Women in Leadership: Pain Points and Strategies for Success

Only a third of management positions in Austria are held by women. Why is that the case? What career barriers stand in the way of women and how would the working environment have to change to accommodate women’s needs? What can women do to be more likely to be appointed a place in leadership? Martina Huemann, Academic Director of the Vienna Executive MBA Strategic Project Management, Mercuri Urval partner Doris Hofmeister, and salary and career expert Martina Ernst joined forces with the WU Executive Academy’s Female Leaders Network to shed light on these questions. In doing so, they not only highlight the main reasons why many women don’t climb the career ladder to a rung that fits their skills but also give tips that could help both women in leadership and employers do something about that.

The public debate on female leadership often depicts women as victims of circumstance who experience a host of disadvantages compared to their male peers, which is why they are in dire need of being backed and supported. “This view is not only wildly outdated but also wrong,” says Martina Huemann, the Academic Director of the Vienna Executive MBA Strategic Project Management. At the core of this misunderstanding is the failure to consider the positive entrepreneurial effect of women in leadership and mixed teams. Numerous international studies have shown that an increase of the share of women in leadership positions correlates with a rise of the team’s performance and productivity. This means that female managers and board members directly translate into a plus in productivity and revenues and frequently a stronger focus on relevant topics such as f.e. sustainability.

“This makes diversity a factor for corporate success, meaning that it’s an important business KPI that should receive attention and be considered in the relevant business reports,” Martina Huemann says.

But what’s keeping women from attaining and standing their ground in leadership positions? Which pain points make it difficult for women to pursue successful leadership careers? Three female experts got together with the Female Leaders Network of the WU Executive Academy to get to the bottom of these questions and identified the 3 biggest obstacles for women in leadership! 

1. The Glass Ceiling: The Invisible Barrier on the Way to the Top Management

In a business world dominated by men, women must be supported and empowered: this is something that by now even traditionally minded men have come to agree with. However, professional support offers for women often end as soon as they have reached the middle management level. Once women are about to or visibly willing to enter top management, men start to view them as competitors and place obstacles in their way (also see the “Glass Cliff” below). Many women who made it to the top report that the headwinds they faced there were so strong that they decided to retreat and started looking for alternatives.

An EU directive which is to be implemented by June 2026 has set a target of 40% women in the boards of listed companies. “This has compelled some of these companies to act: they are set to appoint a women next time they need a new board member. But then there are also companies that have bypassed this quota by reducing the headcount of their boards from three to two. This comes, however, with a boomerang effect as neither female customers nor the younger generation in general tolerate such behavior,” says Martina Ernst, who is a board member of the WU Executive Academy Female Leaders Network and an expert on all questions related to careers and salaries with many years of management experience herself. Martina Ernst sees a change in mindset, sharing that more and more companies are recognizing the added value of diverse board appointments.  

The Effects of an Old-Fashioned Management Style

Female board members often encounter old-timey ideas about management, and such views make it harder for them to find their place in a setting dominated by men. Unlike Sweden, it’s rare for a woman in Austria to have a leadership position while her (male) partner tends to the children at home. 

As a result, women are still often deterred from pursuing leadership roles: “It’s really not appealing to see that they would be the only woman in top management. They also feel like they would have to act like a man in order to succeed. Even if they are not shunned on purpose, they’ll likely end up feeling excluded,” Martina Ernst says.  A lot of women appreciate a culture of open communication: “If they find that issues are not openly addressed, they will start looking for alternatives.” And so female top managers end up leaving the company.  

The Broken Rung Effect – The Damaged Career Ladder for Women

While some progress has been made, women remain underrepresented in leadership positions. The fewer women there are in lower-level management positions, the fewer there are to advance to higher-level positions. For women, it’s often this first rung on the career ladder that’s hard to climb (the so-called “broken rung” effect), because they are still less likely to be promoted than men. The result: The number of women promoted to higher management jobs remains low because they are already underrepresented in their early career stages.

About the “Glass Cliff”: Female leadership Often Associated with Major Risks

Another obstacle for women in leadership, although less common than the glass ceiling, is the glass cliff. This term describes a situation in which women are appointed to leadership roles that are particularly risky or unstable - often in times of uncertainty or with companies that are in a difficult situation. Once reached, they can fall over this cliff aka leadership position. Time and again, women report that they have been offered management positions that were hopeless from the outset. They often lacked the necessary resources for complex projects, which made failure almost inevitable.

