From Potential to Progress: Exploring the Development of Female Leadership Competencies

Introduction
Although female participation in leadership has increased globally, women remain significantly underrepresented in executive roles across Europe (Hanna et al., 2023). Research shows that women’s advancement into leadership continues to be constrained by structural, cultural, and social barriers, including gender norms (Kiamba, 2008), exclusion from professional networks (Fairfax, 2006; Kiamba, 2008), and disproportionate caregiving responsibilities (ILO, 2018; UN Women, 2020). This study investigates the factors and competencies that enable women to take leadership roles.

Methods
This mixed-methods study combines a secondary synthesis of more than 50 leadership training frameworks from German-speaking countries with primary data collection. Building on these general theoretical findings, six semi-structured interviews with experienced leaders who also work as leadership trainers explored success factors, best practices, and competencies relevant to female leadership development.

Results
The analyses revealed three key competencies for female leadership: self-leadership, communication and visibility, and strategic leadership. Self-leadership involves self-awareness, goal orientation, and effective resource management. Communication and visibility focus on assertive and authentic communication, self-presentation, and the ability to gain professional visibility. Strategic leadership centers on reflective thinking, prioritization, and stakeholder management. Those essential competencies are perceived as still needing further development, especially among women. Based on the results, a leadership training program will be developed to specifically advance these competencies.

Conclusion
Progress in women’s leadership requires a dual strategy: strengthening individual competencies while transforming organizational systems and cultures (Purnamawati & Utama, 2019; Tushabe et al., 2025). Our results suggest that focusing on self-leadership, communication and visibility, and strategic leadership is key to fostering both individual empowerment and greater female participation in leadership.