Mindset vs muscle: The new formula for confident, effective female leadership

Leadership can be messy, chaotic, and often terrifying, and that is exactly why it’s so exciting. Today’s female leaders need more than ambition or skill. They need both inner belief and practical execution.

Meet Ms Mindset. She’s your inner cheerleader who whispers, “you’ve got this”, “speak up in this meeting” and “you’re the right person for this job.” She keeps you grounded, helps you silence the inner critic, and reminds you that imposter syndrome is just a pesky guest in your brain that everyone else also has, and that this guest doesn’t get a vote in your life.

Then there’s Ms Muscle. She’s the no-nonsense coach with a stopwatch and a clipboard, shouting, “Okay, enough pep talk, let’s run this meeting, give feedback like a pro, and just have that tricky convo before lunch.” Muscle doesn’t care if you feel ready; she cares that the job gets done.

And if you want to be a strong leader in an ever-changing environment, you need both.

Female leadership is evolving

Leadership today is about more than approving leave requests or signing off on budgets. It is about influence, impact, and presence. And right now, women who want to lead face a shrinking pipeline and mounting obstacles.

Chief Executive Women report that the pipeline of female leaders in Australia has declined for the third consecutive year. Only 14 per cent of ASX 100 CEOs are women, and representation in key feeder roles like CFO and COO is barely moving.

On top of that, trust in leadership is falling fast. Exec.com reports that trust in leadership has dropped from 46 per cent to 29 per cent in just two years, leaving a leadership vacuum that few role models can fill. Harvard Business School research shows that while 83 per cent of businesses agree developing leaders at every level is important, only 5 per cent actually invest in it. No wonder 40 per cent of new leaders fail in their first 18 months, according to the Center for Creative Leadership.

This combination of systemic barriers, underinvestment in leadership development, and a lack of strong, visible examples makes it easy to see why even capable women hesitate to step forward.

Leadership is evolving, and success now comes from pairing belief with action. Ms Mindset whispers, “You’ve got this”. Ms Muscle nudges, “Now go make it happen”. Both voices matter.

Mindset matters: The inner game

Ms Mindset is your inner guru and the voice inside your head that determines whether you really believe in yourself or not. Your mindset shapes how you show up energetically, the decisions you make, and how others experience your leadership.

If your inner guru is more like an inner mean girl, try these tips to pull her in check:

• Get reflective: Write down (at least) one win and one learn each day to see the evidence of your growing capability.
• Find your people: Seek allies who champion your growth and challenge you to stretch. Get a sponsor that champions you in more senior rooms and helps open doors. 
• Reframe self-doubt: Treat imposter feelings as signals to prepare, not as reasons to step back.
• Don’t wait for motivation: Confidence comes from taking action, not thinking. If you’re waiting for motivation to turn up like a bus at a bus stop, you’ll be waiting forever.

These actions can help Ms Mindset quieten down the inner critic so you find the courage to act.

Muscle matters: The tactical game

Ms Muscle is ready, no pep talk needed. She does not care if you feel ready, she cares that the job gets done. Giving feedback, running meetings, having difficult conversations, and setting boundaries are the skills that turn good intentions into impact.

If your Ms Muscle needs a little tune up, try these practical tips:

• Be prepared: If you’re giving someone feedback make sure you have real life examples ready to go so that conversations stay objective and constructive.
• Roleplay difficult conversations: No one loves to role play, but practising tough talks builds confidence and reduces stress. You’ll always say it better the second time around.
• Stretch yourself: Put your hand up for projects that push your skills and visibility and broaden your experience.
• Take a short course: Platforms like LinkedIn, Coursera and FutureLearn offer free or low-cost short courses (including some from top international universities) where you can sharpen your leadership and management skills.

Ms Muscle’s advice is simple. Show up, execute, and learn along the way. Discomfort is a sign that growth is happening.

Why one without the other falls short

Mindset without muscle is a lot of good intentions and motivational quotes on your laptop wallpaper without really knowing what you’re doing. You can believe in yourself all you want, but if you cannot lead a meeting, give feedback, or handle a conflict, your team will never be effective.  You’ll be a great cheerleader, but your team won’t get anything done. 

Muscle without mindset is having all the great tools but never using them. You might know how to run a perfect meeting or inspire a team towards a united goal, but if you lack self-belief, you’ll end up being the best leader no one has ever seen. Being too scared to step into more senior roles. Or worse, being a leader that is competent on paper but lacking heart.

The leaders who shine are those that combine both. They bring self-awareness and strategy, reflection and execution, courage and skill. Pairing Ms Mindset and Ms Muscle is like pistachio and chocolate: a little inner belief, a lot of execution, and a deliciously effective combo.

The new playbook for success

The future of female leadership is about pairing belief with backbone. It’s about knowing your worth, embracing imperfection, and having the courage to act.

Ask yourself: which do you need to strengthen today? Mindset or muscle? For most people, it’s probably a little of both. Build your inner confidence and sharpen your practical skills simultaneously. That is how women step into roles they once thought were out of reach and inspire teams towards success along the way.

Leadership is not about perfection. It’s about practise, courage, and knowing when to flex mindset and when to flex muscle. The leaders who succeed are the ones who pair self-belief with real-world skills and have a little fun along the way.