How To Thrive In The C-Suite: 20 Expert Tips For Women Leaders
- Matei Dumitru
- Aug 18, 2025
- 6 min read
Reaching the C-suite is a major achievement, but succeeding once you’re there requires a new level of strategy, clarity and support. For women executives, this transition can come with added complexities, from balancing visibility and authenticity to managing cross-functional influence.
Here, 20 members of Forbes Coaches Council share practical, concrete steps to help women lead with confidence after they’ve reached the top. These strategies are designed to help women not just survive the C-suite, but truly thrive in it.
1. Map Stakeholder Influence Strategically
One powerful step women executives should take is “strategic stakeholder power mapping”—a.k.a. mapping your “influence net.” List key C-suite and board-level players, rate your relationship with each on a scale of 1 to 10, and rank their power. Focus on deepening trust with the top five most powerful. Revisit monthly. It’s not politics—it’s strategic protection. - Yann Dang, Aspire Coaching
2. Lead With Authenticity And Intentional Language
Lead as your whole self, centering your values and your authentic voice. Set boundaries that protect your energy, and be intentional with language—what I call “spreading your own rumors”—meaning, use words that you want others to repeat about you. Enroll others in reinforcing your vision and leadership, especially when you’re not in the room. - Dianna Moore, Moore Joy Group, LLC.
3. Build A Trusted Network Of Advocates
Build a community of advocates—your work fans, supporters, mentors and those who provide you with different perspectives and points of view before you need them. The best leaders have a consortium of trusted people in their corner they can go to for continued advice, thought partnership and the broader perspective that’s needed in a C-suite role. - Sohee Jun, S.J. Consulting, LLC
4. Develop Complex Change Management Skills
Start conditioning yourself early. Your IQ, passion and enthusiasm are important, but will only get you so far. To thrive in a C-suite role, hone your ability to lead progressively complex cross-functional or cross-enterprise change management initiatives. Doing so will help you gain strategic alignment, increase your financial acumen and build trust as you demonstrate stakeholder awareness. - Sheri Nasim, Center for Executive Excellence
5. Earn Respect By Leading Decisively
Don’t expect to be liked, but aim for being respected. Make the decisions without asking for permission. You are in the position because you earned it. - Liz Trocchio Smith, The Trocchio Advantage
6. Secure Ample Support At Home
Ensure you have ample support on the home and domestic front. Many women fall prey to continuing to shoulder the majority of domestic duties. This becomes especially problematic when ascending to the C-suite, as they simply need time for self-care, exercise, tending to relationships and ongoing learning and development. Outsourcing domestic duties or enrolling your partner is essential for sanity. - Alise Cortez, Gusto, Now!
7. Shift Mindsets To Match New Leadership Demands
If women have successfully arrived in a C-suite role, they know how to be successful. The questions they need to ask themselves are: What is required of me in this new role that is different from former roles? What is the new mindset needed? What needs to shift or expand to enable what is possible? What will that take? What are specific practices, reflections and experiences I will commit to taking action on? - Susan Curtin, Insights4results, LLC
8. Overcome Leadership Traps With A Partner
Finding an executive partner or leadership coach can help female executives check in with their own thoughts and ambition in a safe space. This can also leverage the executive partner’s experience in dealing with commonly observed leadership traps such as imposter syndrome, “I can do it myself,” “always being right” or any other self-limiting behaviors so that they are ready to thrive. - Kelly Huang, Coach Kelly Huang
9. Create A Clarity Circle For Support And Strategy
Build a strong clarity circle of other daring leaders—those ready to bring in diverse perspectives, hold each other accountable and offer honest feedback, strategic insight and personal support. This circle becomes a space for reflection, alignment and decision-making beyond the noise of the boardroom. Women leaders can stay grounded, make bold decisions and lead with confidence, clarity, courage and intention. - Kurline J Altes, CWDP, KURLINEJSPEAKS LLC
