The Natural Leadership of Women: What Studies Reveal and How Coaching Can Support It

by Barbara Wilde

Leadership has long been associated with power, authority, and decision-making. For decades, these traits were culturally coded as masculine. Yet, contemporary research increasingly demonstrates that women are not only capable leaders, but often bring qualities that are essential in the rapidly changing, interconnected world of today.

Oprah Winfrey

Women and Natural Leadership

Studies in organisational psychology and management science suggest that women frequently excel in collaborative leadership styles. A landmark meta-analysis published in the Psychological Bulletin showed that women leaders are more likely to adopt a transformational leadership style—characterised by empathy, empowerment, and vision—while men more often lean towards transactional leadership, centred on structure and reward.

This does not mean that one gender is “better” than the other, but that women often embody relational qualities—listening, inclusion, adaptability—that modern leadership requires. In fact, according to a McKinsey report on leadership diversity, companies with more women in executive positions show higher levels of innovation, employee satisfaction, and long-term profitability.

Oprah Winfrey: A Model of Transformational Leadership

Oprah Winfrey leads with empathy, vision, and courage. She transforms challenges into opportunities, inspires others through connection, and shows how women naturally turn vulnerability into strength and influence.

Brave Leadership: Elaine Cox’s Contribution

Elaine Cox, Senior Lecturer at Oxford Brookes University and co-author of Leadership Coaching: Developing Braver Leaders, has highlighted the importance of authenticity, emotional intelligence, and moral awareness in leadership. Her model of brave leadership coaching moves beyond traditional notions of authority to embrace courage: the courage to face difficult truths, to align decisions with values, and to integrate emotions as part of leadership rather than signs of weakness.

For women, who often navigate additional layers of cultural bias and expectation, Cox’s insights resonate strongly. Coaching inspired by this model can support women to acknowledge their emotional depth, ethical clarity, and relational awarenessand perceive them as powerful leadership assets.

The Coaching Perspective

Coaching plays a pivotal role in amplifying women’s natural leadership qualities. While many women have an innate capacity to guide, inspire, and connect, societal expectations, cultural conditioning, or self-doubt may act as invisible barriers. Here, coaching offers three essential contributions:

1. Awareness – Supporting women in recognising their unique leadership style and strengths, turning perceived “soft skills” into acknowledged assets.

2. Empowerment – Helping women dismantle internalised narratives that limit their authority or visibility.

3. Integration – Encouraging a balance between empathy and assertiveness, intuition and strategy, creating leadership that is both human and effective.

Towards a New Paradigm of Leadership

The conversation around leadership is shifting from hierarchy to collaboration, from control to empowerment. Women are naturally positioned to lead this change. As Elaine Cox’s work shows, effective leadership is not about suppressing vulnerability, but about transforming it into a source of strength and connection.

When women embrace their authentic voice and leadership style, they not only transform their own lives but also reshape the culture of organisations and communities. Leadership, then, becomes not about gender, but about humanity.

Call to Action

If you are ready to explore and strengthen your own leadership potential, coaching can be the catalyst that turns awareness into action. Book a discovery session with me at BWildeCoaching and begin your journey towards authentic, courageous leadership.