What next generation women leaders are focusing on now
McKinsey’s Next Generation Women Leaders program (NGWL), launched in 2012, sits at the intersection of how we build leaders and support women’s leadership more broadly. It brings together early-career women for a leadership development experience and allows them to build relationships with outstanding candidates.
In our previous article about NGWL, we focused on expanding access and opening pathways into leadership. That remains important. What is changing now is how women think about what comes next.
Programs like NGWL still address a core need. Early in their careers, women benefit from having access to opportunities, the confidence to step forward, and strong networks that support their growth. These remain central to why programs like NGWL matter today.
At our most recent NGWL cohort gathering of about 80 women, the participants repeatedly asked similar questions and focused their conversations on how to make decisions, build confidence, and lead in complex environments.
These conversations give people leaders clear signals about how to shape development approaches and support the next generation of women leaders.
Women’s ambition is clear and the path is theirs to shape
The women in this cohort are aiming high, and they are approaching their careers differently. They are thinking more deliberately about how to get there. Rather than following a set path, they are choosing experiences that build the capabilities they need over time.
We also heard women describe a different approach to opportunities. Many emphasized focusing on excellence rather than standing out for being different. More women are willing to move forward without waiting for certainty. This shifts the focus from eliminating doubt to learning how to work alongside it.
At McKinsey, this is a big part of accelerated learning and something I still experience regularly today. We learn best and fastest when we are slightly pushed out of our comfort zones and seek stretch opportunities, even when they initially feel too big.
Organizations, therefore, may need to rethink how they approach progression. Women are placing less emphasis on following a predefined path and more on building the right experiences over time.
Women are taking ownership earlier
Next-generation women leaders are showing greater trust in their ability to adapt and grow into new challenges. They described making decisions even when some variables were still uncertain, relying on both preparation and judgment as they moved forward.
In our discussions, many reflected on career choices that did not appear expected at the time. That resonates with my own experience as well, where some of the most important decisions did not follow a linear path. Early in my career, I chose to move from a consulting role into an internal role, a decision that did not follow the expected trajectory and was questioned at the time. It turned out to be one of the most formative steps in my development.
Many women still experience self-doubt. What is changing is that more women are acting despite it. Many described confidence growing through experience and action over time.
For people leaders, this means supporting women differently. There is value in helping individuals build confidence in how they make choices, rather than focusing solely on defining the right path. At McKinsey, this often means giving people ownership early in day-to-day work, where individuals are trusted with decisions that have tangible impact.
Women are building community more deliberately
Many attendees described how deliberately they are building community. That includes asking for help, involving others in decisions, and investing time in relationships.
We increasingly see women ask for advice rather than make demands, which changes the dynamic entirely. Asking for advice gives others a stake in their progress and turns informal connections into active support.
Over time, these relationships can shape access to opportunities, experiences, and roles that accelerate development. In our earlier work, we described this as building “experience capital”—the set of experiences that compound over time and shape career trajectories.
At McKinsey, we often support this through apprenticeship and sponsorship, where more experienced colleagues actively help open doors and create opportunities for others. These relationships often shape how careers evolve in practice.
For people leaders, the implication is straightforward. Leaders shape community through how work gets done and how people interact, not only through formal programs.
What this means for people leaders
These shifts point to a more specific set of expectations from next-generation women leaders.
Women in this year’s NGWL cohort spoke about wanting opportunities to make meaningful decisions early, career paths that allow for variation over time, direct and useful feedback, and networks that continue beyond a single program. Many also emphasized the importance of development grounded in experience, where learning happens through meaningful challenges over time.
For leaders shaping talent and learning environments, three priorities stand out.
First, give people ownership early. People develop faster when they are trusted with decisions that matter.
Second, make different career paths visible. Not everyone will follow the same trajectory, and organizations need to reflect that in how they discuss progression. At McKinsey, this includes flexibility to move across roles, geographies, and career tracks over time.
Third, support relationship building in practical ways. Strong networks grow through repeated interaction and shared work. A feedback-rich environment, where upward and peer feedback are part of everyday work, helps reinforce these relationships.
At McKinsey, the work/goals of NGWL remains a priority as we respond to these shifts. We are continuing to focus NGWL on development through real experiences, sustained connections between participants, and continued support as women navigate their careers.
It was a privilege to connect with so many women and hear how they are thinking about their careers. What stands out most is their clarity of ambition and their willingness to shape their own paths. That gives us confidence in how this next generation of women leaders will shape the future.