Study: 7 Powerful Reasons You Need Women Leaders on Your Finance Team

If your accounting and finance leadership teams don’t include women, you could be missing out on key advantages. Recent meta-analyses and research from Florida State University show that women leaders in finance consistently outperform men in most leadership competencies across a range of styles.

These recent studies support earlier findings from Harvard Business Review. That study confirmed that female leaders excel at both agentic (assertive) and communal leadership behaviors.

The Leadership Skills Where Women Shine

The latest research highlights a handful of areas where female leaders excel. Key skills include:

• Taking initiative and driving results
• Inspiring and motivating colleagues
• Demonstrating ethical judgment
• Developing strong relationships and well-rounded collaborations
• Practicing effective communication
• Championing change and innovation
• Setting goals and being ready to pivot
• Solving problems and evaluating critical issues

Men only outperformed female leaders in passive management and certain technical expertise areas, according to the research. These points are generally less central to overall leadership effectiveness, though.

“Companies with gender-diverse leadership teams see higher engagement, better problem-solving, and stronger financial performance,” notes Lisa Hammond, who is a leadership consultant at InPower Coaching. “Women bring a balance of relational and strategic skills that can transform how finance departments operate.”

Real-World Impact: Women Leaders in Finance Departments

Women are still significantly underrepresented in senior finance roles, according to a 2025 report by Boston Consulting Group. For example, only about 13 % of CFOs globally are women. Yet research shows that when women lead finance functions, their teams tend to deliver stronger outcomes.

Nearly a quarter of leaders noted that their firm’s gender equality strategy has improved its capacity for innovation. Companies that appointed women to the CFO role reported greater financial discipline and transparency, on top of faster decision-making.

Key findings from recent studies include:

• Firms with female CFOs have shown solid gains in both shareholder returns and capital efficiency (compared to industry peers).
• As of this year, women hold around 29 % of senior finance leadership roles globally.
• Women earn the majority of accounting degrees and hold over half of entry-level finance roles.

When women bring their strengths in collaboration and communication into leadership roles, the entire department can perform at its best. Skills like these are what drive tangible outcomes, including faster execution and improved reputation with stakeholders.

Leveraging the Strengths of Women Leaders in Finance

Since research shows women often outperform men in an array of impactful leadership behaviors, businesses should take steps to compound these advantages.

• Identify women with strong leadership indicators: Look for candidates who demonstrate initiative, integrity, strong communication skills, and the ability to motivate others. These are areas where women consistently score higher than men.
• Assign women to roles with P&L visibility: Research highlights the notion that women are less often placed in positions with enterprise impact. When female leaders are in responsible for finance functions that are tied to business outcomes, they can make a measurable difference.
• Provide mentoring and sponsorship opportunities: Talent exists, but advancement depends on visibility and access. Mentoring helps ensure women have accessible pathways to meaningful finance roles.
• Use metrics that value leadership behaviors: As many women in finance excel at problem solving and innovation, performance frameworks should reward these behaviors alongside technical metrics.

Measuring the Impact

To track progress, organizations can (and should) keep an eye on:

• The percentage of senior finance roles held by women (including director, VP, and CFO roles)
• Performance outcomes of finance teams led by women versus other leadership structures
• Employee engagement and turnover metrics, as well as collaboration outcomes within those teams
• Career advancement rates and the visibility of women in roles with strategic finance responsibilities

Women in finance leadership consistently bring skills that improve team performance and financial outcomes. Companies that focus on supporting women in senior finance roles benefit from innovative problem-solving and clearer accountability. By recognizing the strengths women offer in leadership, organizations can build finance departments that are prepared to grow their business.