Meet Emma* - a dynamic, ambitious, and driven director, ready to make an impact. Emma is fantastic at what she does, but she’s been facing a set of challenges recently that have caused increased stress and anxiety for her.

From balancing the demands of her role, to juggling multiple responsibilities, to navigating the complexities of corporate dynamics, Emma grapples with the relentless pressure to prove herself as a competent leader in a competitive environment, trying to earn the respect of her boss and her peers. This leaves her overworked and, despite her accomplishments, she finds herself confronting self-doubt, hesitancy, and the fear of not measuring up to expectations. She’s afraid that if she continues that way, she might completely screw up her life and her career, missing out on higher opportunities, and burning out.

Emma is not alone. We’ve seen these types of challenges in many high-achieving women leaders and chances are, if you’re anything like the women we work with, maybe some of what Emma is experiencing resonates with you. And while it may seem that there is a myriad of challenges coming together, there is one underlying issue:

Emma is too focused on demonstrating excellence in her current position and doesn’t lean enough into being strategic. 

So, what does being strategic mean for women leaders and why is it essential for your balance and career growth? And how can you leverage strategic leadership principles to propel yourself forward toward being a confident and respected leader who is considered for further promotions and lives a balanced life filled with meaning and joy? Here’s how: 

1. Why Being a More Strategic Leader is so Important for Women Leaders

Not being a strategic leader is like staying behind and cleaning up the kitchen, eating someone else’s leftovers (if they leave any!) versus designing your own delicious meal and dining at the table with the key players.

As a woman leader, neglecting strategic leadership comes with some serious risks that could hold you back in your career and negatively impact your personal life.

Not being strategic in creating your own path forward can mean you’re cutting yourself off from opportunities for professional growth and development. In addition, a lack of strategic foresight and planning on an organizational level, signals that maybe you’re not ready for that next leap and it may keep you from being considered for higher opportunities. Moreover, not being strategic in your leadership can lead to you constantly having to put out fires and dealing with unforeseen challenges and crises. This leaves you vulnerable to heightened levels of stress and burnout, impacting overall effectiveness and well-being.

If you feel like your days are often just about putting fires out, if you feel like you have so much on your plate that you're mostly in surviving mode, if you feel like you have to constantly prove that you are doing a great job, or if you're getting passed over or delayed for opportunities, a lack of strategic leadership may be at the root of your challenges. 

It's crucial for women leaders to prioritize strategic thinking as a cornerstone of their leadership approach, enabling them to navigate complexities with confidence, steer their careers toward success, and ensure personal well-being.

2. What You Gain by Being a More Strategic Leader

Imagine having the ability to approach every decision, every obstacle, with a clear vision and purpose. Being a more strategic leader is about making choices, taking charge of your career and life, and driving positive change within your organization. With strategic thinking, you can not only excel in your professional life but also find fulfillment in your personal life.

By being a more strategic leader, you gain a competitive edge in addressing the multifaceted challenges they encounter. For instance, strategic leaders are adept at navigating the delicate balance between work and personal life by prioritizing tasks, optimizing resources, and making calculated decisions that align with both their career objectives and personal values. This strategic mindset enables you to achieve greater harmony between your professional ambitions and personal aspirations, fostering a more sustainable and fulfilling lifestyle.

On top of that, by showcasing your strategic excellence, you can break through barriers, gain recognition, negotiate for opportunities that propel your career forward, and advocate for your professional development. You can become a catalyst for change, shaping the culture of your organization and paving the way for other women to thrive.

3. How to Be a More Strategic Leader

‘Strategic Leadership’ is such a big word, and you can fit a gazillion things under it, from thinking and acting strategically to skills you need to learn and improve to displaying characteristics that distinguish a strategic leader. That’s what makes it so difficult for women leaders.

For many it feels completely overwhelming, because it’s like someone just put another 10-20 huge to-dos on their table while they already have a full plate, juggling multiple responsibilities. Plus, the piecemeal provided online, with each resource only touching upon a fraction of strategic leadership, makes it even harder and more confusing for women leaders.

That’s why at Pink Executives, we take a different, a holistic approach. We developed a framework that helps women leaders understand how all the aspects of strategic leadership fit together and how they can apply them in their day-to-day practice. We help our clients create a clear path to becoming a more strategic leader and achieve professional and personal fulfillment as a strategic leader.

Our framework includes three levels of strategic leadership and they are all equally important. 

a) Strategic leadership at the organizational level

b) Strategic leadership in your career and personal well-being

c) Strategic leadership in your day-to-day

On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the highest score, how strategic do you feel at the organizational level? Are you 100% clear on your goals and vision for the organization? And how successful are you in achieving these goals? 

Regarding personal goals, research shows that 92% of people, even highly driven people, are not achieving their goals. Have you ever had a goal that you have not achieved in the time you wanted? 

Chances are, if you're reading this and if you're a woman leader who would like more fulfillment in her life, there are certain areas in your life that you'd like to be better. And chances are, if you're anything like the women leaders we work with, being more strategic can help you increase your professional and personal fulfillment. 

Here’s what you can do today to become a more strategic leader:

Reflect on your own day-to-day. Are you mostly in reaction mode, putting out fires and trying to keep up with the demands of your role and requests from others? Where do you need to be more strategic in your actions and how you spend your time to make progress toward your goals? Look at your week ahead and pick one thing that you’d like to improve or realign with your overall goals. Work on improving one action, behavior, or thought at a time.

4. Your Next Steps

In summary, strategic leadership serves as the cornerstone for women leaders like you to navigate the complexities of their roles and achieve professional and personal success and fulfillment. By embracing strategic thinking at the organizational level and for your personal aspirations, you can chart a clear path to making your dream career and personal fulfillment a reality.

If you’d like to go deeper, we invite you to explore our signature program, The Inner Circle™. In The Inner Circle™, women leaders learn to improve their strategic leadership for more professional and professional fulfillment. They walk away with detailed long-term plans and their goals broken down into actionable steps that start moving them toward the life they desire.

Want to learn more about how you can achieve higher success and deeper fulfillment for FREE? Grab our 10 Strategies for Women Leaders to Increase Success and Fulfillment and try them out for yourself!