This award honors a woman who has broken free from the constraints society puts on women who lead.  She has overcome obstacles to lead authentically in a role or industry that has been traditionally unexpected or even unavailable to women.  Her ability to bring her own unique approach to leading serves as a model for other women who seek to break barriers.

This award honors a leaders’ unique ability to strengthen affiliations for the better of the whole.  Leaders who privilege their relationships are able to cultivate deeper and more meaningful connections with all of their stakeholders: employees, colleagues, vendors, customers, communities, etc. They reach across boundaries to build webs of support and influence that elevate the collective and open new pathways for shared success.

Women have been forced to lead with only half of their power.  Their innate feminine gifts (empathy, caring, intuition, sensitivity, emotional intelligence, grace) are too often dismissed or demeaned in the workplace.  This award celebrates women who combine these gifts with their strength, determination, fierceness, and power to lead authentically. 

Historically, women have not been considered visionary, and this view persists even today.  We argue that this is an artifact of women's preference to co-create a collective vision. The result is a vision that is inclusive and collective rather than heroic and individualistic.  These leaders cultivate vision by inviting others to join in the process and to contribute their passion in search of even greater impact.