New Research on How Women in Leadership Navigated Menopause

Women leaders often face an uphill battle to be taken seriously and rise to the top of their professions in a world characterized by male leadership. Once women enter midlife—often a time when both men and women begin taking on more serious leadership roles (think senior or executive-level positions)—that hill can feel even steeper if they find their work interrupted by sudden sweating, visible redness, or a struggle to find the right word in an important meeting. Symptoms like hot flashes and “brain fog” are typical signs of entering menopause, and they’ve been linked to diminished self-efficacy and increased absences and can lead others to perceive women as “less leader-like.” Such evidence suggests that the onset of menopausal symptoms may signal the end of the road for women leaders. Yet the research also shows that a whopping 87% of midlife women said that menopause did not disrupt their work. Clearly, then, many women successfully navigate menopause at work. The question is, how? To answer this question, we took a novel approach. We interviewed successful middle-aged female leaders and asked how they navigated these changes. Our findings offer a roadmap for women who aspire to the top: Knowing other women leaders made it through menopause successfully can reduce the perceived stigma and uncertainty from symptoms, and can offer strategies and practical tips for women as they enter this phase of life. The Research With Liza Barnes (Drexel University) and Johannah Stockdale (PhD student at Penn State University), we interviewed 64 peri- or postmenopausal middle-aged women who held senior leadership roles in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. These leaders were impressive: They worked as CEOs, nonprofit executive directors, vice presidents, highly ranked military officers, school superintendents, and even a city mayor while experiencing menopause symptoms. Our interview protocol invited them to reflect on how menopause intersected with leadership. Then, we reviewed, coded, and discussed the hours of interview data using a rigorous qualitative approach to see what themes emerged. What we learned surprised us. The leaders we talked to didn’t just survive menopause; they learned how to thrive in menopause. Across these conversations, we noticed themes aligning with the archetypal “hero’s journey”: For many women, symptoms of menopause started a quest for answers. Equipped with greater knowledge, they used their positions to battle ignorance and stigma alongside a band of peers, mentors, and friends. Many women reported that overcoming challenges related to their symptoms helped them gain inner strength and new skills. Finally, their experiences motivated them to make a difference and improve systems for future women leaders. Based on their stories, we offer a five-step navigational map—and a more optimistic narrative—for leaders to follow after menopausal symptoms begin. How Successful Leaders Navigate Menopause 1. Battle symptoms with self-advocacy and self-care Consistent with prior evidence, the women in our study initially found their menopausal symptoms disruptive to work. These leaders described anxiety about their health changes and frustration about the information available. They observed that the medical world still “doesn’t understand” menopausal women, with many women reporting having received little information about menopause or the treatments available from their primary care providers. What did they do about that? They used their leadership skills to educate and advocate for themselves. They didn’t back down when people told them to accept menopause symptoms as a new normal. They went online and did their own research, talked to doctor after doctor in their battle with symptoms, and persistently requested referrals and treatments. As one leader told us, “you have to fight for yourself.” They also re-prioritized. After years of putting themselves last, menopausal symptoms forced leaders to slow down and pay attention to their own health. In doing so, they made holistic lifestyle changes to alleviate symptoms, including natural remedies, diet changes, increased exercise, and prioritizing sleep. One manager said that menopause became “the straw that broke the camel’s back,” making her realize she needed to do better at balancing her health and work. 2. Form internal and external support networks Although almost all midlife women eventually experience menopause, most workplaces act as if it doesn’t happen and don’t offer any formal support. The women in our study took action to build their own support systems. We were surprised to find that most leaders shared their menopausal experiences at work, ignoring the conventional wisdom to conceal them. Instead, they shared what was happening with their teams, often using humor to diffuse awkward moments. Leaders joked about having a “personal furnace” or “internal combustion engine” when hot flashes presented. They built solidarity with other women, and they found new coping strategies and empathy as they shared their menopause experiences at work—even from all-male military teams. Leaders built support external to the workplace through friends, family, or even online. When a nonprofit director wanted help with how to handle hot flashes during meetings, she asked a Facebook group for advice. She told us, “If [you have] no friends, no family…If you don’t have that kind of support network, engage in some kind of support network.” By openly sharing their menopause experiences, leaders formed vital support networks for menopause information and advice in addition to simply feeling understood. Instead of needing to continuously conceal symptoms, these leaders gained workplace allies for and during their health changes. Importantly, menopause gave women an initial source of connection that strengthened their professional relationships. This connection meant that they felt more comfortable around senior female leaders and could bond with female subordinates over shared menopause experiences. And well after symptoms ceased to be an issue, women stayed in touch with their menopause support groups, using them for professional advice and support post-menopause. 