
CPR: taking the stress out of practicing public speakingÂ
Practicing a speech is intimidating. Not only do you have to know your stuff, but you also have to think about your structure, your gestures, and your audience. Here’s how to use...
by Heather Cairns-Lee, Lindsay Sarah Krasnoff, Corinne Post Published March 26, 2024 in Brain Circuits • 3 min read
This year, for the first time ever, women’s elite sports are expected to break the billion-dollar barrier—with expected revenue of $1.28 billion for 2024, compared with $981 million for 2023. In sum, growth is looking good, according to a November report by Deloitte, which projects that women’s football (soccer) will contribute the most to 2024’s revenue total (43%), followed by basketball (28%) and then tennis (5%), with many other sports making up the rest (23%).
But sport isn’t just a business. It’s also an inspiration for business because sports help shape norms. Shining floodlights on talented female athletes can help shift the conversation about gender, challenge stereotypes, and generate new images of strong role models. And, in fact, there’s a clear correlation between women who have played or play sports and female leadership in society and the workforce more generally. According to an Ernst and Young and espnW study from 2020, 80% of female Fortune 500 CEOs played sports in their formative years.  
It’s no secret that playing sports imparts key skills that translate to the corporate world. From teamwork, learning from failure, resilience, and the ability to maintain forward- thinking to mental tenacity confidence and self-belief—these traits are hugely beneficial in any business. 
Here’s how managers can learn from women in sports to drive greater equity and inclusion:
Stilted by a ban on women’s football in many countries for much of the 20th century—including in England (1921—1970), Brazil (1941—1979), and Germany (1955–1970)—the 21st-century push for more equitable conditions illustrates that progress is not just individual, but collective. Be inspired by the example of female footballers teaming up to change the game.
Women in sports are agentic: they want to win, they train hard to win, and they are willing to demand fairer compensation and related benefits off the court or field. At the same time, women in sports share communal values by also showing how to nurture networks and push for equity.
Female former players are taking on leadership roles within sports’ governance structures, working to improve matters from within and systemically. In business and society, advocating for equity also requires long-range tactics, including involvement in governance structures to address gender discrepancies in leadership and managerial roles.
Bringing in and showcasing colleagues with outside-the-box skills and non-traditional experiences can help promote a stronger, enriched team. Leadership skills come from many experiences in life, not only from educational degrees: they also emerge from experiences in sports.
Four lessons from women’s football for advancing gender equalityÂ
Affiliate Professor of Leadership and Communication
Heather Cairns-Lee is Affiliate Professor of Leadership and Communication at IMD. She is a member of IMD’s Equity, Inclusion and Diversity Council and an experienced executive coach. She works to develop reflective and responsible leaders and caring inclusive cultures in organizations and society.
Lindsay Sarah Krasnoff is a historian, consultant, and author of Basketball Empire: France and the Making of a Global NBA and WNBA (Bloomsbury, 2023) and The Making of Les Bleus: Sport in France 1958-2010 (Lexington Books, 2012). She is an Adjunct Instructor at New York University‘s Tisch Institute for Global Sport.
Visiting Faculty at IMD
Corinne Post is Visiting Faculty at IMD, where she directs the Inclusive Leadership Program. Her research addresses questions related to diversity and diversity management, notably on women and boards and in top management teams. It also examines the role of diversity as enabler or impediment to group and organizational performance.
July 16, 2025 • by Robert Vilkelis in Brain Circuits
Practicing a speech is intimidating. Not only do you have to know your stuff, but you also have to think about your structure, your gestures, and your audience. Here’s how to use...
July 15, 2025 • by Ben Bryant in Brain Circuits
Knowing how much vulnerability to show and when to maintain distance is a key leadership skill. Consult this checklist to gauge whether you’re keeping too much in, and check out the four...
July 10, 2025 • by Jean-François Manzoni in Brain Circuits
From absorbing stress to finding your authentic voice, nine leaders of global companies share the wisdom that has helped them excel in their roles.  ...
July 8, 2025 in Brain Circuits
According to the World Health Organization, depression and anxiety cost the global economy $1tn each year, predominantly from reduced productivity.  Here are six simple habits, taken from design thinker Vishakha Singh’s SHIFT...
Explore first person business intelligence from top minds curated for a global executive audience