Give to Gain
International Women’s Day 2026: Give to Gain and the Evolution of Women in Leadership
This week we are celebrating International Women's Day and the theme for 2026 is "Give To Gain", which calls for a mindset rooted in generosity, collaboration and shared progress. It highlights the power of reciprocity: when individuals, organisations and communities invest in women, opportunities expand, systems strengthen and societies thrive.
Reflecting on my own career, it is remarkable how much the role of women in business and leadership has evolved during my lifetime.
Growing up in a World with Limited Opportunities for Women
We have come long way since the 60’s when I was born when opportunities for women were limited. In many countries women needed a husband’s permission to open a bank account! It was generally accepted that you left school, got married and had babies. Women started entering professional roles, but rarely leadership.
However my parents' approach when we were growing up was very different. My father was a teacher and had long holidays so we spent a lot of time with him; while my mother trained in the Montessori method of teaching and went on to run her own nursery school.
Looking back, I realise that having a mother who ran her own business quietly shaped my view of what was possible.
Leadership Insight
Role models often influence us long before we realise it
Seeing women run businesses makes leadership feel achievable
Family attitudes toward work and independence matter
The Impact of Equal Pay Legislation on Women's Careers
Things started to change in the 70’s with equal pay legislation but leadership still meant conforming to male norms and this was very evident when Margaret Thatcher came to power in 1979 with the first visible female CEO’s in the 1980’s but there remained a glass ceiling for most women.
Corporate Culture in the 1980’s: Why Leadership still meant Acting Like a Man
In the 80’s there were more visible female CEO’s and senior executives in large organisations but corporate culture rewarded long hours and masculine leadership traits; making it very difficult for women with families.
My early career was in the hotel industry and I was quickly promoted to management roles, but was often told by my male bosses that I was too soft and too emotional; taking things personally. I was seen as a weak manager because emotional intelligence was undervalued.
Leadership Insight
Emotional intelligence was undervalued in traditional leadership models
Many women were judged against outdated leadership stereotypes
Today empathy and emotional awareness are recognised as key leadership strengths
The Glass Ceiling: When Women Struggle to Reach Senior Leadership
In the 90’s women were well represented in junior management roles but progress into senior leadership stalled. The term glass ceiling became widely used and women starting leaving corporate roles to build business on their own terms.
The Power of Belief: When Someone Sees Potential in You
In the mid 90’s I had a great opportunity to set up a business unit for an international student travel company. The company had one woman in the senior management team. However my male boss was the best boss I have ever had. He saw something in me that I hadn’t seen in myself - pure determination.
I built the business from scratch to $10m with a team of 10 and travelled the world, contracting hotels, setting up booking systems (pre-internet) and selling them through travel agents worldwide. I had a brilliant team but as middle manager reporting to the board there was nowhere to go internally.
So I made bold decision.
I left to do an MBA full time.
Key Leadership Lesson
Sometimes the next step in growth requires stepping away
Determination can be more important than experience
Great leaders often see potential in us before we see it ourselves
Success and Burnout: The Hidden Reality for Women Leaders
The year 2000 brought more visibility for women in leadership with women-led networks and mentorship programmes but success often came with burnout as women were still the main carers for children and elderly parents.
I was shocked to find that more than 80% of my MBA colleagues were men, mainly training to be management consultants. It was all about finance, economics and quantitative business analysis. Despite having an A level in Maths this was way outside my comfort zone.
I managed to secure a placement with British Airways to complete consultancy work for my final dissertation on loyalty programmes but this experience confirmed in my own mind that I didn’t want to work in the corporate world.
Around this time I was approached by an ex-colleague about a business idea - a specialist rail tour operator. I offered to write the business plan and quickly saw the potential. We launched the business together. In the first year the company reached £500k turnover, far exceeding even my optimistic projections. Over time it grew to £10 million turnover with a team of 25.
Inclusive Leadership and Changing Attitudes
It wasn’t really until the 2010s that leadership began to be redefined. There was increasing recognition of inclusive, values-driven leadership, and emotional intelligence finally started to be seen as a strength rather than a weakness. Women no longer felt the need to simply fit into traditional leadership models. Instead, we began to lead differently.
.During this time I became a mother, and because our travel business had grown and we had appointed an Operations Director, I was able to step back from the day-to-day running of the company. For several years I was able to do the school run three days a week, something that would have been almost impossible earlier in my career.
Unfortunately, stepping back also meant my co-founder took his eye off the ball. Cash flow problems developed that were not communicated early enough. After a long and stressful period we were forced to sell the company to a much larger US organisation. The positive outcome was that the entire team and brand were retained, and the business continues to operate successfully today, more than ten years later.
Leadership Insight
Building strong systems allows founders to step back
Transparency and communication are critical in partnerships
Setbacks often lead to the next chapter
Covid and Reinvention
As women we are now in a much stronger position than when I first started working. There was a major shift with Covid combined with the development in technology which made flexible working a lot more acceptable. There is a stronger focus on wellbeing, autonomy and values and a rise in women-led businesses built around sustainability, lifestyle and impact; not just about scale.
For me, this decade has been very much about reinventing myself. Having spent my whole career in the travel industry, Covid was a major setback. But it has also given me the opportunity to learn so much about other types of business through my outsourcing business and my coaching practice.
I now love to support women to get clear on what they really want out of their business and help them to achieve it. I especially enjoy helping them see that by building a motivated team that is aligned to their values and creating a positive culture; that they can get their life back.
Three Lessons for the next generation of Women Leaders
Build a business aligned with your values.
Success looks different for everyone.Surround yourself with people who believe in you.
The right team makes growth possible.Don’t be afraid to reinvent yourself.
Every challenge creates new opportunities.
Key Questions About Women in Leadership
Why is International Women’s Day still important today?
International Women’s Day highlights the progress women have made while recognising that many barriers still remain in leadership, business and society.
What does the International Women’s Day 2026 theme “Give to Gain” mean?
The theme encourages individuals and organisations to support women’s growth through mentorship, collaboration and opportunity, recognising that when women succeed everyone benefits.
Why are more women starting businesses today?
Technology, flexible working and changing social expectations have made entrepreneurship more accessible, allowing women to build businesses that align with their lifestyle and values.
About the Author
Sarah is a business founder, MBA graduate and coach who has built and scaled businesses to over £8 million in revenue with teams of up to 25.. She now helps ambitious founders gain clarity, build motivated teams and create businesses that support the life they want to lead.
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☑️Recruit the right people first time so they fit with your core business values.
☑️Motivate your team and communicate effectively so they consistently deliver beyond expectations
☑️Step back from the day job and replace yourself with your team.
