Discover how developing a flexible leadership mindset can transform your effectiveness as a woman executive. Our exclusive interview with Kevin Eikenberry, author of "Flexible Leadership," reveals powerful strategies for women leaders navigating today's complex business landscape.
Why Women Executives Need a Flexible Leadership Mindset
In today's rapidly evolving business environment, a flexible leadership mindset isn't just beneficial—it's essential for women executives who want to maximize their impact. According to McKinsey's 2024 Women in the Workplace report, women now hold 29% of C-suite positions, up from just 17% in 2015, yet the path to gender parity in senior leadership still extends decades into the future.
For women executives facing unique challenges, developing flexibility in leadership approach provides a powerful advantage. A flexible leadership mindset allows women leaders to navigate complex situations while staying authentic to their core values.
Defining the Flexible Leadership Mindset for Women Executives
What exactly constitutes a flexible leadership mindset? According to Kevin Eikenberry, it means maintaining consistency in your core values while adapting your approach based on circumstances:
"Flexible leadership means being consistent in our what and our why—our principles, values, and purpose—but flexible in our how," explains Eikenberry. "Like a mature tree that's firmly rooted yet bends with the wind, women executives with a flexible leadership mindset maintain their foundation while adapting their approach."
The hallmark of this mindset is recognizing when "it depends" is the appropriate answer—and then thoughtfully considering what factors it depends on before determining how to proceed.
About Kevin Eikenberry – Flexible Leadership Author
Kevin Eikenberry is the author of over 20 books, including his latest, 'Flexible Leadership: Navigating Uncertainty and Leading with Confidence.' As the founder of the Kevin Eikenberry Group, he's advised leaders at organizations worldwide and created transformative leadership programs like the Remarkable Masterclass.


The Business Cost of Inflexible Leadership for Women Executives
Women executives who lack a flexible leadership mindset often find themselves locked into rigid approaches with statements like "that's just how I lead" or "they'll have to get used to it." This inflexibility creates significant limitations:

Forces one approach onto diverse situations requiring different solutions
Creates an identity barrier that's difficult to overcome
Reduces opportunities for innovation and team development
Dramatically lowers the odds of success in complex environments
Reinforces potential gender stereotypes rather than transcending them

Research indicates that companies with women in leadership positions are 30% more likely to outperform others—suggesting that when women executives leverage flexible approaches, organizations benefit.
The Flexible Leadership Framework for Women Executives
To help women executives develop a flexible leadership mindset, Eikenberry introduces the Cynefin Framework (pronounced kuh-NEV-in) as a tool for making sense of different leadership situations:
1. Clear Contexts for Women Executives
Situations where cause and effect are obvious, best practices exist, and processes are established. Traditional leadership approaches often work well here.
2. Complicated Contexts for Women Executives
Scenarios requiring expertise but where systems remain fairly ordered. Women executives benefit from gathering diverse perspectives before making decisions.
3. Complex Contexts for Women Executives
The most common leadership environment today—where interconnected factors create unpredictability. Women executives thrive here by testing approaches, learning quickly, and adapting.
4. Chaotic Contexts for Women Executives
Rare crisis situations requiring immediate action. Women executives need to act decisively to stabilize the situation before transit...