A recent Inc. article, “New Research Explains Why Women Undervalue Themselves at Work,” highlights something many women have experienced but have not always had the language to explain: the gap is not necessarily in skill, ambition, or readiness. The gap is often in confidence. But even that word, confidence, can be misleading. Too often, when we talk about women and confidence, the implied message is: women need to fix themselves. Speak up more. Be bolder. Ask for the rais

For more than a decade, women have been encouraged to "lean in." Speak up. Take the stretch assignment. Ask for the promotion. Sit at the table. Yet as a recent Forbes article points out, many ambitious women continue to encounter a frustrating reality: the more they lean in, the more pushback they sometimes receive. According to the article, and other research shows, women are often viewed differently than men when they display the same leadership behaviors. Assertiveness

A recent study highlighted in Phys.org found something both fascinating and troubling: people are far more likely to notice when majority groups are absent than when minority groups are missing. In one experiment, participants were 14 times more likely to notice the absence of white faces than black faces. In another, most participants failed to notice when all expert voices quoted were men. That finding matters deeply to the work I’ve done throughout my career and in my bo

Cate Blanchett’s recent comments at the Cannes Film Festival were striking not because they were shocking, but because they were familiar. When Blanchett said the #MeToo movement “got killed very quickly,” she captured something many women—and many thoughtful men in the middle—have quietly observed across industries, not just Hollywood. Movements often begin with momentum, visibility, and urgency. Organizations pledge change. Leaders speak publicly. Panels are held. Statemen

A recent article in Fast Company explored a growing issue in workplace equity: the “bonus gap.” While many organizations have spent years focusing on salary transparency, the article argues that inequity often hides in more subjective forms of compensation — bonuses, incentives, stretch opportunities, commissions, and performance-based rewards. And honestly, this is where many women have felt the imbalance all along. Not necessarily in the offer letter. But in the opportunit

This week, Women Business Collaborative and Chorus announced a strategic partnership to accelerate gender equity in business. At first glance, it reads like another step forward in a long line of well-intentioned efforts. But if you look closer, it signals something more important: A shift from advocacy to infrastructure. Because for years, we’ve been trying to solve gender equity at the surface—representation, leadership pipelines, mentorship programs. All critical. But inco

A new article by Michelle Travis in Forbes highlights a fascinating—and uncomfortable—truth about leadership dynamics. A recent study found that men often prefer women leaders… but with a condition. They prefer women who support the status quo, not those who challenge it. Let that sink in. This isn’t outright rejection. It’s something more subtle—and arguably more dangerous. It’s conditional acceptance. The Quiet Contract Women Didn’t Sign The study reveals a paradox: Women a

There’s a subtle message many women have been taught—reinforced in workplaces, relationships, and even leadership development: Be nice. Be agreeable. Don’t make it uncomfortable. The recent Forbes article “Ladies, Let’s Stop Paying the Price for Being Nice,” brings this into sharp focus. It challenges the idea that niceness is always a strength—and instead reveals the hidden cost: stalled careers, muted voices, and missed opportunities for impact. But I think there’s an

We like to think progress is about policies, pipelines, or programs. But what if progress is actually about questions we’re not asking ? A recent article from Psychology Today outlines seven persistent gender biases that quietly shape decisions in the workplace—from how we evaluate performance to how we define leadership. These aren’t loud, obvious barriers. They’re subtle. Invisible. And because of that… incredibly powerful. And here’s the part that stopped me: These biase

There’s a conversation happening in sports right now that feels familiar. It’s loud. It’s polarized. And if we’re not careful… it will miss the point entirely. The recent discussion around WNBA pay disparity—highlighted in this article —has reignited a debate that tends to fall into two predictable camps: “They should be paid the same as men.” “They don’t generate the same revenue.” And just like that, the conversation stalls. But what if the most important insights aren’t

A recent AP-NORC poll highlighted something that feels both familiar and deeply important: Men and women don’t see the workplace the same way—especially when it comes to pay and opportunity. Let that sit for a moment. Not don’t agree. Don’t see . Because that distinction? That’s where everything begins. The Data Tells Us One Thing. People Tell Us Another. According to the poll, men are more likely to believe that men and women have roughly equal opportunities when it c

We’ve been asking a lot of questions about AI lately. How fast will it move? Who will lead? What jobs will disappear? But here’s the question I can’t stop thinking about: Who gets left behind…without us even noticing? A recent report highlighted in Barron's suggests something uncomfortable—AI may not be the great equalizer we hoped for. It could actually widen the gender gap in jobs and pay. Not because women aren’t capable. Not because they aren’t ambitious. But because

A recent article highlights and reinforces something many of us have known—and some of us have spent years studying: Women in leadership aren’t just good for equity. They’re good for business. The data continues to stack up. Organizations with gender-diverse leadership teams see stronger financial performance, better decision-making, and more resilient cultures. More recent global data shows companies with gender-balanced leadership are more likely to experience revenue growt

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