WOTC 2026: Pearls Of Wisdom On Vulnerability, Alignment And Owning Your Brand

‘Artificial intelligence can give you information. Human intelligence shapes the story, what you want to say and why it matters. Emotional intelligence is how you tell that story in a way that actually connects with people. To me, that’s where vulnerability comes in,’ says Donna Grothjan, founder and growth strategist at Grothjan Consulting.

Leadership in today’s technology industry is no longer defined solely by titles, tenure or quarterly growth metrics. Instead, women at the executive level are making the biggest impact by leading with authenticity, emotional intelligence and the ability to cut through complexity to create clarity for their teams.

Across the channel, women leaders are redefining what modern leadership looks like, and it starts with balancing business priorities with empathy, resilience and purpose-driven decision-making.

“When everything changes overnight, there is no playbook,” said Katie Bianchi, SVP, network security GTM and chief customer officer at Palo Alto Networks. “What matters is asking for help, focusing on what truly matters, trusting your judgment and caring deeply about the people around you.”

Bianchi and a host of other women across the channel took to the stage at CRN parent company The Channel Company’s Women of the Channel conference in Carlsbad, Calif., last week to share insights on leadership, team alignment and showing up in the workplace with empathy.

For Seana Fippin (pictured center), founder and CEO of Red Box Business Solutions, effective leadership starts with eliminating distractions and focusing on the signal that truly drives impact. “When you find your superpower and turn it into your signal, that’s where real impact happens,” she said.

Others, like Donna Grothjan (pictured above right), pointed to the growing importance of emotional intelligence in a world shaped by AI. Because of that, Grothjan, founder and growth strategist at Grothjan Consulting, said vulnerability and connection are becoming critical leadership skills.

“Artificial intelligence can give you information,” she said. “Emotional intelligence is how you tell that story in a way that actually connects with people.”

Together, these leaders say clarity, empathy, integrity and authentic connection are becoming just as valuable as strategy and execution.

Here are seven pearls of wisdom from women in the channel.

On Leading Through Uncertainty

Katie Bianchi (pictured above), SVP, network security GTM, chief customer officer, Palo Alto Networks

When everything changes overnight, there is no playbook. You figure it out in real time. What matters is asking for help, focusing on what truly matters, trusting your judgment and caring deeply about the people around you. The moments that define you are the ones when who you are and how you lead rise to the surface. In those moments, choosing to show up for your people matters most. That choice is often what carries everyone forward.

On Building Relationships, Not Resumes

Amy Wilde, director of data and research, The Channel Company

Own your confidence and use your voice. Don’t wait for somebody to pull out a chair for you at the table, build that chair and take the risk before you’re ready. Build relationships, not resumes. Advocate for yourself, always protect your health and be unapologetically you. Stay curious, keep learning and trust your gut. It’s usually right.

On Through The Noise To Lead With Impact

Seana Fippin, founder and CEO, Red Box Business Solutions

What really stands out is that the signal is the priority. The more we focus on the signal, and delegate or eliminate the noise, the more effective we become as leaders. But the bigger question is how do we become a signal in our industry as women leaders in tech, especially in a male-dominated field? That’s incredibly important.

For me, a big part of that is understanding your superpower. One of the things I love is when we talk about identifying the unique strength each of us brings to the table. My superpower is turning adversity into opportunity. I’ve been through some incredibly challenging experiences, and that idea really resonates with me. When you find your superpower and turn it into your signal, that’s where real impact happens. Authenticity is genuinely understanding your strengths and confidently bringing them to the table.

On Why Vulnerability Is The Missing Layer Between AI And Human Connection

Donna Grothjan, founder and growth strategist, Grothjan Consulting

I think vulnerability comes back to the human element. We talk so much about AI and how much information it can generate. Today, you can ask for almost anything, validate it and get a pretty solid answer back almost instantly. But what’s missing is the human side of it. Artificial intelligence can give you information. Human intelligence shapes the story, what you want to say and why it matters. Emotional intelligence is how you tell that story in a way that actually connects with people. To me, that’s where vulnerability comes in.

On Cutting Through Meeting Overload And Creating Alignment That Drives Results

Ruth Beyene, principal account manager, Amazon Web Services

I work across a lot of different groups, and not everyone reports directly to me. We’re all trying to grow the business, but everyone also has their own priorities and responsibilities. What I kept seeing was confusion around what needed to happen next. We’d have the meetings, everyone would agree, but afterward priorities were still scattered and ownership wasn’t always clear.

So I created what I call the ‘Monday Hour’ for the key players involved. Every week, we come together to identify the top three priorities that will truly move the needle. We decide who owns each initiative, what the expectations are and how we’re going to execute.

That structure changed everything. Instead of people trying to figure things out independently or getting buried in endless meetings, everyone leaves aligned, accountable and focused. There’s so much pressure coming from every direction already, so my goal is to simplify the noise, help people prioritize effectively and keep the team focused on growth and execution.

On Why Alignment And A ‘One Team’ Mindset Make Leadership Decisions Easier

Melissa Nacerino, VP, global partner marketing, Zscaler

Leadership is always a balancing act. There are business goals to achieve, but there are also people on your team who may have different perspectives or competing priorities. What makes that balance easier is starting with a shared commitment and a true ‘one team’ mindset.

A lot of this comes down to communication, managing up and clearly articulating value. I recently had another team actually gift us a headcount because they recognized the impact of the work we were doing and believed that resource would create greater value with our team. That only happens when communication and alignment are strong.

On Why Personal Brand And Integrity Are Built Through Everyday Actions

Rebecca Adams (pictured second from left), chief people officer, Cohesity

I think your personal brand is incredibly important, whether you lead people or simply work within an organization. Your reputation is shaped by your behavior, your decisions and how you show up every day. When I was in my early twenties, social media and selfies weren’t really a thing yet, but today everything lives online forever. It’s important to be mindful of that and to separate your professional brand from your personal life in a thoughtful way.

For me, integrity is a huge part of personal brand. Whether it’s how you spend company money or how you treat people, those decisions matter. I never want to spend company money in a way I wouldn’t spend my own. And I always try to lead with respect and dignity, especially in difficult situations.