10. Invest In Targeted Leadership Development
To thrive in the C-suite, women executives must intentionally invest in ongoing leadership development tailored to their unique challenges. Coaching, women-focused programs and strategic networking aren’t luxuries—they’re lifelines for building confidence, influence and long-term impact at the top. - Rachana Adyanthaya, Cr8mychange
11. Establish Continuous Feedback Loops
One concrete step women executives should take to make sure they are able to thrive in the C-suite is to create continuous feedback loops with peers, internal partners and leadership, and their teams. This allows leaders to continually assess the impact they deliver and where their strengths and unique perspectives can continue to increase the impact for themselves and the company. - Laurie Waligurski, LGW Executive Consultants, LLC
12. Craft And Own Your Leadership Narrative
Research and lived experience indicate that women leaders are often judged on both performance and likability, unlike many of their male peers. It’s crucial to establish your narrative early. Be intentional. Know who holds influence. Learn who can “get it done.” Share what matters to you, and connect your past impact to the value you’ll bring in this new role. - Jill D. Griffin, The Griffin Method
13. Forge Cross-Functional Strategic Partnerships
Proactively cultivate partnerships with key value-creators across functions—supply chain, sales and R&D—before challenges arise. These strategic alliances unlock cross-functional synergy, accelerate decision velocity and amplify your impact. Thriving in the C-suite isn’t just leading your lane; it’s co-creating success where revenue and innovation intersect. Build bridges, not just results. - Maryam Daryabegi, Innovation Bazar
14. Nurture Peer Support Among Women Executives
One smart move is to invest early in relationships with other women at that level or beyond. The C-suite can be high-pressure and politically charged, and having a confidential space to think out loud, gut-check decisions or just feel seen makes a huge difference. Don’t wait until you’re overwhelmed; build that network as part of how you lead, not just how you cope. - Veronica Angela, CONQUER EDGE, LLC
15. Redefine Roles Through Authentic Leadership
Ask, “How can I make this role work for me?” rather than, “How can I fill the shoes of the person who came before me?” As women, when we step into roles previously held by men, we might feel like we need to change to meet expectations, but we thrive when we lean into our authentic selves. - Megan Malone, Truity
16. Practice Presence To Lead With Clarity
Build a practice of presence. In the C-suite, complexity intensifies and noise multiplies. Presence becomes your power source. It clarifies what matters, deepens intuition and enables grounded decisions under pressure. It’s not just about surviving leadership but embodying it with integrity and impact. - Rachel Weissman, Congruence
17. Clarify Core Values Before Stepping Up
Before stepping into the C-suite, women executives must clarify their values. Once in the role, demands multiply and pressure intensifies. The most grounded leaders I coach thrive because they lead from a clear sense of their purpose and values. That clarity becomes the filter for decisions, the guide for boundaries and the foundation for lasting success. - Lisa L. Baker, Ascentim
18. Protect Well-Being As A Leadership Asset
To thrive in the C-suite, executive women must protect the very fuel that got them there. You can’t just talk about well-being—you have to live it. The women who rise work hard, but they also set boundaries and redefine success on their terms. The ones who stay in the game are the ones who replenish as they rise—without apology. - Kimberly Jackson, Coach Kimberly International
19. Optimize Physical Fitness For Peak Performance
One key step women execs can take to thrive in the C-suite is to prepare their physical fitness for the higher stakes ahead. I call this “peak state management.” Having a regular exercise regime boosts blood flow, endorphins and energy, sharpening clarity, resilience and decision-making under pressure. So when you walk into that boardroom, your “state” is strong, focused and ready for anything. - Gabriella Goddard, Brainsparker Ltd
20. Set Boundaries To Safeguard Focus And Energy
Set your boundaries as boldly as your vision. C-suite roles come with pressure to be everywhere. Be intentional about where you won’t be. Protect your time, energy and focus like your leadership depends on it—because it does. - Jodie Charlop, Exceleration Partners
