5 Leadership Quotes by Women: MasterClass Instructors' Advice

Women are some of the best leaders and role models in various disciplines and career sectors. Female leadership helps inspire people to coalesce around a shared vision of the good everyone can achieve when they work together.

Many women leaders have struggled to overcome the unjust discrimination and microaggressions they face due to widespread, insidious attitudes of sexism. Any time one woman succeeds in demolishing these glass ceilings, they can then go on to contribute to the empowerment of other women eager to do the same.

When women act as role models and leaders, they can restore the confidence of other women who worry they’ll never be able to overcome the structural barriers unfairly placed in front of them. Here are five areas where inspiring women leaders have thrived:

1. 1. The arts: In all different avenues of the arts, women have made an indelible impact on history. Think of the joy the music of Beyoncé, Christina Aguilera, or Dolly Parton has brought to millions of people. Consider how writers like Margaret Mead and Maya Angelou have given their readers an opportunity to learn about the human condition and see things from a different perspective. Or think of the thought-provoking movies of filmmakers like Greta Gerwig, Kathryn Bigelow, and Sofia Coppola.
2. 2. Business: Women serve in leadership roles in all sorts of different businesses. Former Facebook (now Meta) COO Sheryl Sandberg, current GM CEO Mary Barra, former IBM CEO Ginni Rometty, Spanx founder Sara Blakely, and Sunshine Contacts cofounder Marissa Mayer are a few examples of powerful female leaders in business. Some, like Melinda French Gates, have also paired their business expertise with a long track record of philanthropy.
3. 3. Media: In the world of media, women lead a wide variety of productions and publications. Arianna Huffington’s The Huffington Post covers politics, lifestyle issues, and entertainment. Anne Sweeney formerly ran The Disney Channel. Robin Roberts is the anchor of Good Morning America. Oprah Winfrey built a media empire and has also elevated other women leaders in media, like Iyanla Vanzant.
4. 4. Politics: Women from all different sides of the political spectrum—from Margaret Thatcher to Dianne Feinstein—have made a mark on history. Consider Supreme Court Justices like Sandra Day O’Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Think of how first ladies like Eleanor Roosevelt, Rosalynn Carter, and Hillary Clinton have gone on to be independent leaders in their own right. And when it comes to activism and calling for change, remember how women like Audre Lorde, Sojourner Truth, and Susan B. Anthony led the charge.
5. 5. Sports: The world of sports used to be a boys’ club, but trailblazing women broke up sexist barriers to entry. Tennis stars like Billie Jean King and Serena Williams are among the best in the world to ever play the sport. Simone Biles is the most decorated gymnast in all of history.

Peruse these inspirational quotes from some of the inspirational women who are MasterClass instructors:

• Condoleezza Rice: To be a good leader, you need to build a good team. “Nobody leads well alone,” former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says. By assembling a group of people she could rely on, she was able to lead effectively as the highest-ranking diplomat in the United States and, as such, one of the most powerful women in the world.
• Gloria Steinem: From the 1960s until today, Gloria Steinem has served as one of the premier leaders and spokespeople of the United States feminist movement. In her eyes, leadership requires you to be as inclusive as possible. “A feminist,” Gloria says, “believes in the full humanity of people regardless of race, of sex, of gender, of class.” Hear more from her, as well as feminist leaders adrienne marie brown, Amanda Nguyen, and Tina Chen in MasterClass’s Redefining Feminism course.
• Hillary Clinton: Consider this motivational quote from former First Lady and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. “We feel that for too long our leaders have viewed politics as the art of the possible,” she says. “And the challenge now is to practice politics as the art of making what appears impossible possible.” One of the signs of an excellent leader is to have a vision and execute it, no matter how far off it might seem at its inception.
• Indra Nooyi: A great leader prioritizes integrity and character as much as competence. “For me, integrity is an absolute,” says Indra Nooyi, former PepsiCo CEO. “It’s either present or it’s not. Are you living up to the moral code of the company and society you’re a part of? You know, integrity is clear-cut.” Through her leadership, she both grew her company’s bottom line exponentially and helped serve the wider global community as well.
• Malala Yousafzai: Women leaders so often must triumph over adversity and barriers their male counterparts will never have to face. “What I have learned from my personal experience is that we should not doubt ourselves,” activist Malala Yousafzai says. “We should not underestimate ourselves. I have seen many people, especially men, who overestimate themselves. It’s okay for us women to be confident in ourselves and not to underestimate ourselves, our skills, our talents, and … be out there, speak in front of gatherings, speak in a room, express our opinions.”

Inspire your team by uncovering what drives your own decisions. With the MasterClass Annual Membership, learn how former CEO Indra Nooyi channeled her passions to lead a Fortune 500 company.