Across The Pond Talk

You’ve got the experience. The outcomes. The leadership acumen. Yet somehow, your name doesn’t make the shortlist. You’re not alone. From Silicon Valley to Westminster, leadership pipelines continue to fail women of colour not because of a lack of talent, but due to the calcified systems built to gate-keep it.

Leadership development programmes and succession planning are often shaped by unspoken criteria based on who “looks the part,” who fits the cultural mould, who is already known. A landmark study by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation found that even with similar qualifications and experiences, Black applicants were significantly less likely to be shortlisted for leadership positions in the UK. In fact, during the pandemic and post-pandemic restructuring, Black and Asian professionals were among the first to be let g often under the guise of performance or 'business alignment'.

McKinsey’s ‘Women in the Workplace’ report supports this pattern, showing that women of colour are hired at entry level but consistently excluded from the leadership track especially Black women, who represent only 1.4% of senior roles in corporate America. This exclusion persists despite being among the most educated and professionally credentialed demographic groups, according to a 2022 National Centre for Education Statistics (NCES) report.

Dr. Stella Nkomo, co-author of ‘Our Separate Ways’, argues that women of colour are evaluated on cultural norms they were never invited to shape. Leadership frameworks are often rooted in Eurocentric ideals of confidence, communication and charisma making it harder for diverse talent to be recognised as “leadership material.”

Moreover, Black British academic Dr. Nicola Rollock highlights the added layer of racialised performance management, noting that “Black women are routinely judged by higher standards, and the consequences of missteps are greater.” This contributes to a confidence crisis and career stagnation, even for high-potential professionals. A 2022 review by the Centre for Women & Policing echoes this pattern in the UK police force, where Black women officers often experience disproportionate scrutiny, lack of institutional support and limited access to promotion. Despite strong individual performance, these systemic barriers create a culture of attrition and discourage many from pursuing senior leadership positions.

When systems are designed to reward familiarity over potential, women of colour are not only overlooked—they’re actively held back. The cumulative effects of bias, hyper-surveillance, and gatekeeping create invisible ceilings that hinder advancement. This shows up in ways that are both systemic and deeply personal as:

• Exclusion from key leadership assignments and stretch opportunities

• Lack of access to high-level sponsorship and networks

• Slow or stalled progression despite strong performance

As we move forward, the world of work is being reshaped by stakeholder capitalism, social movements and digitised networks. But if leadership selection remains informal, biased and exclusionary, innovation becomes performative. Forward-thinking organisations are reimagining leadership by using data to track inclusion, measuring sponsorship impact and investing in intersectional leadership pipelines.

The McKinsey/Lean In 2023 report showed that Latina and Afro-Latina women reported the highest rates of exclusion, especially during promotion and leadership assessments. Despite being overqualified, they were more likely to be perceived as lacking leadership presence, demonstrating how perception continues to undermine actual performance and potential.

It’s not a pipeline problem, it’s a perception problem. And women of colour are tired of shrinking themselves into frameworks that were never built for them.

Leadership Exercise:

• Identify one leadership trait you’ve been told to “tone down.” Reframe it as a strategic asset.

• Now write a three-sentence leadership pitch that highlights how this quality drives value and growth.

• Reach out to one person in a position of power (inside or outside your organisation) who could help champion your next move.

Organisations that are serious about inclusive leadership must start at the top. This means reengineering how leadership potential is identified, nurtured and empowered. C-suite executives and boards must shift from performative allyship to proactive sponsorship especially for women of colour who have historically been overlooked despite outstanding results.

This is not just about fairness. It’s about future-proofing your business. Leaders who represent diverse communities bring strategic insight, cultural intelligence and creative solutions that outdated leadership models simply can’t replicate.

To evolve, organisations must:

• Formalise sponsorship programmes that centre women of colour as high-potential leaders

• Embed inclusive leadership behaviours into performance reviews and succession plans

• Train senior leaders to recognise bias in promotion practices and build allyship into accountability

• Celebrate leadership styles that reflect cultural diversity, empathy and adaptability not just charisma and conformity

Because when leadership becomes more inclusive, whole teams rise. Innovation grows. And organisations gain reputations not only for performance but for equity.

Like, comment, and tag a woman who deserves to be at the top of the shortlist. Then ask yourself, what role will you play in shaping a leadership pipeline that reflects the future, not the past? If you know an ally or sponsor ready to challenge the status quo and create systems of support not just statements of intent bring them into the conversation.

Let’s raise the bar together.