and holds an MS in Learning and Organizational Change from Northwestern University. Bree lives in New York City with her husband and daughter.
(Guest Contribution: The opinions and views of guest contributions are not necessarily those of theglasshammer.com).
Nicola Free: Managing Director, Head of CRE, EMEA, Wells Fargo
People, Voices of ExperienceWith a career shaped by determination, hard-won resilience, and a commitment to leading with integrity, Free does not just navigate change — she drives it. She reflects on how embracing risk, learning from inspirational leaders, and trusting in both her existing skills and her capacity to grow have been central to her journey.
Taking Risks and Having Faith in Herself
From an early age, Free learned to be a self-starter. She reflects, “I came from a very working-class background and went to the worst school in Warwickshire. I had to teach myself my GCSEs because the classes were so disruptive.”
Determined to “do something with my life and make my parents proud,” Free was the first in her family to attend university, where she pursued law. However, it did not take long for her to realize that the legal path, while hard-earned, was not where she wanted to stay. When a client she had supported on a major securitization project invited her to help launch a CMBS platform, she made a decision that would completely change her career.
“It was definitely a big risk,” Free admits. “I would never have anticipated that I would have left the law a year after qualification, but this new opportunity sounded really interesting.”
Jumping into a completely new environment, Free recalls that “a third of it was in my comfort zone and two-thirds I was learning from scratch.” Free leaned on what she knew: her work ethic and resilience.
“Have confidence in the skills you bring, work hard to learn what you don’t know, and don’t give up at the first hurdle. Be willing to take a leap of faith. Ultimately, it’s about believing in yourself; that you’ll get there, and that you can do it.”
That mindset has carried her through ever since. Today, Free is a recognized leader in her field. As Head of Commercial Real Estate (CRE), EMEA for Wells Fargo, she is driving the firm’s CRE strategy across Europe, strengthening its capital markets capabilities, and deepening client relationships in the region.
“It’s a hugely exciting time to be a part of this business and the opportunity ahead of us…this is the year that the strategy is all coming together.”
Leading with Humility and Authenticity
When reflecting on her leadership approach, Free emphasizes the importance of clarity, humility, and authenticity.
“I always try and bring people along with me,” she says. “Give them a vision of what the strategy is, what we’re trying to achieve…make them feel like they’re part of something really special.”
She continues, “it’s about leading with integrity, humility, and doing the right thing for the business, the clients, and the strategy we’ve set for ourselves.”
Mentoring and feedback are important elements to how she leads. “The only way I managed to make a success of my career change was having good people around me who were prepared to coach and teach me,” Free says. “It’s incumbent on us all, particularly as leaders, to be that player-coach where you take the time to give people feedback and help them develop.”
She recognizes that it is also about holding oneself accountable when things go wrong and ensuring others are recognized when they go right. “When things are going really well, make sure people are getting the credit.”
Find a Culture that Aligns with Your Values and Leadership who Embody It
While Free is unquestionably guided by a strong internal compass, she also highlights the vital role that external factors, particularly an organization’s culture and leadership, play in shaping meaningful career development.
“One of the things I’ve learned throughout my career is to ask: What’s the culture? What kind of institution do you want to work for? At Wells Fargo I enjoy working for a bank that has a strong culture that I can relate to while being guided by truly inspirational leaders.”
Free is particularly inspired by Kara McShane, Head of Commercial Real Estate at Wells Fargo, “who is seen as one of the most influential women in finance.”
“To be able to work for somebody like her is really inspiring…and when you have leaders you trust and respect, you want to do your best for them.” It’s a dynamic she now pays forward to her own team. “I want them to come in and feel they’re part of something great, and that they want to succeed because they believe in me, in the business, and in the leadership above me.”
Be Bold. Own It.
Surrounded by leaders she respects, and serving as one herself, Free is acutely aware that leadership is not just about results; it’s also about presence. For women in real estate finance, that presence is still too rare at the top.
“If you’re a woman running a lending business in this industry,” she recalls reading in Real Estate Capital, “then you’re pretty extraordinary.” The line gave her pause, not out of self-congratulation, but reflection. “I come in and do my day job because I love it and want us to succeed. I don’t think of myself as any different than any other leader. But seeing that made me realize there’s a responsibility that comes with being one of the few.”
It is a responsibility that Free takes seriously. As she has risen through the ranks, invitations to speak and serve on panels have increased, and she uses them to push for broader representation. “I’m always conscious about making sure there are other women at the table, that the panels are diverse, and that we’re holding ourselves and others accountable.”
Her visibility is intentional. Instead of blending in, she embraces standing out.
“There’s a big real estate conference I go to every year,” she says. “You queue to board the flight, and it’s just a sea of men in navy suits. I make a point of wearing something bright and own the fact that I’m not the guy in the navy suit. I’m the woman in the bright red dress. It’s an opportunity to be seen.”
She emphasizes, “Being different can make you more memorable. It’s not just about gender. You might be younger, newer, or from a different background. Whatever it is, don’t be afraid to be visible. Have confidence and own it.”
Outside of work, Free applies the same conviction and focus to her personal life. She’s a mother of two daughters, and a competitive CrossFit athlete.
“I’m a strong working mom, and it demands a lot of my time, but I’m showing my girls what working hard and loving what you do can lead to and I’m not apologetic about it.” CrossFit is her outlet, her reset. “When I am training hard, I’m not thinking about anything other than being in the moment… it’s a really good way of switching off.”
That thread of determination runs through everything she does, whether it’s qualifying for a legal career, shifting into finance, growing a business, mentoring a team, or lifting a barbell.
“When things get really tough, don’t give up,” she says. “If you keep digging in, you’re going to feel so great at the end of it.”
By Jessica Robaire