3. Find inspiration at work and let go of social pressures Rather than withdraw from work, women described embracing their leadership roles. They led school districts during the pandemic, soldiers in Iraq, large global financial institutions, medical clinics, and a small city. They knew people depended on them. Leaders found that menopause lead to a renewed contemplation about why they did the work and to reckon with how their health impacted their work. Leaders drew motivation and inspiration to persist through menopause symptoms from a renewed focus on the meaning they drew from their work roles, and they recognized that to keep working, they had to prioritize their health. The women also reported that dealing with symptoms in addition to their leadership responsibilities left them with little time or motivation to worry about how others might perceive them. An entrepreneur told us how menopause liberated her from all the “double binds and…barriers that women are facing.” She said, “I think you sort of get to the point where you just go, I’m sick of all that now…you’ve just got to exist as you are.” In interview after interview, leaders described this as a pivotal moment in their menopause journey: a moment when they realized they prioritized their own health and leading others well while no longer caring what other people thought about them. They felt a newfound sense of liberation from sexist double standards, judgement, and imposter syndrome. Often, they expressed this liberation with liberal use of f-bombs and profanity. As one woman put it, they had “no more Fs to give.” 4. Recognize newfound confidence and skills to transform leadership After the pivotal moment of letting go, our leaders’ menopause journeys started on a new path. Many leaders had experienced initial dips in self-confidence from menopause symptoms and bodily changes, but now their self-confidence rebounded as they learned they could manage symptoms and lead effectively. When they persevered and overcame menopause challenges, leaders discovered how resilient they were. In this stage of the menopause journey, we were surprised that women told us that their menopause experience actually enhanced their leadership skills. Leaders described how their newfound confidence meant they became increasingly assertive. One woman found herself speaking up more in meetings and explained, “I think that has to do with confidence.” Menopause was also credited with increasing their empathy. A military officer said, “I genuinely think it made me a better human, and I’m a better listener, more empathetic, more thoughtful, more caring. It changed perhaps some of the questions I asked people.” Another woman said that menopause made her a better leader by increasing empathy for anyone struggling with a hidden health issue. Instead of looking at menopause as an ending, the women on this journey became excited about new opportunities. One woman told us, “In some cultures [menopause] is referred to as a second spring. And I love that reference…this is my time now, and I get to bloom again.” This new work motivation led to the final step in the journey. 5. Leverage experiences and position to make change for others The women we talked to recognized that their leadership positions helped them get through menopause. This awareness resulted in a new sense of purpose to help others on their own health journeys, especially those lacking a leader’s status and resources. We saw this theme across leader contexts, from the military to healthcare. Leaders purposely broke menopause taboos by talking about it at work, not just because it helped them through difficult days, but also because they knew their leadership roles protected them. The city mayor said, “I am very transparent [about menopause] because I have the status.” Women also started new workplace programs and joined advocacy groups. They shared what they had learned with younger female colleagues, educated male colleagues, passed out small fans, and rearranged offices and workflows to help other menopausal women. Some women changed careers or started new businesses for menopause coaching and specialized menopause products. As one woman told us, normalizing menopause had become “a personal mission for me in terms of creating a more inclusive workplace.” What We Learned—and Caveats to that Knowledge There are not quick fixes for menopausal leaders. These are steps in a multi-year hero’s journey, where a quest to learn more about their own menopause evolved into leveraging their knowledge, skills, and status to increase support for others. Note that all did not complete this full journey. Specifically, some of the women we studied didn’t have the same story arc as the majority of those we interviewed because they didn’t experience symptoms, or had symptoms so intense—and medical support so ineffective—that they were not able to overcome the initial stage in the journey. Most of the women we interviewed were still working, but one woman had been fired when her menopause symptoms interfered with her work. This shows our findings do not contradict prior studies: Intense and unmanaged menopausal symptoms can be problematic for working women. Yet our data shows that women leaders with access to medical knowledge and social support are more able to not only manage their symptoms but also reap professional gains. Of course, our data is based on high-status leaders who agreed to share their menopause experiences. Their stories probably reflect a more positive experience than the employee who lacks their status and social capital. Yet the fact that menopause can have these benefits is an important story to tell. This means menopause isn’t the end of the road. If women self-educate and advocate, form support networks, and rise above stigma, they can be successful at work during menopause. Additionally, in an ideal world, women wouldn’t have to carry the burden of making necessary organizational changes happen. With more company support for menopause, all women, regardless of their leadership status, could transition through menopause with reduced (and ideally, no) career impacts. In particular, more flexible working hours and workplace interventions that educate and offer coping strategies are able to reduce the experience and stigma of symptoms and generally improve women’s menopause experiences at work. Until all women have access to such organizational support, though, menopause may remain a hero’s journey for women leaders. Yet our study shows that menopause doesn’t have to be a roadblock to leaders’ careers. Yes, it’s a speed bump, but with these five guideposts, menopause can be more zoom than gloom-and-doom.

New Research on How Women in Leadership Navigated Menopause

Summary.

Partner Center