What makes an effective CEO? In short, comfort with embracing polarities.

CEOs sit at the nexus of organizational tensions, balancing seemingly opposing demands. They must be confident and humble, decisive and empowering, professional and authentic. They must also deliver short-term results and offer a longer-term vision.

In today’s disruptive world, leadership is not only about the business-related tasks that get results. CEOs also need to develop and exhibit personal attributes that make a lasting impact with teams and the broader organization. These human-centric attributes include being self-aware, humble, and resilient. Leaders with these qualities are good at synthesizing multiple perspectives rather than being stymied by polarities. They move away from an “either/or” mindset to one that is comfortable with “both/and.”

Research on leadership¹ indicates that women tend to score high on relational competencies, systems thinking, learning mindsets, and purpose-driven vision—exactly the kind of human-centric attributes CEOs need to navigate today’s complexities. Yet they are much less likely to get the top job; just 52 of Fortune 500 companies² have a woman at the helm. Women also tend to be underrepresented in positions with profit-and-loss responsibility and as chief financial officers, which can be the last C-suite stop before CEO.

Still, many women have cleared these hurdles without losing the authenticity of their leadership style. We interviewed early-tenure women CEOs³ to understand the mindsets, values, and philosophies that have guided them—what we call their inner game. We delved into how they applied their strengths in traditionally male-dominated industries, including energy, infrastructure, steelmaking, and banking.

After multiple conversations, we discerned five areas where these women have balanced their strengths and vulnerabilities (their own polarities, one might say) to thrive at the top. These include leading boldly through purpose, not ego; building networks with generosity but tapping them when needed; focusing on business strategy, though not at the expense of execution; and thinking holistically about the balance between service and self.

Lead boldly by embedding purpose in your vision

The strongest CEOs are known for setting a bold vision for their organization and mobilizing teams and stakeholders around it, McKinsey research on CEO excellence shows.

Unfortunately for women leaders, boldness can be conflated with being overly ambitious. In a recent large study of media references to business leaders,⁴ women are 2.1 times more likely than men to be described as overly ambitious. Yet they are equally as likely to be seen as lacking ambition, revealing the “damned if they do, damned if they don’t” nature of feedback and negative cultural biases.

In our conversations with women CEOs, we have found that a strong sense of personal and organizational purpose is the main driver of their boldness and why they want the role, much less so than ego. Successful women CEOs define their organizations’ purpose and vision clearly and understand how it meshes with their own values. They care about the longer-term impact their organizations can have on employees, customers, communities, and society. This strong sense of purpose guides their communications and stakeholder relationships.

For example, the CEO of a North American infrastructure company tells us that she thrives “when I’m working with a team to set a clear vision and relentlessly pursue it.” She relishes the opportunity to dig in with her team and “build our own vision at the enterprise level.”

Shifts to consider

Think bigger. While the top job can feel intimidating for anyone, women CEOs say they find the courage to go for it by tapping into their sense of purpose. What impact might they have by being in that unique position? The CEO of a North American energy company says she feels “a strong sense of calling,” adding that she can build relationships and influence the discourse in her industry in a way that can make a real difference.

Be able to articulate your organization’s purpose as well as your own. What do you value the most about your organization and being its leader? What are the goals around which you will rally people? What can you do more of to create stakeholder value?

Create a compelling story by emphasizing meaning. Start with the “why” before engaging in the “what” and the “how.”

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