Early in my career, I worked in an all-female team. And while I’d love to say we were hugely supportive of one another, the reality was that a few seemed to almost relish the chance to backstab each other whenever they had the remotest reason to do so. In more recent years, I’ve encountered women who were clearly only interested in extending a helping hand when there was an immediate payoff for doing so.

On every occasion, it felt disappointing. Sometimes even hurtful.

I know I’m not alone. Most women have felt it — the Queen Bee boss, the colleague who withholds credit, the mentor who never quite materializes. But after nearly three decades coaching women leaders, I’ve come to see it differently. The women who don’t support other women aren’t innately awful. They’re not mean-spirited or selfish. They’re afraid. And that changes everything about how we respond to them.

Read more at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/margiewarrell/2026/02/21/give-to-gain-when-women-back-each-other-the-odds-change-for-all/