Finding confidence in authentic leadership
Reflections from the 2025 ASEAN Women’s Leadership Summit by Sonia Kohlbacher
In September, I flew from Sydney to Penang to join Harpswell's ASEAN Women's Leadership Summit and teach my new masterclass, Storytelling for Leadership.
The Summit brought together women leaders from across Southeast Asia and Nepal, alongside educators from around the world, to create a space by and for women, one that was bold, collaborative, and unapologetically joyful.
After sharing skills and practicing them together in real time during the masterclass, I asked for volunteers to take the microphone and tell their stories.
A remarkable young woman from Vietnam raised her hand. As she rose and walked to the front of the room, a quiet cheer rippled through the group.
She stood a little taller, took a deep breath, and began to speak.
Watching her share her story so beautifully, and seeing her peers celebrate her afterwards, was the moment I realised the power of what we had built together that week.
We had created a space where women were choosing to move beyond comfort, challenge and expand their ideas of leadership and ambition, and engage in an immersive, reflective experience that encouraged them to push their boundaries, championed by their peers every step of the way.
I've never seen anything quite like it.
Our understanding of leadership is shaped by so many things — how we were raised, what we see reflected in the people and places around us, and what we're told by others or tell ourselves about how we should show up, who we can be, and what we can achieve.
Challenging the beliefs that hold us back and shifting from comfort to courage isn't easy, but it's in that expansion that self-leadership begins. And when we can lead ourselves, we can lead others with influence and impact.
The moments from the Summit that have stayed with me most are those where I saw women — data scientists, advocates, mental health experts, product developers, activists, creatives, and change-makers — pushing the boundaries of what they thought was possible, building new confidence, and celebrating both themselves and each other.
Throughout the week, this spirit of courage and support bloomed all around us: women sharing their stories, lifting each other up, and stepping closer to their authentic selves.
When I reflect on the week and the connections, experiences, and memories it brought, one word stands out: possibility. The possibility that blooms when women invest in themselves, support one another, and lead in ways that feel true to who they are.
About the author:
Sonia Kohlbacher is a leadership coach and facilitator who supports early to mid-career women stepping into senior leadership roles to lead with confident, intentional communication.
