Why Women’s Career Growth Depends on the Right Kind of Network

By WOI+ Editorial

We often hear that networking is essential for career advancement. But for women, the type of network they cultivate matters significantly more than the size of it.

According to research published in the Academy of Management Journal and highlighted by Harvard Business Review, women who form strong professional relationships with a mix of peers and high-status contacts are 2.5 times more likely to secure a promotion. This is especially true when those connections are made through a third party — what the research calls “high-status third-party ties.” These types of relationships often provide access to influential decision-makers and open doors to opportunities that may otherwise remain closed.

This insight underscores a key shift in how we think about professional development. It’s not just about expanding your contact list. It’s about cultivating the right kind of relationships, those that provide support, access, and credibility.

A different kind of network

The challenge for many women lies not in a lack of effort, but in the design of traditional networking systems themselves. Conventional approaches typically prioritize breadth over depth — encouraging individuals to “work the room,” attend events, collect contacts. These strategies tend to favour men, who are more likely to benefit from informal mentorships, legacy affiliations or informal networks that have historically favoured men.

In contrast, women typically build more relational, trust-based networks. These connections are deep, genuine, and often serve as emotional and professional lifelines. But they don’t always translate into promotions or power if they exist outside of influence corridors. According to the Harvard Business Review article, women are about one-third more likely than men to form valuable third-party ties when placed in the right environment — suggesting the challenge isn’t about ability, but consistent access to influential environments.

These insights are supported by McKinsey & Company’s 2023 Women in the Workplace report, which highlights the significant benefits of structured peer mentorship programs. The report notes that initiatives like Lean In Circles bring women together for peer mentorship and skill-building, fostering environments where participants can share experiences, develop leadership skills, and support each other’s career advancement. Such programs have been instrumental in helping women navigate workplace challenges and pursue leadership opportunities.

Why structure matters

One of the most effective ways to build these kinds of networks is through structured, cohort-based programs. Unlike traditional events or ad hoc coffee chats, structured peer networks offer intentional space for shared learning, strategic conversation and collective momentum. They remove guesswork from the process and create a curated environment where ambition, vulnerability, and mentorship can coexist.

Programs like the Women of Influence+ Business Lab were designed with these dynamics in mind. The Business Lab offers women leaders and entrepreneurs a cohort-based experience that combines facilitated sessions with organic relationship-building. It provides a framework for learning, but just as importantly, it fosters the kind of high-trust, high-impact relationships that accelerate growth.

Another example are the Forum Groups offered by ROOM Women’s Network. Participants report not only increased clarity in their professional direction, but tangible advancements. These aren’t just the byproducts of good programming; they are the outcomes of a well-designed peer network.

Confidence, clarity, and connection

Beyond access and opportunity, structured peer networks also provide a less visible, but equally essential benefit: psychological safety. For many women navigating high-performance environments — particularly those where they are underrepresented — having a space to be honest about challenges, receive feedback and test ideas in community is transformational.

These spaces foster confidence. They allow women to clarify their values, articulate their goals and refine how they show up as leaders. And because these transformations happen alongside others experiencing the same inflection points, they often feel more sustainable.

It’s not about having a Rolodex. It’s about having a circle that understands both your ambition and your context.

Redefining what success looks like

For women working to advance in environments where they may still be navigating legacy bias, exclusionary cultures or simply a lack of representation, networks are not a luxury. For many women, networks aren’t just valuable, they’re strategic.

The Women of Influence+ Business Lab offers a model that’s grounded in what the research is now confirming: women don’t need more events. They need events that connect to structured, intentionally built ecosystems.

The path forward

The path to leadership for women is multifaceted. It requires confidence, capability, opportunity — and critically, the right support system. Structured peer networks help close the gap between potential and progress by offering connection, insight, and advocacy. They create the conditions not just for individual growth, but for collective transformation.

And in a business landscape where women are still underrepresented at the highest levels, that’s not just beneficial. It’s essential.