Ayn Rand, renowned author of “Atlas Shrugged” and “The Fountainhead,” famously once said, “The question isn’t who’s going to let me; it’s who’s going to stop me?” This quote encapsulates the resilience and determination many female executives have demonstrated in navigating a predominantly male-dominated corporate world. While initially driven by survival instincts, women’s ability to view market disruptors — such as technology, AI, and global corporate shifts — as opportunities rather than threats is increasingly being recognized as a strategic strength.

As women — and as members of Women Leading Travel & Hospitality — we have known about this collective “kryptonite” for a while. In fact, Women Leading Travel & Hospitality ran a Game Changers Report in 2023 showcasing how women are reshaping the industry post-COVID — notably one of the largest market shifts in our lifetimes. One standout from that report, Debbie Garcia, CMP, founder and CEO of virsitour, comes to mind. Garcia launched her company in response to the pandemic, which almost overnight disrupted traditional brick-and-mortar site visits. Identifying a market gap for accessible virtual site tours, Garcia transformed a challenge into a pioneering solution that benefits the entire event planning industry.

So, while the power of female executives has long been acknowledged — at least by our organization — empirical data that highlights this strength is always welcome. AlixPartners conducted a study in June examining how 3,000 global C-level and senior executives would respond to disruption. The more interesting aspect of this report however, is that it did something different — a strategic decision by the organization —in placing a focus on gender differences. AlixPartners’ distribution report for the first time explores whether female leaders perceive disruption differently than their male counterparts.

Vivienne Artz, OBE, CEO, FTSE Women Leaders Review, who wrote the forward, notes that flexibility is key and that women executives often see more opportunities in disruption than men. And, to be fair, while the report does not claim that men never embrace disruptors, the data does highlight that women not only embrace market disruptors more readily, but also tend to foresee business restructuring earlier within their organizations.

According to the AlixPartners study, the goal boiled down to one simple question — simple in its directness but rich in complexity.

As outlined in the report, “For the first time, we have examined the global findings of AlixPartners’ annual Disruption Index through the lens of gender – enabling us to answer the question, ‘Do female leaders view disruption differently?'”

“Rulebooks no longer rule, and flexibility is the fastest route to finding and implementing solutions,” Artz said in the report. “Women C-level and senior executives consistently see more opportunity than their male counterparts. They are telling us that they are open to change — and that a positive outlook is essential to effectively navigating our currently disruptive environment toward successful outcomes.”

Two key findings from the study stand out: First, women anticipate more significant changes to their companies’ business models in the next year compared to men; second, they recognize more opportunities in disruption, particularly regarding major trends.

As we continue to navigate a world full of disruption, can we afford to overlook the unique perspectives and opportunities that female leaders bring to the table? I would love to know your thoughts — email me at HLangone@napco.com.