Do you want to become a better leader? Female leadership quotes from prominent women leaders can inspire you to change yourself and others.
UN goals state that they want women’s equal participation in political and public life by 2023. But, women are still underrepresented in most levels of decision-making worldwide. Leadership is everyone’s responsibility, and you can find your unique voice by listening to other powerful voices.
Discover some of the best quotes on female leadership from famous female leaders, young female entrepreneurs transforming the world, and women of impact.
Here are the most impactful leadership quotes by women.
The Most Impactful Female Leadership Quotes in 2025
17 Female Leadership Quotes by Famous Female Leaders
1. “There is no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish.”
Michelle Obama, former first lady of the United States
2. “A leader takes people where they want to go. A great leader takes people where they don’t necessarily want to go, but ought to be.”
Rosalynn Carter, former First Lady of the United States.
3. “One of the criticisms I’ve faced over the years is that I’m not aggressive enough or assertive enough, or maybe somehow, because I’m empathetic, it means I’m weak. I totally rebel against that. I refuse to believe that you cannot be both compassionate and strong.”
Jacinda Ardern, former prime minister of New Zealand
4. “I’m in politics because I thought that the older generation wasn’t doing enough about the big issues of the future. I needed to act. I couldn’t just think, ‘It’s somebody else’s job’.”
Sanna Marin, former prime minister of Finland
5. “Leadership is about making others better as a result of your presence and making sure that impact lasts in your absence.”
Sheryl Sandberg, former COO of Meta
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, American singer-songwriter and actress
7. “Each time a woman stands up for herself, without knowing it possibly, without claiming it, she stands up for all women.”
Maya Angelou, American memoirist and poet
8. “Women have always been the strong ones of the world.”
Coco Chane, French fashion designer and businesswoman
9. “What I want young women and girls to know is: You are powerful and your voice matters.”
Kamala Harris, Vice President of the United States
10. “In politics, If you want anything said, ask a man. If you want anything done, ask a woman.”
Margaret Thatcher, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
11. “I think realizing that you’re not alone, that you are standing with millions of your sisters around the world is vital.”
Malala Yousafzai, Pakistani education activist and Nobel Peace Prize Winner
12. “Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.”
Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States
13. “To handle yourself, use your head; to handle others, use your heart.”
Eleanor Roosevelt, former First Lady of the United States
14. “I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the water to create many ripples.”
Mother Teresa, saint
15. “I raise up my own voice – not so that I can shout, but so that those without a voice can be heard. We cannot all succeed when half of us are held back.”
Malala Yousafzai, Pakistani education activist and Nobel Peace Prize Winner
16. “Any woman who understands the problems of running a home will be nearer to understanding the problems of running a country.”
Margaret Thatcher, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
17. “Service is the rent that you pay for room on this earth.”
Shirley Chisholm, former United States Representative
Recommended Reading: 9 Motivational Books for Women by Iconic Women
10 Female Leadership Quotes by Inspiring Thought Leaders
1. “Emotional intelligence is the ability to use emotion to increase your own and others’ success.”
Annie McKee, author
2. “Behind every great woman … is another great woman.”
Kate Hodges, author
3. “I define a leader as anyone who takes responsibility for finding the potential in people and processes, and who has the courage to develop that potential.”
Brené Brown – social worker, author, and podcast host.
4. “When people feel that they are able to bring their emotional truth to the workplace with leaders who are compassionate and curious rather than leaders who want the answers, that is a first building block of emotional agility.”
Susan David, psychologist and author
5. “People are opting out of vital conversations about diversity and inclusivity because they fear looking wrong, saying something wrong, or being wrong. Choosing our own comfort over hard conversations is the epitome of privilege, and it corrodes trust and moves us away from meaningful and lasting change.”
Brené Brown – social worker, author, and podcast host.
6. “A woman is the full circle. Within her is the power to create, nurture and transform.”
Diane Mariechild, author
7. “The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.”
Alice Walker, American novelist and short story writer
8. “Often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one that has been opened for us.”
Helen Keller, American author
9. “When you can’t find someone to follow, you have to find a way to lead by example.”
Roxane Gay, American writer and professor
10. “We teach girls to shrink themselves, to make themselves smaller. We say to girls, ‘You can have ambition, but not too much.”
