Women Leaders

Having recently watched this film based on Margaret Thatcher's incredible determination; it was clear that her resilience wasn’t just about stubbornness, it was about conforming to the norms of those in power. When male politicians dismissed her, she learned their language, their cadence, their mode of conflict and used it to win. In doing so, she became Britain’s first female prime minister, proving beyond doubt that a woman could succeed in a male-dominated world.

I had to smile at the line in the film about school milk, which was purely fictional, and a reminder of the nickname she earned “Thatcher, the Milk Snatcher” because as Secretary of State for Education and Science in Edward Heath’s Conservative government she ended the provision of free school milk for children over the age of seven in 1971. As I was at primary school myself at this time I was directly affected by this decision.

Although Thatcher’s story still resonates it isn’t the whole story. Like many women in business, I found a part of myself in Thatcher’s struggle. Early in my career working in hotels and travel; I was fortunate to be in an industry where women (and gay men) in mid-to-senior leadership roles were more common than in other sectors. Yet, at the very top, men still dominated.

I saw talented women get passed over because they didn’t fit the long-standing stereotype of leadership.. They didn’t emulate the aggressive negotiation styles often rewarded in the boardroom. But what they excelled in - collaboration, empathy, consensus-building are precisely the qualities modern organisations desperately need today.

Thatcher’s resilience was remarkable; and in her era, it was an effective strategy. But it came at a cost: adaptation over authenticity.

Leadership today: Modern Women who are Redefining the Top Table

Across industries, women are now reaching the highest levels of leadership without sacrificing the qualities that make them unique leaders. I was particularly impressed when I listened to Dame Amanda Blanc (CEO of Aviva) on Desert Island Discs and loved her choice of music; particularly Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God) – Kate Bush; Town Called Malice – The Jam and This is me – Keala Settle (from The Greatest Showman)

Dame Amanda Blanc has led one of the UK’s largest insurance groups through transformation and championed gender equality and sustainability. She’s recognised globally for her influence and commitment to making leadership inclusive. Blanc balances leadership with family life and speaks openly about her priorities beyond the boardroom showing that excellence doesn’t have to erase identity.

There are other great examples of women taking on the top jobs such as. Shirine Khoury-Haq CEO of The Co-operative Group (the first woman to lead the Co-op in its 159-year history); Jane Fraser at Citi (the first woman to lead a major Wall Street bank) and Mary Barra of General Motors (the first woman to head a major global automaker). These examples demonstrate how women are reshaping corporate leadership on the world stage.

They haven’t abandoned ambition or resilience but they wield these traits through connection, strategic thinking, and influence rather than pure force of personality.

What these Leaders Teach us about Modern Leadership

Across sectors and countries there’s a clear thread. Women can adapt and thrive at the highest levels without mimicking outdated models of leadership. Recent research supports this shift. One study of senior women in professional services found that women often excel at deep relationship-building, empathy, and listening; skills that build trust and long-term performance. These leaders intentionally combine care with decisiveness, showing that “soft” and “strong” are not opposites but complementary. In short:

☑️Authenticity builds influence

☑️Collaboration drives results

☑️Empathy strengthens culture

☑️Resilience with connection is sustainable

The Cost of Legacy Models and the Value of a New Approach

Thatcherian resilience was a function of its time; a period when rising to the top meant adapting to the prevailing culture. Today, that culture is changing partly due to pioneers like her, and partly because organisations realise that old leadership models aren’t fit for the complexity of our world.

But the fact remains: Many women still feel they must alter themselves to fit a narrow mould. That uphill battle comes with personal cost; strained relationships, burnout, and losing the very qualities that make them excellent leaders.

Scaling with Authenticity: a Better Way Forward

This is where my B.U.I.L.D Framework comes in; a structure designed to help leaders scale not by copying old templates, but by amplifying their strengths:

Blueprint: Align your vision with who you are, not who you think you must become.

Uncover: Know your numbers so you can make confident, strategic decisions.

Implement: Use systems that free up your time for what matters most.

Leverage: Build teams around trust, collaboration, and shared purpose.

Develop: Evolve leadership that reflects your values and grows with you.

When you lead from your strengths of empathy, connectivity, authenticity and strategic insight you build cultures that retain talent, innovate faster, and outperform competitors who cling to old style leadership approaches.

A New Legacy of Leadership

Margaret Thatcher’s story remains a powerful testament to resilience but the world today needs more than resilience alone.

We need leaders who are:

☑️ Collaborators, not competitors

☑️ Empathetic and decisive

☑️ Authentic and strategic

☑️Connected to purpose, not just power

The next generation of women in leadership won’t ask how to become like a man in power; they will ask how to lead in ways that work for everyone. And that’s not just good for women; it’s good for business, for teams, and for the world.

Register to receive my weekly email; The Resilient Founder where I'll be sharing honest reflections, lessons learned, and practical strategies from my own journey: co-founding and scaling an £8 million business… while navigating motherhood, financial challenges and self-doubt.

And if you are ready to take the next step, you will find my FREE Webinar will help you.