As a woman who leads an all-female creative agency, I've seen firsthand how this outdated narrative plays out. I was once told, on national television, that building a business rooted in empathy wasn't a unique offering. "It's a hygiene factor," the interviewer said dismissively, which made me smile. Because while care may be a "given" in theory, it's still remarkably rare in practice, and our results prove it’s a differentiator.

How can I be so sure? I've built a successful business that leads with empathy, not ego. And no matter how uncomfortable that is for traditionalists to hear, it works.

The Cost of Hardening Up

Women have historically always had to "harden" themselves up to be taken seriously. We've lowered our voices, worn the blazer, hidden the baby bump and pretended we didn't have feelings, families, or opinions that might make the boardroom uncomfortable.

Some may have found success, but there is always a cost. We lose our inherent authenticity. Our energy and our joy.

I've seen brilliant women water themselves down to be more palatable. I've done it too. But there’s nothing palatable about burnout. Leading like someone else isn’t sustainable, and it’s certainly not how you build something meaningful.

What if women wrote the rulebook?

If leadership were designed from the ground up by women, it would be cyclical, not linear. Collaborative, not competitive. It would leave space for change, creativity, emotion and nuance. We'd design leadership around life; around humans, not just KPIs.

We'd recognise that success comes in seasons and that growth isn't always exponential. We'd also recognise that a thriving business doesn't need to be cold, sharp, or detached to be powerful.

Emotional Intelligence is a Strategy

Empathy isn't a soft skill; it's a strategic lever that helps you sense what's unspoken, de-escalate before things blow up, and lead people, not just projects. In my agency, empathy isn't a "nice to have"; it's how we win work, retain talent and build loyalty.

Having empathy doesn't mean you don't hold standards. It means you hold people while you hold the standard — that's what creates trust.

The Double Bind

Women leaders often face the double bind: too much or not enough. Are we too loud or too quiet? Too emotional or too cold? The only "too" I've taught myself to focus on is being too aligned with my values to play by a broken rulebook.

Because the simple truth is you can't lead well if you're constantly editing yourself for approval, and you certainly can't build a legacy if you're shrinking for someone else's comfort.

Redefining Productivity and Power

We need to stop rewarding showy confidence over authentic, values-driven leadership. Yes, confidence is loud, but confidence without character is empty, and employees can tell the difference.

In terms of productivity, hustle culture has taught us that exhaustion equals dedication, but that mindset is outdated and actively harmful. We need to take a step back and see that productivity isn't about doing more, but rather about doing it meaningfully. True productivity is leading smarter, with intention, integrity and enough margin to stay human.

Language Matters

If we want to step into our leadership power, we need to see that language creates culture. Describing a man as "decisive" and a woman as "difficult" is assigning an immediate value that shapes perception. Perception that sets the standard for how women are perceived before they even speak a single word.

We need a new narrative that celebrates the woman who leads with kindness, the man who leads with empathy and the teams that thrive through collaboration, not domination. Words matter, and we should always use them wisely.

Legacy and Permission

My legacy, as a good businesswoman, is permission. Permission to lead differently, to build successful businesses without sacrificing your soul, to centre people, not policies and to lead with both strength and softness, because the two aren't opposing forces.

That legacy is personal to me. Especially after being told that empathy and an all-female team weren't unique. The success of my agency, the loyalty of my team and the culture we've built — one fuelled by clarity, kindness and ethics — proves that good business isn't just possible. It's powerful.

So, What Does Strength as a Woman Leader Mean?

This Women;s Month, I want young women to hear this: strength doesn't mean hardness. It means wholeness. It means leading with courage, care and conviction to build a legacy that lasts without losing your fundamental "you" in the process. Strength is making the daily choice to do good business and become the leader who leaves something better behind.

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*Image courtesy of contributor