Breaking Barriers from the Inside Out: The Unstoppable Women Changing the Game
- Nov 6
- 3 min read
By Melissa Swonger, Ph.D. Candidate, MA
In boardrooms, locker rooms, and beyond, women are quietly—and boldly—reshaping what leadership looks like. We’re not just breaking glass ceilings anymore; we’re building new frameworks entirely.
As I’ve discovered through my doctoral research exploring women leaders in the National Football League, the most powerful change often happens within the system, not just against it. These women are transforming one of the most male-dominated industries in the world by mastering what I call informal culture—the unspoken networks, norms, and narratives that influence how decisions get made.
And here’s what I’ve learned: unstoppable women don’t wait for permission.
They learn the rules of the invisible game, then they lead with authenticity, emotional intelligence, and relational courage to rewrite them.
The Power of Informal Influence
In every organization, there are two systems at play: the formal and the informal. The formal is easy to spot—it’s the org chart, the titles, the policies. But the informal is where real culture lives. It’s who’s trusted, who’s heard, who’s invited into the room before the meeting even starts, or in many cases, the after-hours tee times and happy hours.
Women in the NFL prove that success isn’t just about competence—it’s about connection.
They build influence by cultivating trust, reading the room, and communicating with both strength and empathy. They listen deeply, lead relationally, and model integrity in spaces that haven’t always modeled it back.
The NFL, as a culture-shaper, has proven itself an ally by including women in its male-dominated space and proving the adage: We are better together! As the national statistics reflect women entering the workforce equally with men but only being promoted at 25% the rate of men, the NFL has quadrupled its rate of women promoted. The women leaders responded by owning their roles, navigating the space with professionalism, and creating networks for other women to join them.
This kind of leadership doesn’t always make headlines, but it makes history. It’s the quiet courage that shifts systems—one conversation, one relationship, one act of excellence at a time.
Resilience Without Losing Yourself
What struck me most about these leaders is their resilience—not the kind forged in denial or perfectionism, but in grounded self-awareness. Many describe navigating tension between confidence and humility, advocacy and diplomacy, boldness and grace.
That balance doesn’t come naturally—it’s cultivated. It’s what I call integrated leadership that has one hand out to be led while the other extends to lead others. Without either one, we are off-balance. When those are aligned, leadership becomes not just about achievement, but transformation.
Unstoppable women know when to pause before reacting, when to speak up, and when to let even their silence speak volumes. They understand that power isn’t about control—it’s about clarity, conviction, and connection. They live out the premise that we are better together, and even male-dominated industries acknowledge the statistically significant improvements in measurable impacts where women are included in leadership spaces.
From Survival to Strategy
Every woman who’s ever felt underestimated knows what it’s like to survive in systems not built for her. But survival isn’t the end of the story. The women I’ve studied—and the women I coach—are moving from survival to strategy.
They leverage informal culture as a tool for influence, not intimidation. They create allies, mentor others, and open doors that once seemed sealed shut, then prop them open for the next one. Their leadership is redefining what power feels like: not dominance, but dignity; not control, but collaboration.
This is how unstoppable women lead—by embodying both strength and softness, ambition and alignment, power and presence. Authentically taking up space by complementing the conversation that began before they entered and contributing to it in ways that bear their mark long after they leave.
The New Playbook for Women in Leadership
The new era of leadership won’t be defined by positional authority—it will be defined by relational authenticity.
The future belongs to women who know that culture doesn’t change by accident; it changes through intentional kindness, courageous honesty, and consistent integrity.
So whether your field is football, finance, or faith—remember this: your influence is not limited by your title. It’s expanded by your character.
To every woman rising in a space that wasn’t designed for her: keep showing up. Keep doing the inner work. Keep building bridges that others can walk across.
Because you’re not just playing the game anymore—you’re changing it.
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