The definition of leadership today is no longer confined to job titles and reporting structures. Traditional models of leadership are being challenged by the rising social accountability, rapid technological change, and shifting cultural norms in organisations across the world. For women leaders, it is not a question of capability but rather recognising and negotiating an invisible framework and being given opportunities, which are no longer optional but strategic musts for institutions.

Recognising this, the three-day leadership learning programme Women at the Helm: Architecting Leadership and Organisation, conducted from 14th to 16th January 2026 at the XLRI campus in Jamshedpur, brought together senior women executives from across NABARD offices in India. Organised in partnership by the National Bank Staff College (NBSC), the apex academy of the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), and XLRI, the programme enabled a select group of women leaders to immerse themselves in reflection and learning as they prepare to step into more critical organisational roles in the years ahead. During this learning journey, XLRI brought its best, as it has ever done, to teaching leadership through its expertise in ethical and people-centric methods.

Invisible Barriers and the Making of Transformative Leaders
The intense three-day workshop traversed the layered challenges women have faced as brought forth in Hélène Cixous’s The Laugh of the Medusa to Alice H. Eagly and Linda L. Carli’s Through the Labyrinth: The Truth About How Women Become Leaders -a seminal scientific text on women as leaders that examines why women as leaders don’t just face a ‘glass ceiling’ as a single barrier, but a “labyrinth” of barriers that often go unnoticed in societies across the globe. The discussions highlighted the need to move from thinking about leadership barriers as a ‘glass ceiling’ to seeing them with a mindset of ‘labyrinth’ where leaders must find their way through uncertain and complex paths with clarity and confidence. While introducing different frameworks and matrices of leadership and management, the professors helped the women executives recognise their collective leadership potential through case scenarios, role plays, and reflective exercises. The journey moved from understanding personal strengths to becoming more effective and ethical decision-makers, problem-solvers, mentors, and transformative leaders.

The learning schedule also emphasised the importance of emotional intelligence and empathetic communication- key leadership skills where women have been found to demonstrate particular strength. The workshop brought to the fore how emotional intelligence enables leaders to become more compassionate, communicative, and empathetic design thinkers, capable of appreciating multiple perspectives. In turn, organisations led by such leaders are better positioned to serve society and the nation more effectively.

Ethics and Empathy at the Core of Leadership

Consciously designed to focus on strengths rather than “fix” perceived gaps, the programme encouraged participants to analyse their own lived experiences and uncover invisible constraints without blame or excuse. An unspoken highlight was encouraging leaders to question their beliefs that shape their everyday decisions and to refine them using insights from philosophy, science, and psychology. In an era of increasing artificial intelligence integration into every realm of human life, these capabilities offer a distinct leadership edge. The workshop ultimately reinforced the need for leaders- women in particular-to embody ethical, inclusive, and responsible approaches toward people, business, and the planet, reflecting the core values XLRI as an institution espouses.

“A leader is less defined by wisdom, charisma, or competence but more by a higher sense of responsibility and empathy towards others” – Sunil Kumar Sarangi, Program Director of the workshop, faculty in Management Communication, Leadership, and Entrepreneurship at XLRI, and Chief Executive Officer of XLRI Council for Entrepreneurship Excellence and Development (XCEED).

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