Wander Woman

“High-Achieving Women”

Women who began rising to corporate leadership levels around 1985 represent a different kind of worker than those in the previous generation. Contemporary high-achieving women are more self-assured, forceful and dynamic. They are more likely to take on active, high-profile roles within their firms. They are movers and shakers, confident of their talents and not shy about demonstrating or proclaiming them to whoever needs to hear. They bring passion to their work, not solely because they covet the salaries, titles and perks of corporate managerial success, but because they have a “strong desire to contribute.” They add their sense of mission to their work out of a yearning to create “something more” in their lives. Unlike their groundbreaking predecessors, who often had to fight for basic rights, these women rarely need help to “find their voice, balance their life or strategize their way to the top”; they’re looking for a new purpose.

The drawback is that when these women hit an organizational wall, such as a recalcitrant boss or an oppressive culture, they leave. When these “wander women” can no longer add value to their work, they seek greener...