In 2025, the loudest voices in business, politics, and media are often the ones clinging to dominance. Musk. Trump. Rogan. Zuck. Charisma-laced confidence, relentless unearned certainty, and bravado are packaged as thought leadership. It can feel like the world is doubling down on the very traits many of us have spent years trying to unlearn.
So, where does that leave those of us trying to lead differently?
There’s a growing tension between the kind of leadership that gets celebrated and the kind of leadership people actually want. The flashy wins are going to those who build empires with sharp elbows. Meanwhile, we’re seeing employees leave toxic workplaces, crave real human connection, and search for belonging, flexibility, and purpose.
Feminist leadership lives in this tension. It’s not performative, and it’s not just about gender. It’s about power—how we share it, how we hold it, and how we use it in service of others.
But first, what do we mean by ‘feminist’?
At its core, feminism is the belief that all people should have equal rights, opportunities, and dignity, regardless of gender. It isn’t about flipping the power imbalance or favoring women over men. It’s about challenging systems that concentrate power in the hands of a few and inviting everyone to lead with equity, empathy, and shared responsibility.
Feminist leadership isn’t limited to women. Men—and people of all genders—can and do lead this way. We need more leaders of all identities to model these values if we want to create workplaces that truly work for everyone.
What is feminist leadership?
Feminist leadership centers equity, transparency, and shared power. It values process as much as outcome and considers impact, not just intent. It invites feedback, embraces nuance, and challenges the myth that strong leadership means going it alone.
Feminist leadership isn’t just a softer, gentler approach. It’s rigorous, strategic, and deeply people-centered.
You don’t have to call yourself a feminist to lead this way, but you do have to be willing to question what leadership has historically looked like—and who’s benefited from that model.
Why does the old model still thrive?
The reality is that we’re still living in a system that rewards domination. The workplace version of this often looks like:
- Decision-making behind closed doors
- Lack of trust
- Credit-hoarding
- Overconfidence without accountability
- Constant urgency and burnout framed as commitment
This kind of leadership is magnetic in the short-term and corrosive in the long-term. Employees disengage, trust erodes, inclusion becomes performative, and the people holding everything together quietly burn out or leave.
What does feminist leadership look like in practice?
It doesn’t mean giving up structure or accountability. It rather means reimagining them.
- In 1:1s, it sounds like asking, What does support look like for you right now?
- In team decisions, it means centering impact, not ego.
- In conflict, it means taking responsibility without defensiveness.
- In success, it means celebrating collective achievement, not just individual wins.
Feminist leadership takes seriously the idea that workplaces aren’t neutral. They’re shaped by values, policies, systems, and choices. And those choices either reinforce inequity or interrupt it.
It’s not easy, but it’s essential
Let’s not pretend it’s easy to lead this way. It’s riskier. You might be seen as “soft,” or too idealistic. You might watch others get rewarded for cutting corners or stepping on people.
But people are paying attention. They’re asking harder questions about who they want to work for and what kind of culture they want to be part of. And they can tell when leadership is rooted in values versus optics. The system might still reward the loudest, but lasting positive impact belongs to the leaders who choose courage, care, and collective power.
Ready to bring this kind of leadership into your workplace?
We help leaders and organizations put these values into action through strategy, facilitation, and practical tools that work. Reach out to us and let’s build something better.