Revealing Genius | The Great Work of Your Life Interview Series
Beyond the Boardroom: How Martha Mertz Redefined Leadership Through the “Women’s Way”
The Quick Answer
What is the Athena Leadership Model?
Conceived by Martha Mayhood Mertz in 1982, the Athena Leadership Model is a framework that redefines leadership beyond title and hierarchy. It identifies eight distinct principles—anchored by “Living Authentically”—that leverage collaborative, intuitive, and relationship-based strategies (often called the “women’s way”) to drive organizational success and community impact.
Executive Summary
In 1982, Martha Mayhood Mertz sat on a Chamber of Commerce board in Lansing, Michigan. She was the only woman in the room. When she noted the absence of female voices in leadership awards, her male colleagues delivered a stark assessment: “Martha, women aren’t leaders.”
That single sentence didn’t defeat her; it “lit a flame.”
It launched a quest to prove that women were leading—they were just doing it differently. They were building hospitals, organizing communities, and driving change through collaboration rather than command. To honor them, she founded Athena International. Three decades later, what began as a local award has evolved into a global movement reaching 48 states, 11 countries, and over 8,000 recipients.
In this deep dive, we explore Martha’s journey through the lens of Revealing Genius’s Excavate-Tell-Affirm™ methodology. Her story offers a masterclass for C-suite executives on how to excavate core values, tell a counter-narrative that shifts industry perceptions, and affirm a new model of leadership that works for everyone—from the classroom to the boardroom.
The Catalyst: “Women Aren’t Leaders”
Every great executive brand begins with an “Excavation”—a moment where friction reveals a deeper truth. For Martha, that friction occurred in the early 80s commercial real estate world.
“People didn’t believe women headed companies at the time,” Martha recalls. After breaking through that barrier to join the Chamber board, she realized her perspective was constantly at odds with the status quo. The prevailing definition of leadership was narrow: it was the person with the loudest voice, the highest title, or the one standing at the “head of the parade.”
Because women were systematically excluded from those titles, they were excluded from the definition of leadership.
“My colleagues told me, ‘Martha, women aren’t leaders,’ and that lit my flame. Because I could see around the community… there had been many, many, many outstanding women who had done things, but they just didn’t fit into the category of Webster’s description of what leader means.”
— Martha Mayhood Mertz, Founder of Athena International
The Executive Lesson:
Martha didn’t try to fit the existing mold. She realized the mold was broken. For executives facing a career pivot or industry misalignment, the takeaway is powerful: If your values don’t match your environment, you don’t necessarily need to change yourself. You may need to change the definition of success in your industry.
Strategic Approach: The “Women’s Way” of Leading
Martha’s response to the friction was not to argue, but to demonstrate. She utilized a strategy that mirrors the Tell phase of personal branding: she created a platform to make the invisible visible.
She launched the Athena Award to lift up one woman each year. But she didn’t stop at recognition; she sought to codify how these women were succeeding. With a grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, her team researched the specific behaviors of high-performing female leaders.
The result was the Athena Leadership Model, a framework that goes beyond gender to speak to anyone leading in the 21st century.
The 8 Principles of Athena
The model identifies eight distinct tenets, but Martha emphasizes that Living Authentically is the core from which all others radiate.
- Live Authentically: Knowing your values and acting in alignment with them.
- Learn Constantly: Embracing intellectual curiosity.
- Advocate Fiercely: Standing up for causes and people.
- Act Courageously: Taking risks despite fear.
- Foster Collaboration: diverse teams to achieve what individuals cannot.
- Build Relationships: engaging with others.
- Give Back: Philanthropy and mentorship.
- Celebrate: Honoring the humanity of our work and time together.
“Living authentically is really the one that is of such a core importance in life… If we think we have these values and we’re not living them… I’ve put a space between myself and my truth.”
— Martha Mayhood Mertz
Why This Matters for C-Suite Leaders:
In the modern corporate landscape, the “command and control” style is fading. The Athena model anticipated the shift toward empathy, emotional intelligence, and collaboration by forty years. Executives who adopt these principles—regardless of gender—find they can build more resilient, innovative teams.
Challenges & Solutions: The Fear of the Podium
It is easy to look at a global figure like Martha Mertz and assume she was born with executive presence. The reality was starkly different.
The Challenge: Paralysis
Despite building buildings and serving on boards, Martha was terrified of public speaking. She describes herself as an “absolute case.”
“I can remember standing up at a local department store… I started to speak, and I wondered why I was feeling lightheaded. I finally realized, before I fell off the podium, that I wasn’t breathing.”
— Martha Mayhood Mertz
Her fear stemmed from a common executive insecurity: Imposter Syndrome. She doubted that her ideas added value to the conversation. “What do I have to say that will add value?” she often asked herself.