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Nigerian novelist and short story writer
Recommended Reading: The 5 Best Books for Improving Speaking Skills plus Their Top Takeaways
18 Female Leadership Quotes by Businesswoman and Female Entrepreneurs
1. “The world is starving for new ideas and great leaders who will champion those ideas.”
Lisa Su, American billionaire business executive and CEO of Advanced Micro Devices
2. “Courage, as they say, is contagious. People who have had the courage to change their societies — in India, in South Africa, in the United States — inspire each other and create rights for future generations.”
Amal Clooney, British lawyer and human rights activist
3. “Contrary to popular belief, the best way to climb to the top of the ladder is to take others up there with you.”
Maria Eitel, Executive
4. “I’m always looking for new mentors and asking people, ‘Hey, if you were in my shoes, what would you do?’ It’s pretty amazing what you can get from that.”
Kendra Scott, founder of Kendra Scott
5. “The most significant barrier to female leadership is the actual lack of females in leadership. The best advice I can give to women is to go out and start something, ideally their own businesses. If you can’t see a path for leadership within your own company, go blaze a trail of your own.”
Safra Catz, CEO of Oracle
6. “Being able to put your blinders on, ignore negative opinions, and follow your strong intuition is what’s validating to me. It’s a great feeling to know you can trust your gut.”
Whitney Wolfe Herd, founder of Bumble
7. “The foundation of success is knowing your purpose in life, growing to reach your maximum potential, and sowing seeds that benefit others.”
Arianna Huffington, entrepreneur and author
8. “There is no finish line to leadership.”
Julia Hartz, CEO of Eventbrite
9. “I always did something I was a little not ready to do. I think that’s how you grow.”
Marissa Mayer, former CEO of Yahoo!
10. “If we win the hearts and minds of employees, we’re going to have better business success.”
Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors
11. “Leadership is hard to define and good leadership even harder. But if you can get people to follow you to the ends of the earth, you are a great leader.”
Indra Nooyi, former CEO of PepsiCo.
12. “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 being responsible enough to think of those whom your decisions and risks may affect.”
Kat Cole, CEO of AG1 by Athletic Greens
13. “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, Ffrmer CEO of YouTube
14. “If you want to lift the performance of the organization, you have to lift yourself…my message to my team was always meet my bar, and that bar would constantly be moved up.”
Indra Nooyi, former CEO of PepsiCo.
15. “The future of life as we know it is being determined by everything we’re doing — and not doing. Now.”
Oprah Winfrey, American host and television producer
16. “If I didn’t fill my schedule with things I felt were important, other people would fill my schedule with things they felt were important.”
Melinda Gates, businesswoman and philanthropist
17. “I think about: ‘Have I been bringing enough people along?’ You can help a peer become a CEO… This is not a competition or a race.”
Rosalind Brewer, former CEO of Sam’s Club
18. “Every job I took, I was deeply uncomfortable in terms of feeling unqualified. Every step, every risk I took, built confidence.”
Amy Hood, Chief Financial Officer of Microsoft
What Is Female Leadership and Why Does it Matter
A female leader is any woman who coaches, guides and inspires others. It is not always a formal role – it can stem from following a mission or growing a business. Leadership isn’t confined to titles; it’s about taking initiative, making an impact, and inspiring those around you. Every woman has the potential to be a leader at any time.
Leadership can help you and others reach a goal or a mission. Strong leadership is how we change the world, and ourselves, and grow a business. Leadership is an inherent strength of women – it is time to tap into yours, and these female leadership quotes can help you do that.
As Safra Catz says, “ “The most significant barrier to female leadership is the actual lack of females in leadership. The best advice I can give to women is to go out and start something, ideally their own businesses.”
What to Read Next? How to Start a Business as a Woman in 2025
Who Are The Most Influential Women Leaders Today?
Some of the best women leaders today include thought leaders, activists, and female entrepreneurs who are bold, and innovative, and use their voices to uplift other women. They are also responsible for some of the most famous female leadership quotes.
1. Sheryl Sandberg
Sheryl Sandberg is an iconic tech leader. She worked at Google as a sales executive and, most notably, was instrumental as the COO of Facebook.
Being one of the few female tech leaders, Sheryl is a huge advocate for women at work and the founder of Lean In, a company dedicated to helping women achieve their ambitions and companies build inclusive workplaces.
