In 1990, Helgesen published The Female Advantage: Women’s Ways of Leadership, the first book to focus on what women had to contribute as leaders rather than how they needed to change and adapt.[6] The book became a best-seller and has remained continuously in print.[7] In 1995, Helgesen published The Web of Inclusion: A New Architecture for Building Great Organizations, which has been heralded as having introduced the language of inclusion into the work environment.[8] The book was regarded as one of the best books on leadership by The Wall Street Journal.[9]
In 2018, she published How Women Rise with co-author Marshall Goldsmith.[10][2] The book explores 12 habits that get in the way of women's success and how to overcome them.[11] It became an international best-seller.[12] Helgesen regularly delivers keynotes, seminars and workshops for corporations, partnership firms and associations around the world. She has also consulted with the UN on building more inclusive country offices and been visiting scholar at a number of schools and universities, both in the US and abroad.[9]