The Solution: Passion Over Fear
Martha didn’t overcome this fear through technique alone; she overcame it through purpose. Her passion for the Athena mission—for correcting the narrative about women leaders—was stronger than her fear of the microphone.
She also learned to reframe “speaking” as “sharing.”
“Find a way past the fear to the fun of sharing your ideas and seeing that others can align themselves in with your thinking.”
— Martha Mayhood Mertz
The Takeaway:
Finding your voice isn’t about perfect delivery. It is about believing that your lived experience constitutes data that the world needs.
Measurable Outcomes: From Local Award to Global Movement
The “Affirm” phase of the Revealing Genius process is about operationalizing your brand so it sustains itself. Martha’s work is a masterclass in affirmation and scaling impact.
- Global Reach: The Athena International program has expanded to 48 states and 11 countries.
- Massive Network: Over 8,000 leaders have received the award, creating a built-in ecosystem of mentorship.
- Diverse Impact: The model has been successfully applied in Fortune 500 boardrooms, NASA, and even a women’s prison in Arizona.
The Arizona Prison Case Study
Martha shared a poignant example of the model’s versatility. When taught in a women’s prison, the Athena Leadership Model didn’t just teach leadership; it restored humanity.
“I realized that the impact of this model was capable of changing people’s lives… letting them ask the question, ‘Who am I?’ and find the value that they had maybe never been told about.”
— Martha Mayhood Mertz
This proves that true leadership principles are universal. Whether you are leading a multinational merger or leading yourself out of a crisis, the principles of authenticity, courage, and learning remain the same.
2026 Perspective: The “Perfect Sphere” of Leadership
Martha argues that we are moving toward a “perfect sphere” of leadership—a combination of the traditional, hierarchical model (often associated with male traits) and the collaborative, intuitive Athena model (associated with female traits).
“When we take the traditional model of leadership and put it together with the Athena model, it becomes, in my mind, the perfect sphere… the perfect combination of qualities.”
— Martha Mayhood Mertz
This aligns with current data. Research consistently shows that diverse boards outperform homogenous ones. By valuing intuition and collaboration alongside strategy and decisiveness, companies create a competitive advantage.
Key Takeaways for Executives (Q&A Format)
Q: How do I know if I am leading authentically?
A: Martha suggests a simple audit: Look at your decisions during challenges. Do you make choices based on your stated values, or based on what is most lucrative or easy? Authentic leadership closes the gap between your words and your actions.
Q: Can the Athena model apply to male executives?
A: Absolutely. Martha notes that the principles—collaboration, intuition, removing ego—are human traits. The “Women’s Way” is simply a descriptor for a style that was historically overlooked, but it is available to anyone leading in the 21st century.
Q: How do I handle the “imposter syndrome” of public speaking?
A: Focus on the mission, not the performance. Martha forgot to breathe because she wanted to “hurry up and get off the podium.” When she focused on the necessity of her message, she found her breath—and her voice.
Q: What is the “Survivor Syndrome” in leadership?
A: Martha survived a severe skull fracture at age five and was told she wouldn’t live. This instilled a drive to “make a difference” with her “second chance.” Executives often find their greatest drive comes from surviving professional or personal crises—use that resilience as fuel.
Conclusion: “To Thine Own Self Be True”
Martha Mertz’s journey circles back to a quote she learned in ninth-grade Latin class, which she attributes to Shakespeare: “This above all: to thine own self be true.”
For decades, she didn’t understand what it meant. Now, it is the definition of her success. Success is not just the 8,000 awards or the global recognition. It is looking in the mirror and liking the person you have become.
“I think that’s probably how I would define my own success… taking a strong look at who I am and liking that person.”
— Martha Mayhood Mertz
For the executive standing at a crossroads, the path forward isn’t found in a market analysis. It is found in the excavation of the self.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: Is the Athena Award only for women?
While the award was created to highlight women who were overlooked, the criteria focus on excellence, community service, and—crucially—opening opportunities for women. The model itself is gender-neutral and applicable to all leaders.
Q2: What are the criteria for an Athena recipient?
Recipients must meet three specific criteria:
- Achieve the highest level of professional excellence.
- Devote time and energy to their community in a meaningful way.
- Actively assist women in realizing their full leadership potential.
Q3: How does “Celebration” fit into a business leadership model?
Martha argues that celebration is not just a party; it is a ritual of honor. “We need to stop and give honor to the moments that we have spent with other people… recognize that that was a singular time.” In a burnout culture, celebration is a tool for retention and morale.
Q4: Where can I find more about the Athena Leadership Model?
You can read Martha’s book, Becoming Athena, or visit the Athena International website. The book details the eight principles and provides a roadmap for integrating them into your professional life.
