There are moments in professional life that are hard to explain logically.
Two women walk into the same meeting room: Both have comparable qualifications, similar professional experience, and a high level of competence; both are dedicated to their work, take on responsibility, and deliver good results. And yet, their professional realities unfold in completely different ways.
One becomes more visible; her ideas are heard, she is given new opportunities, she grows into leadership responsibilities, and she appears increasingly confident in her demeanor. The other, on the other hand, tends to remain in the background more often, despite her high performance. She questions herself more, waits longer to make decisions, analyzes things more thoroughly, and often operates in a sort of internal “safety mode.”
The difference between the two rarely lies in talent. It lies in the attitude with which they perceive themselves, their potential, and their role in a professional context.
And this is precisely where a shift in perspective begins—one that modern psychology and neuroscience are now confirming with increasing clarity: Success is not an innate trait. It is not an exclusive personality trait that some people happen to be born with. Success is, to a large extent, the result of mental patterns, internal expectations, and behaviors that can be trained.
Of course, we must not overlook the fact that there are people who were born with certain privileges and enjoy the corresponding advantages. Nevertheless, it is helpful to know that this does not necessarily mean one’s own opportunities are permanently diminished, and that one can certainly take proactive steps to influence one’s own “success”—however one chooses to define it.
A look at the latest figures makes it clear just how relevant this insight is.
The percentage of women in leadership positions in Germany currently stands at 28.7 percent.1 At the same time, more and more women are starting businesses and taking on leadership roles in organizations. According to the latest KfW Startup Monitor, women now account for about 36 percent of all new business startups.2
At the same time, however, another reality is emerging: Many women experience a constant juggling act between their careers, emotional responsibilities, family, societal expectations, and the constant drive for self-improvement. Recent surveys on stress levels in Germany show that around 71 percent of women feel stressed on a regular basis.3
What at first glance appears to be a statistic reflecting stress, however, reveals something else upon closer inspection: enormous potential for growth. For it is precisely under complex conditions that we see just how crucial mental self-management has become.
“Success” begins in the mind
Many women work with the utmost diligence, which means they prepare thoroughly, analyze decisions carefully, and take on responsibility. These are qualities that are essential in modern organizations. Yet it is precisely this strength that can become a stumbling block—specifically when a strong sense of responsibility gives rise to a constant need for control, or when a solid commitment to quality leads to excessive perfectionism.
Modern neuroscience offers a remarkable insight in this regard: Our brain is malleable. This process is known as “neuroplasticity” and describes the brain’s ability to continuously change through repeated thoughts, experiences, and actions.4
In other words:
What we regularly think, feel, and do literally leaves neural traces.
Those who constantly dwell on worries, self-criticism, or insecurity reinforce precisely these patterns. Those who, on the other hand, begin to take action more often, assume responsibility, and gain experiences of self-efficacy strengthen the neural connections associated with confidence, decision-making, and the ability to shape their own lives.
Self-confidence rarely arises before taking action; it arises only through the experience that comes from taking action.
This is one of the biggest misconceptions in modern high-achievement cultures: Many people wait until they feel “ready enough” before putting themselves out there. However, research suggests the opposite is true. It is only through the experience of taking action that one’s self-perception changes over the long term.
Or to put it another way: It is not security that drives growth. Growth drives security.
Careers Are Built on Resonance
In this context, a classic stereotype naturally comes to mind: namely, the tendency we women have to prove ourselves and stand out solely through our achievements.
We have long known that in the workplace, it is no longer enough to rely solely on one’s competence to gain visibility. Careers are not built solely on performance, but also on perception, relationships, and access to networks.
As early as the 1970s, sociologist Mark Granovetter described this in his well-known study “The Strength of Weak Ties”5, that career opportunities often arise not through close friendships, but through loose connections to people outside one’s immediate circle. (5)
That is exactly where new perspectives, information, and opportunities arise.
And yet, many women find it difficult to actively shape their strategic visibility. This is often because visibility is confused with self-promotion.
But at its core, it’s about something completely different: presence.
Those who nurture relationships, share their thoughts, showcase their expertise, and actively engage in dialogue automatically increase the likelihood of being noticed—not out of vanity, but for the sake of professional effectiveness.
Sometimes that’s exactly what starts with a simple message. A brief impulse. A genuine interest. A comment. A conversation outside your own bubble.
Careers rarely develop in isolation behind closed doors; rather, they take shape through interaction with others.
Why We Should Trust Our “Intuition” More Often
In this context, our intuition is a fascinating area. There are situations in which we intuitively sense that something isn’t right—or, conversely, that something feels exactly right.
