Many businesses talk about wanting more women in senior leadership roles. That’s great. So what’s the problem? They focus on fixing the women – mentorship schemes, confidence workshops, networking events and stop at that – rather than fixing the workplace.
The reality is, if women and underrepresented groups don’t see a clear path forward, don’t feel included and don’t get the same opportunities, they’ll leave. Simple.
The big four (barriers)
No ownership – it’s much too easy to blame external factors (It’s not our fault, people leave for all sorts of reasons, it’s just circumstances), change won’t happen. Taking responsibility is step one.
Inconsistent progression – promotions often favour those who ‘fit in’ or are based on relationships. If career paths aren’t structured and transparent, bias wins. Hands down.
A (lack of) honesty problem – Too many workplaces confuse a ‘positive culture’ with ‘never saying anything negative’. If people don’t feel safe raising concerns, nothing will improve. And the business suffers – because you can guarantee they also are not telling you about all the other things that are going wrong! Leaders need to create a space where real feedback is welcomed not punished.
A culture of exclusion – If leadership is a closed shop, diverse talent won’t stick around. A workplace has to invite people in and make them welcome, not expect them to push their way through.
What good looks like
Commitment – leaders taking real action (not just ticking boxes)
Consistency – fair, structured approaches to promotions and opportunities
Honesty – creating an environment where genuine feedback and open conversations happen
Belonging – breaking the us v them culture and making inclusion part of everyday business
Businesses that get this right don’t just see more women in senior leadership positions – they see stronger teams, better decision making and higher retention.
Want to fix the problem? Reach out and let’s start the conversation about how your business can stop trying to fix women and start to be inclusive.