Martina Ernst has often observed the so-called glass cliff: “Women were promoted to a leadership position where they had to tackle hot potatoes and the odds were 50:50 as to whether they would succeed or fail. High potentials are often appointed to such insecure jobs, or people who were overdue for a promotion.” 

From Outsider to Manager? Women and the Missing Network

Men often enter management through an old boy network, while no equivalent “old girl network” exists. This puts women at a disadvantage. Doris Hofmeister, a partner and Board & CEO Practice Lead at Mercuri Urval, confirms: “Instead of seeking the best candidate on the market, decision-makers often appoint someone from their own networks.”

Women face challenges attending networking events like golfing and happy hours, often due to family duties. This limits their access to crucial career contacts, making it harder to join established networks. As a result, they remain outsiders, struggling to communicate as equals with peers and supervisors. Despite efforts to promote women, qualified female candidates are still overlooked in recruiting and talent management. Research shows that selection procedures are biased and fail to recognize the unique qualities of female leaders and their unique circumstances. 

Proactive Networking as the Key

Doris Hofmeister advises women to actively engage in networks: “Many women miss talking to like-minded people, but they don’t prioritize networking. It’s worth the time and energy. What matters is having clear positioning and pursuing your goals,” she says. Martina Huemann adds that the WU Executive Academy’s Female Leaders Network is a great opportunity for women to connect in a safe space.

In the area of executive search, for example, Mercuri Urval relies on a scientifically sound approach to “leader selection”, which enables an objective and neutral selection of the best candidates based on clearly defined professional and personal criteria. It does not rely on sympathy or subjective perception. Instead, a personality analysis and a behavior-oriented in-depth interview are used to identify the individual leadership skills that are a perfect fit for the respective company and search mandate.

No or Not Enough Mentoring

Another important aspect that is often linked to networks is access to mentoring and coaching. Women often have less direct contact with decision-makers in the company, which makes it more difficult for them to set the right course for their career. In this context, the targeted search for mentors can make a decisive difference. An experienced mentor or coach can help women in leadership to optimize their career strategies and achieve their professional goals.

“People used to say, what's wrong with you, that you need coaching. Today it's different,” explains Doris Hofmeister. She points to the positive development in the perception of coaching and mentoring. “At Mercuri Urval, we have 80 ICF (International Coach Federation) certified business coaches worldwide, and the positive effect of coaching is now clearly demonstrable.” This support can provide the decisive impetus to move up the corporate hierarchy and establish oneself as a leader. 

2. Western Socialization and Education

Women’s roles and thus views regarding women in leadership positions arise from the way we have been socialized, and naturally culture has a say in this as well. During the socialist rule in Southeast European countries, it was standard for both men and women to work and hold management positions. These countries have an approximately equal share of women and men in leadership positions today as socialization and education as regards gender roles continue to have a decisive impact on how women work there to this day.

Gender Bias and Other Stereotypes

From an early age, girls are less encouraged to engage with STEM subjects. “A six-year-old girl already believes she knows less than a boy of the same age in math and analytical technology,” Martina Ernst explains, referring to “stereotype threat.” The lack of female role models worsens this: only 30% of upper-secondary students attend technical schools, and just 25% of female university students major in STEM. As a result, fewer women enter STEM careers.

Prejudice and discrimination limit women’s career opportunities. They are often seen as less competent than male colleagues, their achievements are overlooked, and supervisors are more likely to “forget” them when considering promotions. In the worst case, workplace micro-aggressions undermine their authority. Many female managers report that their gender or motherhood was a factor in being denied a pay raise or promotion. 

Impossible Workload, Little Recognition, Underestimated Performance

Female executives are often overburdened due to their private care work. At the same time, their performance receives less recognition in the traditional management environment, since women tend to “sell” their work less effectively than men.

Compared to men on the same hierarchical level, women managers do more to support the well-being of their team members and foster diversity, equal opportunities, and integration. Such efforts substantially increase employee retention and satisfaction but are not taken into account in many companies’ performance reward systems. So, when women in leadership devote time and energy to tasks that are not recognized, it becomes harder for them to climb the career ladder. Against this backdrop, it’s easy to see why women feel overworked and undervalued much more frequently compared to men in similar roles. 

