Dear Woman in Leadership,
You followed the drive, the need, the burden, one decision after another, one open door at a time, and suddenly, you became “boss.” The one with the answers. The one others defer to. The one expected to carry the weight of strategy, vision, performance and people. You may not have set out to be “the leader,” but now you are. Are you still deeply connected to the reason you started, or are you just trying to keep things running?
The woman who leads. The woman others follow. The woman who is navigating power, purpose, pain, people and their personalities. You’re the one steering the ship but the sea is unpredictable. You are asked to be approachable but not too soft, assertive but not too loud, excellent but not intimidating. Even when the storm is raging inside you, you’re expected to stay calm and composed. You’re managing people who see the handshakes, your wins, your promotions, your corner office, the trophies behind your desk but they don’t see the sleepless nights before critical decisions that would affect people’s lives, the mental tug-of-war between excellence and exhaustion, the nervous speech practice behind closed doors before they’re addressed.
Leadership is influence, yes but more than that, it confers identity to the one who leads and to those being led. Leadership doesn’t just assign tasks or manage outcomes. It has the ability to mirror back value, dignity and possibility to those under your guidance. The people who call you “Ma” or look to you for direction are not mere names on a payroll or pons on a chessboard to be moved around for strategic convenience. They have hearts that feel, families they return to, dreams they still dare to believe in, burdens they carry, limitations and untapped potential. As the authority placed over them, your voice shapes identity because it echoes longer than the meeting ends. A word of affirmation can break a cycle of insecurity. A careless rebuke or silence can give rise to years of self-doubt. A moment of empathy can birth unexpected loyalty. The decisions you make about them, around them, and for them can shift the trajectory of their lives in ways you may never fully see. This is why leadership is sacred. When someone enters your team, your department or your organization, they don’t only take on a role, they begin to mirror the culture you model. Are you showing them what compassion looks like in power? Are you teaching them how to handle pressure without projecting it? Are you allowing space for creativity, or muting their voice in the name of structure? Are you giving them a reason to walk in the truth of God’s word?
Leadership is not merely about what gets done. It’s about who people become under your watch. They may come into your space as employees, volunteers, interns, or team members but how they leave will say more about your leadership than any quarterly report. So lead with the awareness that you are leaving fingerprints on lives not just handprints on whiteboards. True leadership doesn’t just ask “Did they deliver?” It asks “Did they grow? Did they feel seen, heard, valued?” See the cleaner as more than a helper. See the soul behind the service. See the intern as more than support. See the potential in their raw edges. See your direct reports as more than deliverables. See the story they’re still becoming.
Leadership for women, especially faith-filled women, comes with its own unique challenges. Society says you must “balance” everything. Home, health, work, ministry, friendship, motherhood, while smiling. You’re “representing” your gender, your race, your family, your church, your community yet, the more you rise, the more you worry that you’re leaving people behind and the fewer people you truly feel safe with.
As a female leader especially in male-dominated spaces, you may find yourself being interrupted, underestimated, ignored, having your confidence mistaken for arrogance, being questioned more than your male counterparts. And yet, you still have to lead. There are different leadership styles and you’re free to adopt whichever method suits your situation best but what’s most important is that you know your stuff, respect and expect respect, set boundaries and own your leadership role.
You do not have to be bulletproof to be effective. True strength is not in pretending you’re fine. It’s in knowing when to say, “I need help.” Jesus wept. Moses needed Aaron. Elijah had to sleep. Contrary to what it may seem like, the work would go on fine with or without you. So learn to say no without explanation. Delegate. Cancel unnecessary meetings. Prioritize your health like it’s your responsibility, because it is.
Every powerful woman needs a place to lay her armor down. Find a space where you don’t have to be the fixer, the visionary or the planner. Just you, the woman beneath the metaphors. Your stage is not your source so don’t confuse the platform where people clap with the altar where God speaks to you. If your public influence is growing but your private well is drying up, press pause and hit the reset button. Stay teachable and in submission to God. She who kneels before God will stand before men. You were not placed in this position by mistake. Just as Queen Esther’s accent to the throne was orchestrated at a time where her people needed her there, you are there to model courage, to birth innovation and make the invisible God visible through your everyday choices. Beyond safe spaces, look out for avenues and opportunities to raise other leaders and help younger women thrive in leadership positions without losing themselves in the process.
May your oil never run dry. May your name be known in heaven before it’s ever printed on a magazine cover. May your voice echo truth in the lives of those who follow after your footsteps and may your hands carry legacy.
With honor and humility,
Women of Purple
