25 Inspiring Leadership Quotes for International Women’s Day

From activists and politicians to artists and entrepreneurs, women leaders have been paving the way for progress and equality in every field imaginable. But even with so many glass ceilings shattered, there is still much work to be done.

According to Stats Canada, women only make 89 cents for every dollar an equally qualified man makes. In the c—suite, only 5% of CEOs are women globally—with Ireland having the highest percentage at 15%.

In this post, we have put together 25 of our favorite quotes from inspiring women leaders. These women have championed causes, challenged the status quo, and proved that anything is possible with determination, courage, and vision. Whether you're looking for inspiration to overcome challenges, find your voice, or pursue your dreams, these quotes will uplift and empower you.

Here are 25 quotes from inspiring women leaders that will inspire you to be your best self and make a difference in the world.

1. “The ability to learn is the most important quality a leader can have.” — Padmasree Warrior (CEO & Founder, Fable)

2. “To me, I learned along the way, you know, culture is behavior. That’s all it is; culture is people’s behaviors.” — Ginni Rometty (CEO, IBM)

3. “A wise woman wishes to be no one’s enemy; a wise woman refuses to be anyone’s victim.” — Maya Angelou, (Civil Rights Activist and Poet)

4. "It takes courage and strength to be empathetic, and I'm very proudly an empathetic and compassionate leader. I am trying to chart a different path, and that will attract criticism, but I can only be true to myself and the form of leadership I believe in."  —Jacinda Ardern (40th prime minister of New Zealand)

5. "The way to achieve your own success is to be willing to help somebody else get it first." —Iyanla Vanzant, (Speaker, lawyer, author, life coach)

6. “If your actions create a legacy that inspires others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, then, you are an excellent leader.” — Dolly Parton (Singer, producer, songwriter)

7. “Rarely are opportunities presented to you in a perfect way. In a nice little box with a yellow bow on top. 'Here, open it, it's perfect. You'll love it.' Opportunities – the good ones – are messy, confusing and hard to recognize. They're risky. They challenge you.” — Susan Wojcicki (CEO, Youtube) 

8. “A machine is a resource; a human is not a resource. A human is a human and, as part of their life, a human being is going to work so it’s about asking how you make that experience enjoyable.” – Laurent Sylvestre (General Manager of People and Culture, Beca)

9. "There is no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish." — Michelle Obama (Attorney, author, First Lady)

10. “Don’t be intimidated by what you don’t know. That can be your greatest strength and ensure that you do things differently from everyone else.” — Sara Blakely (Founder of Spanx, philanthropist)

11. "Leadership is the ability to guide others without force into a direction or decision that leaves them still feeling empowered and accomplished."—Lisa Cash Hanson (Evangelist)

12. "If you do every job like you're going to do it for the rest of your life, that's when you get noticed." —Mary Barra (CEO, General Motors)

13. “Leadership is a series of behaviors rather than a role for heroes.” — Margaret Wheatley (Speaker, Consultant, Writer)

14. “Define success on your own terms, achieve it by your own rules, and build a life you’re proud to live.” — Anne Sweeney (Former President, Disney ABC Television Group)

15. “It is crucial to recognize, reward, and celebrate accomplishments.” – Rosabeth Kanter (Professor, Harvard Business School)

16. “Leadership is about the team — the culture they keep and embrace, it’s about empathy for your customers, clients, employees and the communities where you do business, it’s about doing the right thing for the right reasons, being confident enough to take risks and responsible enough to think of those who your decisions and risks may affect.” — Kat Cole (COO & President, FOCUS Brands)

17. "You manage things; you lead people.” — Grace Murray Hopper (Computer scientist, mathematician, and United States Navy rear admiral)

18. “You can and should set your own limits and clearly articulate them. This takes courage, but it is also liberating and empowering, and often earns you new respect.” — Rosalind Brewer (COO & Group President, Starbucks)

19. “Good leaders organize and align people around what the team needs to do. Great leaders motivate and inspire people with why they’re doing it. That’s purpose. And that’s the key to achieving something truly transformational.”—Marillyn Hewson (Former CEO, Lockheed Martin)

20. “Courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen.” — Brené Brown (professor, lecturer, author, and podcast host)

21. “We treat our people like royalty. If you honor and serve the people who work for you, they will honor and serve you.” — Mary Kay Ash (Founder, Mary Kay Cosmetics)

22. “Magic happens when you connect people. I credit much of my success to always making it a point to truly get to know people and help them whenever I can. It’s become the backbone of our firm’s success. Women founders in particular are often highly skilled at making connections that can help advance their businesses.” — Susan Macpherson (Founder & CEO, McPherson Strategies)

23. “I am endlessly fascinated that playing football is considered a training ground for leadership, but raising children isn’t.” — Dee Dee Myers (Political analyst and former White House Press Secretary)

24. "We're here for a reason. I believe a bit of the reason is to throw little torches out to lead people through the dark." — Whoopi Goldberg (Comedian, actor, and TV host)

25. “The success of every woman should be the inspiration to another. We should raise each other up. Make sure you’re very courageous: be strong, be extremely kind, and above all be humble.” — Serena Williams (Tennis legend and entreprenuer)

Photo by Kiana Bosman on Unsplash