More Encouragement for Women in Leadership Roles

Women are not generally seen as less capable leaders, yet they apply for leadership roles less often. “Many women focus on supporting the team and maintaining harmony with their boss. They are reluctant to take risks,” says Martina Ernst. This hesitation reinforces the gender gap in management and salaries.

That’s why companies must actively encourage and support women. “We need an environment where women not only can but also want to lead - without having to conform to male standards,” Martina Ernst emphasizes. This includes adjusting salaries to match responsibilities without women having to ask.

Martina Ernst herself hesitated before taking her first leadership position - until her employer encouraged her. “She saw my potential, eased my fears, and said, ‘Try it for six months. If it doesn’t work, you can go back,’” she recalls. Companies should offer this kind of targeted support, providing women with opportunities and guidance. 

Age Discrimination in the Workplace Hits Women Particularly Hard

Women face prejudice at any age, says Martina Huemann. “Before they have children, when they have children, after they have children during the menopause - there is always a pretext for discrimination.”

Women over 50 in particular are often treated differently to men. While older men are considered experienced and competent, women are denied this suitability. They tend to be labeled as “difficult” or “bad-tempered”. In addition, many women over 50 feel left out of continuing education courses as employers invest more in younger employees. Older employees should be seen as valuable contributors to the company. Dismissals at an advanced age have particularly serious consequences. The generous “golden handshakes” from the age of 58 will no longer exist in future, says Martina Huemann. “Women may find it easier to come to terms - they are used to coping with difficult conditions.”

Daring to Be More Visible: Women and the Art of Self-Presentation

Many women often rate their skills lower than they actually are. While men already apply for jobs if they fulfill 80% of the requirements, women hesitate even if they exceed the requirements or are overqualified.

“Most women are surprised when we approach them for a management position. They struggle with the decision, while men often ask us why we haven't already contacted them,” reports Doris Hofmeister from practical experience. Women often have less self-confidence and tend to market themselves less and not be as visible as men. “Younger women are more self-confident, but this is often not the case for women over 40,” says Doris Hofmeister. She recommends that women of all ages present themselves more to the outside world and strengthen their own brand, e.g. through panel discussions. 

3. Family and (Other) Care Duties

Women are still bearing the brunt of unpaid care work today, and this goes far beyond their core families. Also when it comes to looking after and caring for relatives or people close to the family, women tend to end up doing the lion’s share of the work. “Women do 2.5 to 5 hours more unpaid work a week compared to men. And even if they work more hours at their paid job than their male partner, they usually do 50% of the housework,” Martina Ernst says. Statistics Austria found that women handle 64% of the housework and 63.8% of childcare duties even if they work the same number of hours in their paid jobs as their male partners. Society in general fails to see and recognize this additional burden shouldered by women.

Challenges in Working Conditions

For Martina Ernst, working conditions constitute a decisive factor. She shares that many women want to have children and decline management position offers because they see no way to reconcile work and family life, adding, “We need more efforts to implement job-sharing models and part-time jobs also on the management level. And we definitely need more role models in this context.” Martina Huemann sees some progress in this respect: “The current generation of young fathers are already quite invested in doing their part in child-rearing, and still, we are a far cry from Scandinavian countries where no meetings are scheduled after 4 p.m.,” she holds. Women’s mental load in coordinating children’s needs, school, and family life is also very different from men’s. And naturally, this has an impact on how women work.  

Success as a Manager - Feeling Like a Bad Mother

And then there is “mom guilt” - a woman’s perception that she is neither living up to the expectations of her job nor being a good mother to her children. “Women often have a bad conscience, as if they were neglecting their children. In this respect, it’s important to work on one’s self-image and delegate tasks to the partner and the children themselves,” Martina Huemann says. Feelings of guilt or not being good enough can be a massive burden on women’s mental health as they are trying to balance work and private duties. They can end up being less satisfied with their job or less productive or suffer from chronic stress and burnout symptoms. This is another field where companies are called upon to establish a family-friendly culture and extend in-house childcare offers. 

