The 4 Empowered Archetypes
The Sovereign
Self-assured, focused on being her best, fearless leader, confident, exciting, influential, impactful, magnetic, uses her power to benefit the collective, creative. Sovereign thinking results in the highest form of personal fulfilment. This archetype is characterised by a very high acceptance of self, others, and situations “as they are”. Sovereign women feel in control of their lives and have achieved a unique sense of self-acceptance, self-respect, and pride in what they do.
The Warrior
Ambitious, change catalyst, goal-driven, visionary, insightful problem solver, loves challenges, a true self-starter, motivated, sure of her ability. The Warrior archetype is highly associated with personal effectiveness. Warriors are focused, goal-oriented individuals, who are proficient at attaining high-quality results on challenging projects. Warriors are motivated to succeed by their own values and beliefs. They know they can improve things and do not hesitate to act on this knowledge.
The Wise Woman
Sought out by others for her wisdom and knowledge, she is a lifelong learner who mentors, guides and encourages others. Shares her knowledge freely. Supports the growth of others, sees potential. Wise Women believe they can assist others in fulfilling their potential by providing a supportive environment that inspires self-improvement. They gain satisfaction from seeing others learning and growing and their willingness to take time with people makes them excellent leaders and coaches. They are very knowledgeable and sought out by others for their words of wisdom.Â
The Tribe Builder
Networker draws people together, creates community and collectiveness, compassionate, empathic, values people and relationships. The Tribe Builder archetype tends to value relationships and connections above all else. She has a need to build relationships that are meaningful, and she possesses strong, well-developed interpersonal skills. The Tribe Builder motivates primarily with genuine praise and friendliness.Â
How The Archetypes Can Help You
As an individual, the Women's Leader Archetypes offer a transformative lens to better understand yourself and navigate your leadership journey. These Archetypes help you identify your innate strengths, recognise areas for growth, and guide you in aligning your personal and professional aspirations. They provide a structured framework to manage challenges, make informed decisions, and ultimately live a more fulfilled and meaningful life
As a coach, these Archetypes serve as a dynamic toolkit, enriching your practice by providing a well-researched, relatable, and actionable framework to empower your clients. Whether it's helping women unlock latent potential, shatter glass ceilings, or find balance in their lives, these Archetypes offer a tailored approach to coaching that resonates deeply with your clients.
But that's not all. This dual role amplifies your effectiveness: Understanding the Archetypes not only for your clients but also for yourself creates a symbiotic relationship that enhances your credibility, relatability, and impact. It's a holistic approach that enriches both your personal development and your coaching practice, creating an ever-widening circle of empowerment and leadership.
There are 3 ways to work with the Archetypes:
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Work with Ros,
book a 30min discovery call to discuss your options.
Become an accredited WLA practitioner.
Fill in the form, and we'll email you with the options we offer.
Find an accredited coach or facilitator
View our accredited practitioner directory here.
Alison Rogers
I always enjoy your presentations, however, I particularly enjoyed today's. There was an indescribable magic, you truly have found home and have developed a remarkable model to inspire people to live their gift to the world. Thank you Rosalind!
Lacy Garza
I just finished my personalised Archetypes Blueprint with Rosalind and it was phenomenal! I currently lead 10,000-ish people in my organization, and people management is my obstacle. The Blueprint has really helped me identify my behavior and formulate action steps. If you haven't purchased a Blueprint I highly recommend! It's something I will be working with for months as I pull out of the shadow Archetypes. Thank you so much Rosalind, your work is making a huge impact in my life!
Anna Gaspari
WOW! Your assessment is mind blowing to me and speaks right to my soul. This is divine timing for me.
A Brief History of the Archetypes
In 2016, captivated by the intricate dynamics between male and female leadership styles, I embarked on a journey to understand how women uniquely approach leadership roles. What started as a curiosity-driven exploration soon transformed into an exhaustive research project, leading to the creation of the Women's Leader Archetypes (WLA) model and its accompanying assessment tool.
In the initial phase, the model was rigorously tested with the help of 538 women leaders from across the globe. These pioneering women completed the WLA assessment and participated in follow-up surveys and in-depth interviews, contributing invaluable data and insights. Their experiences and feedback played a crucial role in refining the WLA assessment, ensuring its robustness and validity.
In 2018, after rigorous refinement, the WLA assessment went live, opening doors for a broader spectrum of women to benefit from this ground-breaking tool. Since then, over 10,000 women have taken the assessment, creating an expansive dataset that has allowed for valuable benchmarking and continued research into the intricacies of female leadership.
In 2024, the multi-rater feedback version of the assessment was launched, allowing participants to receive feedback from others.Â
This rich history not only adds credibility to the WLA model but also demonstrates its organic evolution, driven by real-life experiences and backed by comprehensive data. As we move forward, the WLA continues to empower women from various sectors, affirming its relevance and contributing to a deeper understanding of women's unique capacities and challenges in leadership roles.
I invite you to join this ongoing journey to explore, recognise, and unleash the power of female leadership through the Women's Leader Archetypes.
Download An Information Sheet HereRos Cardinal
Rosalind Cardinal, the Managing Director of Shaping Change, and creator of the Women’s Leader Archetypes, is a dynamic facilitator and leadership coach with over 30 years of experience in human resources and organisational development. Her energetic and proactive approach, coupled with a wealth of knowledge, covers leadership development, organisational culture, team building, change management, and more.
As a talented executive and leadership coach, Ros works with clients across government agencies, private enterprises, and the community sector. She is a sought-after speaker and subject matter expert at various events and conferences.
Ros holds numerous certifications, including emotional intelligence assessments, leadership tools, and change management practices. She is a Certified Member of the Australian Human Resources Institute and a member of several professional associations.
In 2018, Ros introduced her Women's Leader Archetypes model, which has been widely adopted by women in leadership roles. In 2023 she expanded the Women’s Leader Archetypes into an accreditation program.
Her achievements include a bestselling book, "The Resilient Employee," and numerous awards and recognitions, including being a recipient of the World of Difference Award from The International Alliance for Women in 2022 for her outstanding contributions to women's economic empowerment.
