The leadership summit reminded the writer that when women come together to share, connect, and lift each other up, the ripple effects extend far beyond them. — Photos provided
TWO WEEKS ago, I found myself in a room with extraordinary women from across South-East Asia and Nepal. We were gathered for the Harpswell Asean Women’s Leadership Summit 2025, a five-month journey designed not only to sharpen leadership skills, but to also build a community of women who dare to lead differently.
When I first joined the summit, I expected to learn frameworks and strategies. What I did not expect was how much the experience would challenge the way I saw myself, and how I understood leadership at its core.
As someone who has poured energy into Product Women, a community that supports female product managers, I thought I had a firm grasp of what female leadership could look like. Yet, by the end of the summit, I realised I had only been scratching the surface.
Grounded, authentic and inspiring
If I had to describe the Harpswell Summit in three words, they would be grounded, authentic, and inspiring. One of the most memorable moments came right at the beginning, which was our self-introduction session. Each participant was asked to share a mural board and share a visual snapshot of who we are. It sounded simple, but the question behind it was not: Who am I?
In Singapore, where I live and work, that question often gets answered with job titles, achievements, or the schools we went to. I have been guilty of defaulting to that script myself. But in that room, women stood up and introduced themselves in a different way.
They spoke about their communities, their activism, the challenges they had overcome, and the change they were fighting for. Listening to them, I felt both humbled and inspired. Their presence was not rooted in titles or external validation, but was grounded in authenticity and purpose. It made me pause and ask myself: When I strip away the roles I play at work, who am I? And how do I want to show up in the world?
Rethinking leadership
Growing up, I loved reading about ancient history. My idea of leadership was shaped by tales of generals on horseback, commanding the battlefield from the front. To me, leadership meant presence, authority, and direction.
The summit disrupted that image completely. Through stories, reflections, and lived examples, I came to see leadership as something much more fluid, and that adapts according to who is in the room.
Leadership can take many forms and directions, where leading from the front can mean setting a vision and strategy, leading from the side can mean inspiring others through example and partnership and leading from the back can be about creating space for voices that might otherwise go unheard, inviting others to step-in and step-out, and orchestrating a rhythm that lets others shine.
From front to back: Participants learned that leadership is something fluid, and it adapts according to who is in the room, says the writer. — Photo provided
This expanded view of leadership has been transformative for me, especially as I think about my role in Product Women. It reminds me that leadership is not a solo endeavour. Sometimes, the most powerful thing we can do is step aside, lift others up, and let them lead.
Blending data and story
In product and tech, data is our default language. We use numbers to prove points, to guide decisions, to demonstrate impact. I’ve long relied on data as my way of persuading.
But the Harpswell Summit reminded me that stories are also data. They may not come in spreadsheets, but they move hearts, shift perspectives, and invite trust.
Hearing my peers share their journeys, I realised that facts alone rarely inspire action. It is the stories, layered with vulnerability, courage, and lived experiences, that make the facts matter. Since then, I have been asking myself: “What would it look like to blend data and story, instead of treating them as opposites and mutually exclusive?”
I believe this will help me become not only a better product leader, but also a stronger advocate for causes I deeply care about like gender equality and responsible AI.
Empowering the community
At Product Women, our mission is to empower female product managers through support, networking, and connection. We create spaces where women can come together to share challenges, ideas, and encouragement.
The summit gave me new clarity on why this work matters. It reaffirmed my belief that:
> Authentic presence means encouraging women to show up fully, not just as job titles, but as whole people with passions, struggles, and stories.
> Diverse leadership styles deserve celebration. There is no single correct way to lead. Our community can thrive when we embrace leadership in all its diverse forms.
> The power of narrative can transform how women in product share insights, influence decisions, and inspire change.
I entered the summit expecting to pick up new tools and frameworks. I left with so much more, a deeper sense of presence, a renewed vision of leadership, and a community of women who embody courage and authenticity every day.
The Harpswell Summit reminded me of something simple yet profound: when women come together to share, connect, and lift each other up, the ripple effects extend far beyond us.
Rachel Kuo is one of the 33 women across Asean and wider Asia to be part of the Harpswell Asean Women’s Leadership Summit in Penang in September. A senior product manager driving global election safety strategies and features at TikTok, Kuo also co-founded Product Women, a community advancing female product leadership in Singapore’s tech scene.
