March gives us an opportunity to reflect on progress, leadership, and the responsibility we carry forward. Women’s History Month is a moment to recognize the women who have shaped our industry and examine the role we play in building what comes next.
This week, The WIT Network brought partners and leaders together in San Diego for its International Women’s Day conference, Igniting Excellence 2026, themed as Rising Together, Leading Forward. I want to recognize the Microsoft and partner leaders who attended and the speakers who shared their time, perspective, and leadership at this event. Thank you for elevating the conversation and investing in what comes next.
Organizations like The WIT Network invest in training, mentorship, and leadership development for women across partner companies. With more than 60 chapters and thousands of members globally, they are building capability and connection at scale. The conversations in San Diego reflected the strength of that network, with leaders sharing practical lessons, real challenges, and clear ambition for growth.
That kind of investment is needed.
Women represent approximately 28% of the global technology workforce.1 Representation declines at senior technical and executive levels. Progress over the last decade is meaningful, and the opportunity ahead remains significant.
Across Microsoft, we are operating in an environment defined by AI acceleration. Microsoft estimates, based on IDC data, that the total addressable market for the small and medium enterprise (SME) segment will reach $777 billion2 by FY26 and is on track to exceed $1 trillion by 2030. We have made a clear decision to pursue that opportunity through partners. That commitment places our partner ecosystem at the center of transformation.
Technology continues to evolve quickly. Leadership discipline determines how effectively change is implemented.
At this year’s Igniting Excellence event, some key players shared the stage. Microsoft General Manager of Global Partner Marketing & GTM Colleen Tyler, Insight VP of Global Brand and Communications Rachel Howard, Olympian Nicole Davis, and Kevin Lake from the Finding Mastery team discussed leadership mindset in moments of change.
Through our work with Finding Mastery, we've been exploring what high performers understand about navigating uncertainty. Elite athletes and executives train their thinking with intention. They prepare for pressure before it arrives. They develop focus, emotional regulation, and clarity under stress. That framework is highly relevant in the current AI environment.
Leaders are guiding teams through new tools, new workflows, and new expectations. Customers are searching for confidence and clarity. Teams are searching for direction and stability. In that context, mindset directly influences execution. Preparation strengthens decision making. Focus sharpens execution. Communication builds trust.
In the session, the discussion centered on how leaders move from intention to action, particularly in moments of change and AI-powered transformation, by leveraging leadership mindset and optimism. The Finding Mastery perspective reinforced the importance of developing mental skills alongside technical skills. Sustainable performance requires both.
For women working within Microsoft partner organizations, this moment carries weight.
Many of you are leading marketing, alliances, sales, and operational teams. You are translating strategy into action. You are guiding customers as they decide how AI fits into their business models. You are managing growth targets while building culture. You are navigating complexity in highly visible roles.
That work requires confidence, preparation, and connection.
I am encouraged by the number of organizations across our ecosystem that are building that connection. Women in Cloud (WIC) is another example. As an economic development organization, WIC fosters digital co-sell marketing opportunities and champions women entrepreneurs. Their mission to unlock $1 billion in economic access for women by 2030 reflects the scale of ambition needed in our industry.
Women’s History Month reminds us that progress is built through sustained leadership over time. The next phase of innovation will be shaped by leaders who prepare intentionally, think clearly under pressure, and guide others with steadiness.
To the women across our Microsoft partner ecosystem: your leadership matters. How you prepare, communicate, and show up for your teams shapes how transformation takes hold across your organizations. As we pursue this next chapter of AI-powered growth together, strengthening leadership capability across our ecosystem is not optional—it is foundational. We are building this future through partnership, and the voices shaping it will determine how far we go.
1 “Women in Tech Stats 2025,” Women in Tech Network, January 21, 2026.
2 Throughout this page, $ represents US dollar (USD).