This image is uncomfortable because it tells a truth many professionals feel but struggle to articulate. A steady salary can soothe fear, stabilise survival and silence ambition, slowly, quietly and without drama.
For many women of colour, the issue is not a lack of aspiration. It is the cost of safety in systems that reward endurance more than evolution.
Most projects do not fail loudly. They unravel slowly, beneath the surface, while leaders reassure themselves that things are “under control.” Deadlines slip but are recovered. Tension rises but is rationalised. The strongest people stretch further and the weakest remain curiously protected.
From the outside, the organisation appears functional. From the inside, something more corrosive is happening. This is what it looks like when being “the boss” is mistaken for leadership.
In an era shaped by hybrid work, AI acceleration and relentless up-skilling, leadership is no longer judged by authourity alone. It is judged by whether the system you create allows people to think, grow, challenge and perform sustainably. When it does not, performance does not simply dip. Culture decays, capability stalls and talent disengages long before it leaves.
Proud Sista!
Proud Sista!
Proud Sista!
Proud Sista!
Proud Sista!