Never Enough Time and the “Rush Hour of Life”

With children to care for, relationships to maintain, and elderly relatives needing support, many women find no time for themselves. Female managers in their late 20s to mid-40s face the “rush hour of life,” juggling work, family, education, and more. Martina Huemann stresses the need for a new approach: “We must acknowledge that bringing children into the world is both a biological challenge and a physical burden.”

Regarding careers, she questions whether “the only way is up” is truly the best path. Traditional hierarchies are fading, and responsibilities are increasingly shared. “Companies should embrace new leadership models like shared leadership, where two people take on a role previously assigned to one,” Huemann suggests. This shift can help create a more sustainable work-life balance, ensuring leadership is more inclusive and adaptable to modern needs. 

Opportunity Costs and Career Interruptions

Many women cannot see a benefit or advantage in investing in an executive career. For many, climbing the career ladder in an environment dominated by men is not attractive (enough). “Almost all surveys show that children are considered the main factor stalling a career. In places where hierarchical leadership structures are still the norm, women feel that they have to decide between having children or a career,” Martina Huemann says. Consequently, women who see a family in their future might rule out management positions altogether as they do not get to continue their career paths where they left off after the interruptions.  

Psychological Stress and Mental Load

In addition to the double burden of having to handle both the job and household and childcare, women tend to take over 100% of the mental load. Even if they delegate tasks to their partner or children, they are still the ones who have to organize them and keep an overview. This mental load based on responsibilities in the private sphere, which is usually much higher for women than for men, also has an impact on how women and men can perform at their jobs.

Financial Challenges for Women

Living a stable life is a basic need, and financial security is a prerequisite for it. To thrive in today’s modern society, we won’t be able to do without certain financial means, which are most often gained from paid work. Often, women have less money available than men to invest in their career and further education. 

If they stay at home or work part-time to take care of the children and this hampers their career advancement, they often end up earning less than men. Men can make financial provisions for their future; women often do not have money to put aside for later – so they are dependent on a generous partner accumulating savings for the two of them. Women need more know-how when it comes to financial management and literacy, as well as respective efforts are still insufficient, as Doris Hofmeister points out. 

The Alternatives: What We Can Do to Overcome These Pain Points

While women often face particular challenges in the world of work, there are numerous ways to provide them with targeted support and promote genuine equal opportunities. Companies, managers and colleagues can take conscious measures to help break down barriers and create an inclusive, fair working environment. Below are some concrete approaches that strengthen women in leadership. 

1. Encouraging Female LEaders: On a Corporate Level

New Work, New Values, New Everything

Many women in leadership positions have had enough of traditional patriarchal management structures, as these no longer correspond to their values. They are looking for a corporate and leadership culture that emphasizes trust, appreciation and development and offers opportunities for modern forms of leadership such as shared leadership.  

Concepts such as New Work are not only of particular interest to women. They offer all employees the opportunity to reconcile the demands of everyday working life with private commitments and professional development. By reducing their working hours and sharing management responsibilities, female managers can continue to pursue their professional goals without neglecting their personal commitments. 

The Necessity of New KPIs in the Economy

With the growing shortage of skilled labor, companies must compete for talent by adopting new, attractive work models. “We must abandon outdated views on work and collaboration,” says Martina Huemann. “For this, we need role models. If companies see successful examples, they will follow.” Women in leadership are not pain points but assets. Increased diversity enhances value creation and company performance.  

Numerous international studies show that a higher share of women in management teams correlates with improved productivity and success. “Simply put, more female managers and board members mean higher productivity and revenue,” Martina Huemann states. “That’s why it’s time to establish diversity as a key business KPI for success.” 

7 Key Factors for Career Success

According to a meta-analysis by WU researchers Johannes Steyrer and Wolfgang Mayrhofer, there are 7 important factors that influence careers - regardless of gender. These factors can either promote professional success or represent obstacles on the career path.

As you can see, money is by no means the only thing that makes a career. Career ideas are no longer focused solely on financial incentives and promotion. Instead, learning, personal development and entrepreneurial thinking are increasingly taking center stage - in line with the principles of New Work. 

