We know a lot about the barriers women face progressing their careers into leadership; now get involved in the solutions.
The Four Factors for Women® identifies what is having the most positive impact on women’s careers into leadership, and gives you the resources to increase representation and close the gender pay gap in your workplace.
Women remain underrepresented in leadership.
To date, a lot of focus has been on the problems women face advancing their careers into leadership. But this approach risks alienating key allies and contributing to the overwhelm many leaders experience when trying to address gender equity in their workplace.
The Four Factors for Women® shifts the focus to evidence-based solutions that remove barriers for women from leadership roles.
We use data-driven insights, an appreciative inquiry (strengths and positively focused) approach, decades of experience, and deep research expertise, to give you the practical resources to increase representation (and inclusion) and close your gender pay gap.
The Four Factors for Women was developed by Dr Amanda Sterling in 2025. Amanda noticed that there was a lot of research exploring the problems women faced progressing their careers into senior leadership roles, but not a lot of clear solutions.
She also observed how senior leaders championing women’s representation in leadership – working with good intention, investment and active work – were feeling overwhelmed by limited progress and frustrated by a lack of clarity on what would make an impact.
An opportunity emerged to better understand the factors having the most positive impact on women’s careers into leadership, the critical opportunities for workplaces to amplify what was already working, and to provide better resources for leaders on the front lines doing this work.
The Women in Leadership: Insights to Action (Impact) survey was created based on decades of research into women, leadership, and women at work. This research based survey – and its results – identified the Four Factors having THE MOST POSITIVE impact on women’s careers into leadership.
The insights from this challenged conventional diversity wisdom and provided a way forward for workplaces looking to remove barriers for women into leadership roles, increase representation and close their gender pay gaps.
FEATURED IN
Discover the 2026 Four Factors for Women
Discover the factors having the most positive impact on women’s careers into leadership and the critical opportunities for organisations looking to improve retention, increase representation and close their gender pay gaps.
Lead the change in your workplace
We offer a range of different resources – using our research based, solutions driven, and practically focused approach – to support you in removing the barriers for women into leadership.
Access Four Factor Insights for your workplace or industry
Get access to the data and actions specific to your context.
Apply for the Women Leading Workplace
Enhance your workplace brand with our research-backed assessment.
Book a talk or workshop for your workplace.
Events
We host a range of (mostly) online events designed to help better your understanding of the barriers women face progressing into leadership, and the solutions that will have the most impact.