I interviewed more than 100 female leaders and discovered the top three traits that contribute to their success.

My new book, "When Women Lead," was inspired by the remarkable female leaders I've met and interviewed as a reporter at CNBC and Fortune Magazine. These 120-plus women, who are CEOs, founders, and VC investors, have defied the odds in the male-dominated business world. I wanted to share their stories and also learn from their successful strategies.

I had an unexpected opportunity to analyze the approaches and follow the progress of individuals during the toughest, most uncertain times since World War II, just before the pandemic hit while reporting a book.

I had an advantage during my Zoom interviews because most people were at home due to back-to-back interviews. This allowed for more availability and forced everyone to reassess their priorities.

The CEOs I interviewed were grappling with keeping their companies afloat and shifting into new business areas while also pondering their company's and their own purpose.

As they worked to motivate and retain frustrated and scared workers and to determine their next steps, I felt like I was observing a leadership master class across various sectors. The stock prices fluctuated (rising and then falling again) and CEOs grappled with daily challenges such as inventory shortages, supply chain constraints, employee retention, and training.

By focusing on the larger perspective, I identified three essential leadership qualities that are beneficial in any field or role.

The best leaders are most authentic to themselves

Despite the fact that the majority of CEOs are men, with women accounting for only 8% of Fortune 500 CEOs and female founders receiving just 2% of VC dollars last year, there is a diverse range of successful leadership styles. In my book, I feature over 60 women CEOs, including Bumble's Whitney Wolfe Herd and Ellevest's Sallie Krawcheck. What struck me was how these women used traits that might seem to hinder strong leadership, such as introversion, empathy, and gratitude, to their advantage.

Jennifer Holmgren, CEO of LanzaTech, a Disruptor 50 company that uses a microbe to transform pollution into fuel, is an introvert who prefers listening over speaking, which may hinder her ability to persuade factories and fuel buyers to adopt her technology.

She revealed to me how she transformed her listening skills into a superpower: By understanding her counterparties' desires in negotiation, she employed her empathy to craft a compromise that benefited everyone.

Had Holmgren tried to force herself to be outgoing and sociable, she may not have been successful. However, by embracing her introverted nature and empathy, she used them to her advantage and became highly effective.

Have humility — rely on data, not ego

The CEOs I interviewed shared that making tough choices, such as ending favorite projects or placing employees on furlough, is a painful process for them. As leaders, they are human and can become emotionally attached to their plans, which they have invested time, money, and resources into.

CEOs remained honest and made tough decisions by focusing on data and collecting more of it, as advised by Clear CEO Caryn Seidman-Becker, who made the difficult decision to cancel her $24 million marketing plan in February 2020, just weeks before the global pandemic was declared.

Despite some people's hope that global travel wouldn't end abruptly, the data indicated that swift action was necessary, and she was correct in doing so.

Find your purpose — it helps with perseverance

Despite the challenges of running a company during a pandemic and economic uncertainty, the women I interviewed were able to persevere. Additionally, they faced double standards and a higher bar when it came to fundraising as women.

They were determined to achieve their goal, whether it was revolutionizing the retail industry or developing innovative solutions for fertility and healthcare that met their own needs and those of others.

Julia Collins, founder of Planet FWD, Shivani Siroya, CEO of Tala, and Christine Moseley, CEO of Full Harvest, all shared with me that they find energy to persevere when they focus on the importance of their purpose.

Women are more likely to start companies with a social or environmental purpose, according to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor. Entrepreneurs who focus on their company's potential to benefit humanity often find greater sources of inspiration and determination when faced with challenges, which is inevitable.

Having an additional purpose is valuable in appealing to consumers and attracting and retaining employees, which is increasingly important now.

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