Bridging the Confidence Gap: How Empowered Women Change the World

by Sheena Yap Chan

A roadmap to self-confidence for women in leadership

Bridging the Confidence How Empowered Women Change the World is a startlingly insightful and inspiring discussion of female leadership by celebrated executive, business leader, and author Sheena Yap Chan.

Yap Chan delivers a transformative and fresh take on the challenges, pitfalls, and opportunities women face when they reach for the reins of leadership in business. She walks you through how to navigate those challenges and realize those opportunities with powerful observations drawn from a lifetime in business.

You'll learn to level-up your career as you discover how to increase your courage and promote yourself, just as you explore the benefits to you, your organization, and society that come from you taking on a leadership role.

You'll also

A formula for women's leadership you can replicate in your own life and job Strategies for celebrating your remarkable achievements and supporting others in their own journeys through leadership Techniques for overcoming imposter syndrome and the double standards that women face in the workplace Perfect for managers, executives, board members, entrepreneurs, founders, and other other women in leadership roles, Bridging the Confidence Gap is a must-read for all professionals interested in a female perspective on the challenges and opportunities of leadership for women in business.

Genres: Nonfiction

208 pages, Hardcover

Published May 6, 2025

About the author

Sheena Yap Chan is The Wall Street Journal Bestselling author, keynote speaker, consultant and award winning podcaster on leadership and self-confidence. She currently inspires women through her award-winning podcast called The Tao of Self-Confidence where she interviews Asian women about their inner journey to self-confidence. Her mission is to help Asian Women boost their confidence to live their authentic selves, help Asian Women create a voice in the world, and create a stronger representation for Asian women. Sheena has been featured on MindValley, slice.ca, Marketing in Asia, Manila Times and more. She is also the TOP 100 Filipinos to follow on LinkedIn for inspiration and learning in 2020. She is also the co-author of the International bestselling book Asian Women Who Boss Up. Her book with Wiley called The Tao of Self-Confidence is The Wall Street Journal Bestseller for Business Hardcover books and Publishers Weekly Bestseller for Nonfiction Hardcover Books.

Reviews

[Charlie Petters]

I first saw Sheena Yap Chan when she was being interviewed by Amy M. Li, on a Quixotic Heights Podcast. I was impressed by that interview, so much so that after the interview was over, I immediately went on Amazon and ordered the book that was promoted “Bridging the Confidence Gap How Empowered Women Change the World,” written by Sheena Yap Chan. If the book was good enough for women, the why not take the “Wo” out and then it is good for Men. It was a great choice on my part.

There was a time in my life when I wanted to compete in the Olympics, and it took the President of the United States to keep me from reaching that goal when he sent me a Draft Notice in 1969. I have always felt bad about never knowing whether or not I could have made it to the Olympics. Then on page 40 Sheena wrote something that was personally comforting to me. “…it’s important to remind yourself that it’s okay if you didn’t hit the goal you set for yourself. There is nothing wrong with you. Instead of bringing yourself down for not hitting the goal, be proud of how far along you have come to reach the place where you are.” I paused and thought for a few moments, not about what I didn’t do, but about what I did do to get where I was to even dream about going to the Olympics. That was very comforting to me, personally. Her book was filled with lots of good advice, not just for women, but for men and women. It was a pleasure reading her book.

She concluded that book by something that is original; “I want to share lessons that will help you with the Ready, Fire, Aim formula…Be Unconventional…Realize Your Potential…Shoot Your Shot…Take that Second Chance…Create a New Normal…Make the Impossible Possible…Understand that A Little Embarrassment or Failure Won’t Kill You, but Giving Up Will…Remember That You Gotta Have Grit…Take a Chance on Yourself…Keep Showing Up.”

I highly recommend this book for both women and men, because by the time you reach the last paragraph you will fully realize that “the impossible is possible.”

[Kim Hernandez]

This book had a great deal of potential, but it ultimately fell short of expectations. Much of the content felt more like a compilation of statistics and personal grievances than a cohesive exploration of the confidence gap. While the author presents numerous data points, there is often little analysis explaining why these statistics matter, how they connect to one another, or what broader conclusions readers should draw from them. As a result, the book felt more descriptive than insightful. I was hoping for a deeper examination of the underlying causes of confidence disparities and more practical guidance for addressing them.

[Goldie Chan]

As an introvert navigating leadership spaces, Bridging the Confidence Gap felt like a warm, empowering guide written just for me. Sheena Yap Chan’s insights helped me reframe self-promotion not as arrogance, but as a courageous act of visibility. I now carry her strategies into meetings and moments that used to intimidate me, and I feel more seen, heard, and capable than ever.