Many women have a keen sense of dynamics, interpersonal tensions, or opportunities at just the right moment, and yet they tend to initially downplay, question, or seek confirmation of these perceptions.
One possible explanation for this behavior could be that intuition has long been viewed as “too emotional” in the business world, and we women are constantly trying to walk the fine line between appearing professional and meeting the demands of the business world.
Neuroscience supports us in this regard and paints a clear picture in this context:
Intuition is not an irrational gut feeling; rather, it is based on unconscious information processing. Our brains are constantly processing far more information than we are consciously aware of: experiences, observations, and patterns are analyzed and synthesized in a fraction of a second.
Psychologist Gerd Gigerenzer therefore describes intuition not as the opposite of rationality, but as a form of highly complex experiential competence.6
In everyday professional life, this means: Not every decision requires absolute certainty, because clarity often only emerges once we take action and are willing to take a risk every now and then. Those who constantly wait for the “perfect moment,” on the other hand, often lose precisely the momentum that makes progress possible in the first place. The ability to act, therefore, does not mean knowing everything, but rather being willing to take the next step despite uncertainty.
Our expectations shape our reality
One of the most fascinating psychological effects, which should not go unmentioned here, is that people often unconsciously behave in accordance with their inner expectations.
Psychology refers to this phenomenon as a self-fulfilling prophecy.7
People who assume they won’t come across as convincing enough in a presentation tend to communicate in a more cautious, reserved, and defensive manner. It is precisely this behavior that, in turn, influences the reaction of those around them.
On the other hand, those who expect to be able to make a valuable contribution come across differently—that is, more clearly, more confidently, and more persuasively.
So it’s certainly fair to say: Your inner attitude shapes your outward appearance.
Optimism is therefore far less naive than is often assumed. Studies on life satisfaction and performance have shown for years that positive expectations for the future are measurably linked to motivation, resilience, and job performance.8
And perhaps that is precisely one of the most important forms of modern self-leadership: the conscious decision not to constantly put yourself down.
Resilience doesn’t mean putting up with everything
Today, women in particular often find themselves navigating highly complex roles: career, emotional responsibilities, family, social expectations, self-fulfillment, and constant availability.
Demands are increasing, and with them the risk of defining ourselves solely in terms of our own flawless “functioning.” Resilience, however, does not mean that we simply learn to endure everything in silence. In modern research, resilience is instead described as the ability to regain the capacity to act after experiencing stress, to regulate one’s emotions, to develop new perspectives, to accept support, and to remain connected to oneself despite challenges.9
The key point here is that resilience, too, can be developed. It arises through reflection, social relationships, self-care, and a sense of self-efficacy. People who feel they have control over their own (professional) lives develop greater mental stability over the long term.10
The Future of Leadership Is Psychological
The fact that resilience is crucial to maintaining our ability to act over the long term is even more significant in the context of the modern workplace, which is undergoing radical change.
Leadership is becoming more empathetic, more interconnected, more human, and significantly more complex. This is precisely why skills such as self-reflection, emotional intelligence, adaptability, and mental resilience are becoming increasingly crucial.
Female leadership is no longer a niche topic. It describes a new form of effectiveness in a workplace that relies less on sheer toughness and assertiveness and more on psychological competence.
Success, therefore, is increasingly rarely the result of technical expertise alone; rather, as already mentioned, it stems from the ability to remain visible despite uncertainty, to recognize opportunities, to build relationships, and to keep taking action.
Or, to put it another way: Success is no accident. It is the result of what we think, practice, and repeat every day.
Sources & Studies
- Federal Statistical Office (2023): Women in Leadership Positions ↩︎
- KfW Research (2025): KfW Startup Monitor Germany ↩︎
- Kaufmännische Krankenkasse (KKH) / Representative Stress Study: Germany 2025, cited in Deutsches Ärzteblatt (2025): Stress levels in Germany are rising steadily, especially among women. ↩︎
- University of Trier / Brohm-Badry (2024): Research on Neuroplasticity and Well-Being ↩︎
- Granovetter, M. (1973): The Strength of Weak Ties ↩︎
- Gigerenzer, G. (2015): Risk Savvy ↩︎
- Merton, R. K. (1948): The Self-Fulfilling Prophecy ↩︎
- Atlas of Happiness in Germany (2023) ↩︎
- Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research (2024) ↩︎
- RWTH Aachen (2024/2025): Research on Self-Efficacy and Performance ↩︎
