I recently had an interesting discussion with my dear friend and mentor Charlie (Charlotte) Lister who inspired me to put some thoughts down on paper.
We spoke about our passion to keep making sure we grew our “world perspective”. Thinking about that imperative we noted the richness that conversations with our various women friends and colleagues from across the ages, and from a diversity of backgrounds, helped our understanding of life.
This curiosity, being open to learning from these relationships leads to new understandings. It also made me question how, in many situations, we find ourselves in places where this diversity is sadly lacking. The phrase living in “echo chambers” comes to mind. The idea that we are too often in situations where polarised views, distorted reality and limiting growth becomes the norm.
Bringing this back to Leadership it made me, yet again, understand that leadership isn’t one-size-fits-all—especially for women. Our experiences are shaped not just by gender, but by race, age, culture, and more. To truly empower women leaders, I think we must look at how we embrace intersectionality.
Intersectionality recognises that women and their experiences in leadership are shaped by overlapping identities—such as race, ethnicity, class, sexuality, age and ability—which if ignored can compound discrimination and marginalissation. Or if used to the good and recognised can lead to a rich and fruitful work environment.
Why does this matter?
When intersectionality is recognised it can make sure it leads to a culture of More not less
- More representative of society’s full spectrum of identities and experiences.
- More adaptive to change, as it draws on both historical knowledge and future-facing innovation.
- More equitable, ensuring that leadership pathways are accessible to all women, regardless of age, race, or background.
This approach is not just good ethics—it’s smart strategy. It builds stronger, more inclusive organisations and empowers women to lead authentically and effectively.
If we want women to lead authentically and effectively then we must recognise the full spectrum of their identities—and the full span of their lifetimes. We have some great examples of what this authentic leadership looks like – just think of Jacinda Ardern former Prime Minister of New Zealand – known for her empathetic style or perhaps Kamala Harris – former Vice President of the USA. A true advocate for equality and inclusion. Or Malala Yousafzai and Ziauddin Yousafzai: A powerful example of intergenerational support between father and daughter in leadership.
A final thought … I believe organisations must move beyond surface-level diversity—where representation is treated as a checkbox—and instead embed intersectional thinking into the very fabric of their leadership development. This means designing recruitment strategies that actively seek out diverse identities, building mentorship programmes that reflect lived experiences across race, gender, ability and age and crafting policies that dismantle systemic barriers rather than simply accommodate them.
Intersectionality + Intergenerational = Inclusive Leadership When we combine these frameworks, we create leadership cultures that are:
- Representative
- Adaptive
- Equitable
How does your organisation shape up and what can you do to make a difference?
