Language is one of the most powerful tools in leadership—and for women, it can be both a bridge and a barrier. In my years coaching female leaders across industries—from finance to education to tech—I’ve seen the same truth play out again and again: Leadership growth begins not with a new title or promotion, but with a shift in vocabulary.

Communication is a fundamental part of professional success, yet for many women, it can be a double-edged sword, whether that’s struggling to be heard in meetings, navigating biases around assertiveness or overcoming societal expectations about how women “should” communicate.

In today’s multigenerational workplace, communication isn’t just about what we say—it’s how, when and why we say it. From Baby Boomers to Gen Z, each generation has its own preferences, expectations and unwritten rules for professional communication.

The definition of leadership is evolving rapidly. As millennials become the largest generation in the workforce and Gen Z continues to enter with clarity, boldness and digital fluency, the expectations for what makes a great leader are being rewritten in real time.