There is a category of managers who are spoken about far too little, although in Executive Search I encounter them more and more often. High-performing, stable, dedicated managers. Managers who have gone through complex roles, who have led teams, projects, crises, transformations. Managers with impeccable careers in banking, fintech, or financial services.

And at some point, they became mothers.

My recent conversations with women in leadership roles reveal the same reality: they do not live just two parallel lives, but two completely different sets of expectations. And the stages a mother goes through are profound and inevitably influence the way she lives her career.

The stages of a mother’s life while holding a managerial role

The early-child period
You are completely absorbed by a child who depends 100% on you. Home life naturally becomes the priority.

Returning to work when the child starts childcare or kindergarten
The child gets sick often, and the mother returns to a managerial role under intense pressure: business trips, meetings, ongoing projects. Frequent absences, crowded days, a balance that is hard to maintain.

The school years and extracurricular activities
The pressure of perfect organisation appears: child – home – career. Everything must function at the same time.

Adolescence
One of the most difficult stages for any parent. The child becomes independent, sensitive, unpredictable. The mother needs to be more present than ever, while professional pressure increases.

The moment the child leaves for university
The child becomes an adult, and the mother realises that more than 20 years of continuous career have passed, often in the same organisation and, many times, in the same role.

And here comes the question: “Where am I in all of this?”

Why many women do not advance, even though they have excellent performance

Biases interfere: age, gender, availability, status. Many leaders believe that mothers cannot handle business trips, long client meetings, or demanding projects.

Most of them succeed. They deliver. They perform. But at a very high cost which they pay, although the choice is theirs. In coaching I often hear:
“I don’t want to give up my career, but sometimes I feel like I’m giving up on myself.”
There is enormous emotional consumption, a constant tension between guilt and ambition.

Many return to their jobs after maternity leave and do not recognise their previous role anymore: colleagues have changed, management has changed, strategy has changed, the team dynamics are different. Yet they are still evaluated by the “before” standards.

A woman manager’s biggest fear: not to disappoint

From here come behaviours that lead to burnout, excessive assumption of responsibilities, extreme perfectionism, continuous overload, and ignoring one’s own limits.

Not because “that’s how it should be.”
But because that’s how they believe they must be in order to remain credible.

What do women in leadership roles actually want?

From my discussions with women in banking, fintech, NBFIs, leasing, and consulting, three clear needs appear:

1. Real flexibility
Not occasional work-from-home, but genuine space to adapt their rhythm to their personal life.

2. Roles with impact, but not at the cost of exhaustion
Women do not want smaller roles. They want roles where they can create value without losing themselves along the way.

3. A career in which they find themselves as people, not just as professionals
Personal identity is non-negotiable.

What the solution looks like in 2026: rebuilding confidence, not the CV

Women returning to leadership roles do not need to prove more. They need to reconnect with who they are.

What truly works?

• strategic conversations about the future
• redefining priorities
• reintegration coaching
• projects that rebuild their visibility
• mentoring for repositioning
• exploring lateral paths, not only vertical ones

Because the solution is not always “to climb.”
Sometimes the solution is “to realign.”

Conclusion

Behind every woman manager there is a story that never appears in any report. A fragile balance between life and career. A deep need for meaning, not just success.

2026 is the year we can openly acknowledge:
Women do not need to become stronger. They need to be allowed to be authentic.

If you are a woman in a managerial role and feel that you are going through a transition or a redefinition, we can work together for clarity and direction.