Women at the helm: developing career adaptability through inclusive leadership in Indonesia

Purpose The increasing participation of women in leadership positions has brought renewed attention to how women's leadership contributes to employee development. This study aims to examine how women's inclusive leadership influences career adaptability through psychological empowerment and examine the role of proactive personality in strengthening this mechanism. Design/methodology/approach This study involves 387 employees in Indonesia who worked under the supervision of women leaders. Data were analyzed using the PROCESS macro to test a moderated mediation model. Findings The results indicate that women's inclusive leadership has a positive effect on career adaptability. Psychological empowerment significantly mediates this relationship. The mediating effect of psychological empowerment is stronger in individuals with a strong proactive personality; thus, individual characteristics strengthen the effectiveness of women's inclusive leadership in supporting employee career development. Practical implications Developing women's inclusive leadership as part of a management development strategy to enhance employee career readiness. Originality/value This research provides empirical evidence regarding the role of women's inclusive leadership as a development mechanism that supports career adaptability through psychological empowerment, particularly in the context of developing countries.