2. Encouraging Female Leaders: On an Individual Level

Success – But on Your Own Terms

As women in leadership often pursue a career path that was shaped by men and focuses on performance and traditional hierarchies, a concept that has been termed “succeeding on your own terms” can be an attractive alternative. It means shaping one’s career to fit one’s own values, strengths, and dreams. This, of course, is only possible through mentoring and the right network.

Successful Women Always Meet Twice in Life

Recent studies show that the quality of connections is crucial in networks. While men often benefit from connections with “hubs” - people who connect many different networks. It is particularly important for women to also have a strong internal network. A circle of trustworthy women who act as mentors, role models and friends. This helps to clarify career issues and overcome challenges that women in leaderships positions often face together. 

“Networking, mentoring and professional interaction in general is about collaboration, transparency and mutual support, rather than ultimate competition,” emphasizes Martina Ernst. Authenticity and self-confidence are key to shaping your own career path - this can also include starting your own business. A supportive network is essential in order to achieve success on your own terms. 

Let’s Talk about Autonomy: When Fundamental Needs Are Not Met

Another key aspect that should not be overlooked in the discussion about women in leadership is self-determination. In her current research, Martina Huemann has been working intensively on self-determination theory. This theory is based on the assumption that four fundamental needs determine people's motivation: Autonomy, competence, social connectedness and the pursuit of meaning. “People develop best in a professional environment that supports these needs. This applies to employees as well as managers,” explains Martine Huemann. 

These needs are often even more pronounced for female leaders in particular. In order to develop their full potential, they are therefore all the more dependent on an environment that recognizes and specifically promotes these needs. 

These 4 central needs play a decisive role in successful self-determination at management level: 

1. The Need for Autonomy

Their need for autonomy is about female leaders’ wish to be in control and to be able to shape their own decisions and actions. It describes the ability to act independently and have the freedom to lead in a way that aligns with their ideals. “Autonomy is particularly important for women in leadership because it enables them to bring their individual strengths to the fore, implement their visions as a leader, and find their place in an environment still dominated by traditional and male-centric views,” Martina Huemann says. Autonomy and the freedom to shape your own environment boost women’s confidence and help them outgrow their comfort zone, and consequently, they can develop innovative solutions for challenges related to leadership and management.

2. The Need for Competence

Female leaders are especially committed to continuously developing and further honing their skills. They strive to grow their ability to deal with challenges and produce palpable results as business leaders. “Training their skill set is key for women in leadership to help them confidently fill their position and meet the high expectations set in them. Getting the chance to learn new things and deepen their expertise drives both their personal and professional development,” Martina Huemann says.

3. A Need for Relatedness

Many women in leadership positions believe in a work environment honoring DEI principles and collaboration on an equal footing. Female managers aim to connect with their peers on a personal level because they wish to build strong and reliable relationships within and beyond their teams. In working with others, female leaders are often unconcerned about hierarchies and instead make sure to appreciate others’ input to create a motivating and inclusive work environment. A personal connection helps them successfully lead their teams, strengthen their networks, and foster a sense of cohesion within their organization. It also makes for open communication and supports them in reaching goals together with their teams. Existing power structures in an organization that undermine this need can have a negative effect on the performance of female managers and thus also their teams.

4. A Need for Purpose

Women in leadership also strive to make a real contribution to their organization and in the way they lead their teams. They often look for tasks that align with their personal values and visions and through which they can have a positive impact on their immediate work environment, their organization, and society at large. Purpose motivates them to lead in a way that not only enables them to reach their goals but also make a sustainable difference. This underlying intrinsic motivation lends their work a greater purpose and helps them identify with their leadership role. If managers can’t see the purpose of the projects or goals assigned to them, their motivation and often also their performance will suffer, which will trickle down to also dampen their team members’ sense of purpose and commitment.

Lifelong Learning is Key for Women in Leadership Positions

“And that’s why particularly female leaders need continuous education opportunities,” Martina Huemann says. “The right education course will address all aspects of a self-determined (professional) life in giving women the opportunity to acquire the respective competences and mindset: autonomy and the power to make your own decisions, subject-specific leadership expertise, a valuable network, and a focus on purpose-driven leadership, which, at heart, is about the greater good managers and organizations serve.”

This continuous learning process is the key to successfully shaping your own career and making a real impact - both in a professional and social context.