How Can the Sixth Level Help Women Redefine Leadership?

What happens when two powerful women—one a psychologist devoted to leadership transformation and the other a CEO who grew up in a family-run business—join forces to rethink what it means to lead? They discover the "Sixth Level" of Leadership!

On this episode of On the Brink, Stacy Feiner, PsyD and Rachel Wallis Andreasson, MBA invite us to imagine leadership not as a position of power, but as a practice rooted in purpose, connection and care.

The Birth of the Sixth Level

Stacy Feiner, a high-performance psychologist and coach, has long focused on helping family and mid-market companies unlock the emotional dynamics that drive sustainable success. Her fascination with human potential began early—her mother introduced her to the groundbreaking Self-in-Relation theory at Wellesley’s Stone Center, which challenged male-centered models of psychology and placed women’s experiences at the center of understanding human behavior.

From that foundation grew The Sixth Level: Capitalize on the Power of Women’s Psychology for Sustainable Leadership, co-authored with Rachel Wallis Andreasson, Kathy Overbeke, DBA, and Jack Harris, PhD. The book expands on the belief that women’s relational intelligence—empathy, collaboration, and the ethic of care—is not a deviation from leadership excellence but its evolution.

Watch our video on Sixth Level Leadership here 

From Gas Station to $2 Billion Company

Rachel Wallis Andreasson’s story grounds those ideas in lived experience. The daughter of a gas-station owner on Route 66, she watched her father grow one small shop into a company now approaching $2 billion in annual sales. He modeled three values that remain central to her leadership: a strong work ethic, genuine care for people, and shared ownership through open communication.

“When my dad walked into one of our stores,” she recalls, “he didn’t just check the numbers—he asked employees for their opinions. And then he used their ideas.”

Rachel worked for her family business for 24 years, rising to CEO and overseeing more than 1,100 employees. She is most proud of the cultural integration of the largest and most strategic acquisition of the company’s history. Rachel builds cultures where people feel seen, heard, and trusted. Her philosophy mirrors her father’s wisdom—lead by example, connect with authenticity, and invite others to own the company’s success.

The Four Core Differentiators of Sixth-Level Leadership

At the heart of The Sixth Level are four principles that originate in women’s social-psychology and form the basis of transformational leadership:

1. Mutuality — Two-way empathy and shared purpose that align people behind a common vision.
2. Ingenuity — Creative problem-solving that benefits the collective, not just the individual.
3. Justness — Inclusion, accountability and equity built on transparency and trust.
4. Intrinsic Motivation — Leading from within, not for external reward or authority.

These are not soft skills—they are strategic capabilities that strengthen performance, retention, and resilience. “Accountability,” Feiner explains, “doesn’t start at the end of a project. It begins at the beginning, as a promise we make to each other to achieve success together.”

A Story of Transformation

One of the book’s most vivid case studies features Lisa, president of a rural Missouri hospital. Stepping into her role during the height of COVID-19, she found a demoralized staff, fragmented teams, and exhausted caregivers.

Instead of imposing control, Lisa began by listening. She conducted open “snack-cart sessions” with employees, asking questions, sharing food, and gathering stories. From those conversations came a rallying cry—One Heart, One Team.

Lisa modeled the change she wanted to see, shadowing every department, empowering cross-functional collaboration, and celebrating ingenuity at every level. The results were astonishing: record financial performance, unprecedented patient-satisfaction scores, and a palpable sense of unity across the hospital.

“Transformation,” says Andreasson, “is tangible. When you walk into that hospital today, you feel the caring culture. You feel ‘One Heart, One Team.’ ”

Beyond Self-Awareness to Relational Awareness

Feiner believes traditional leadership training—often built on male norms—emphasizes self-control and individual performance. The Sixth Level expands that frame to relational awareness: how leaders build trust, reciprocity, and shared accountability.

“We’ve been taught that leadership is about dominance and hierarchy,” she says. “But sustainable success comes from mutuality—the capacity to care for others while driving results. Everyone can learn it. It’s a human capability.”

A Model for All Leaders

Although the book is rooted in women’s social-psychology, both authors stress it is not for women only. Men thrive in Sixth Level environments too. “Command-and-control cultures haven’t served anyone,” Feiner notes. “When we bring the full picture—empathetic and analytical thinking together—we create workplaces where everyone can flourish.”

Andreasson agrees: “Culture is the secret weapon. The Sixth Level isn’t a theory—it’s a roadmap for building engaged teams, inclusive organizations, and caring communities.”

Rethinking What Leadership Looks Like

As I reflected at the end of the conversation, the Sixth Level calls us to re-imagine leadership “not as power, but as purpose, connection, and deep relational intelligence.” It’s an invitation for all leaders—men and women alike—to claim a model that validates empathy, communication, and community as powerful drivers of performance.

Perhaps the truest measure of success is what both Feiner and Andreasson have modeled themselves: leading with heart, lifting others, and proving that when we care for people, performance naturally follows.

Connect with me:

• Website: www.simonassociates.net
• Email: [e-mail]
• Learn more about our books here:
  • Rethink: Smashing the Myths of Women in Business
  • Women Mean Business: Over 500 Insights from Extraordinary Leaders to Spark Your Success