With over 10% of Fortune 500 companies now led by women, the groundwork is being laid for more women to enter the C-suite in the near future. If today’s exceptional leaders want to secure this future, now is the time for them to opt in to transformational leadership—both in theory and in practice.

Employees who see advocacy in action and benefit from it are far more inclined to become advocates themselves. As a result, organizations driven by advocate leaders also tend to be more inclusive, diverse and equitable environments in which to work and grow on the job.

In today's business landscape, we can be assured of only one thing: We are entering an uncertain time. Change is in the air, but the form it takes and its impact on work is yet to be seen. Several leadership capabilities will be critical for navigating this future, and based on Zenger and Folkman's research, they're all areas where women excel.

Making an effort to promote authenticity in the workplace is valiant and even necessary. However, companies must recognize that it isn’t a one-size-fits-all project. To truly commit to authenticity, it's vital to ensure all employees, regardless of their demographic, are supported.

Doing what is right is essential. But doing it in a way that is also strategic and politically astute is how you protect your ability to lead and create lasting impact. Ethical leadership isn’t just about integrity—it’s about timing, influence and sustainability.

Few leadership challenges are more daunting than regaining your footing after your credibility has been called into question. Whether the result of a misjudgment or an organizational setback, rebuilding trust requires intentional effort, humility, vulnerability and sustained commitment.

How data are collected, how datasets are sometimes “scrubbed” and how data is eventually presented and interpreted are also structured by biases, and the best way to uncover these biases is to bring a qualitative perspective to bear on quantitative approaches and claims.

Succession planning is often viewed as the job of human resources. However, if you want your succession plan to reflect a robust DEI mandate, it needs to be viewed as part of everyone’s work.