2. Sara Blakely
Sara is the founder of Spanx, an undergarment company for women. From a fax machine salesperson to one of the most popular female entrepreneurs, her story is remarkable. Sara’s story is one of perseverance, wit, and boldness. Sara is now one of the most successful female entrepreneurs and a passionate philanthropist known for her motivational messages driven by authenticity.
3. Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey is a media mogul and the first woman to produce her talk show, The Oprah Winfrey Show. She is one of the top female motivational speakers and a well-known philanthropist whose mission is to lead, educate, uplift, and empower women.
4. Malala Yousafzai
Malala is the youngest winner of the Nobel Peace Prize after being shot by the Taliban after publicly speaking up about a girl’s right to education in Pakistan. She now has a strong voice and dedicates herself to giving every woman the right to education.
5. Kamala Harris
The first female vice president of America has become a prominent figure of female empowerment. She led a noteworthy campaign and although she did not win the 2024 elections, she inspired Americans and the world with her mission to support abortion rights and create a more equitable society for all, especially women.
Discover The Most Inspiring Women in Business And Their Net Worth
FAQs: The Best Quotes for Women
What Are The Most Famous Women Leadership Quotes?
Here are some of the most famous female leadership quotes from influential women:
- 1. “Leadership is about making others better as a result of your presence and making sure that impact lasts in your absence.” – Sheryl Sandberg
- 2. “I raise up my own voice – not so that I can shout, but so that those without a voice can be heard. We cannot all succeed when half of us are held back.” – Malala Yousafzai
- 3. “I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the water to create many ripples.” – Mother Teresa
What is the most powerful leadership quote ever?
One of the most powerful leadership quotes is from Nelson Mandela, a former South African president who helped end Apartheid and went on to lead a peaceful democracy.
“A leader … is like a shepherd. He stays behind the flock, letting the most nimble go out ahead, whereupon the others follow, not realizing that all along they are being directed from behind.” – Nelson Mandela
What are the most ambitious women quotes?
Here are some of the best ambitious women quotes by ambitious women.
- 1. “Create the highest, grandest vision possible for your life because you become what you believe.” – Oprah Winfrey
- 2. ”It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all – in which case, you fail by default.” – J.K. Rowling
- 3. “A woman with a voice is, by definition, a strong woman.” – Melinda Gates
Ignite Your Ambition with The Best Ambitious Women Quotes
What are the best mompreneur quotes?
Here are the top mompreneur quotes you need to know for a growth-fuelled journey.
- 1. “As a mompreneur, I’ve learned that balance is not about dividing your time equally, it’s about giving each moment the value it deserves.” – Sara Blakely
- 2. “You can have it all. You just can’t have it all at once.” – Oprah Winfrey
- 3. “For me, being a mother made me a better professional, because coming home every night to my girls reminded me what I was working for. And being a professional made me a better mother, because by pursuing my dreams, I was modeling for my girls how to pursue their dreams.” – Michelle Obama
Here Are 50 Mompreneur Quotes: Find All The Inspiration You Need In One Place
What are the best Dare to Lead Quotes by Brené Brown?
Brené Brown is a social worker, podcast host, and bestselling author known for her work on leadership, vulnerability and some of the best female leadership quotes. These are the best quotes from her book, Dare to Lead:
1. “I define a leader as anyone who takes responsibility for finding the potential in people and processes, and who has the courage to develop that potential.” – Brené Brown
2. “At the end of the day, at the end of the week, at the end of my life, I want to say I contributed more than I criticized.”
3. “Daring leaders work to make sure people can be themselves and feel a sense of belonging.”
Recommended reading: 15 Dare to Lead Quotes That Will Change How You Lead
What are the best books about female leadership?
Some of the best books about female leadership include:
1. Dare to Lead by Brené Brown
2. Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead by Sheryl Sandberg
3. The Confidence Code: The Science and Art of Self-Assurance by Katty Kay and Claire Shipman
Recommended Reading: 15 Impactful Business Books for Women You Should Read in 2025
Take The Lead
Everyone has different leadership styles but everyone can be a leader. Think about your strengths, weaknesses, and where you can improve. Read these inspiring voices and female leadership quotes – and write down the ones you resonate with. If you are brave, bold, and work hard – you have the power to lead yourself and others. Remember, it starts with you.
What to read next? 20 Women in Business Podcasts That You Need to Download
