What Leading Her Way taught me about leadership

When we created Leading Her Way for International Women’s Day, I wanted to look beyond job titles and professional achievements. I wanted to understand the women behind the leadership roles: what had shaped them, what they had overcome, and what they had learned along the way.

Across seven conversations, one message came through clearly: leadership is rarely a straight line. The women we spoke to had built their careers through different routes. Some had changed sectors, some had found confidence later in life, and others had stepped into leadership through community service, personal challenge or unexpected opportunity.

Those experiences were not diversions from their leadership journeys. They were the reason they became the leaders they are. I was also struck by how often motherhood, caring responsibilities and women’s health featured in the conversations. These are not separate from leadership. They influence how women work, how they lead and whether they feel able to progress.

Menopause was a particularly important theme. Too many women still feel they have to manage their symptoms quietly, while continuing to perform at the highest level. Creating workplaces where women can speak openly about health is not simply a wellbeing initiative, it is a leadership responsibility.

The conversations also reinforced the importance of support. Behind many successful women is a network of people who encouraged them, opened a door, listened to them or gave them the confidence to take the next step.

That is something businesses across Hertfordshire can influence directly. We need to create cultures where people can bring their whole selves to work, where different career paths are valued, and where leadership is understood as more than authority. It is about listening, building trust, developing others and creating opportunities.

For me, one of the most powerful aspects of the series was hearing how strongly these women remain connected to their communities. Whether through business, healthcare, charity, local government or the creative industries, their leadership is making a difference here in Hertfordshire.

That matters. Strong communities and strong businesses are built by people who are willing to share knowledge, support one another and make space for new voices.

So, as I reflect on Leading Her Way, my biggest takeaway is this: we should not wait until a woman is in leadership before we recognise her potential.

We need to encourage women earlier, champion them more consistently and create workplaces where leadership feels possible. Not a room they need permission to enter.

The women we featured lead in very different ways, but each showed that leadership can be ambitious and compassionate, strong and vulnerable. You can be a mother, navigate health challenges, experience setbacks and still lead brilliantly.

Together, these women are helping to make Hertfordshire a more ambitious, inclusive and connected place to live and work.

And that is why this conversation cannot begin and end with International Women’s Day. We need to keep talking, keep listening and, most importantly, keep opening doors for the women coming behind us.

Watch all episodes here: https://content.communicorpuk.com/leading-her-way