But then I started paying attention and I noticed something. A lot of the women we were raising up mostly looked the same. White. Educated. Well-connected. The kind of women who already knew how to speak the language of power because they were never really that far from it.

And I realised this isn’t real change. It’s just a new version of the same old story. If the only women we lift up are the ones who already fit the system, then we haven’t dismantled a thing. We’ve just let a few women through the door, as long as they don’t make too much noise, or challenge too much of the structure. That’s not progress. 

That’s comfort dressed up as inclusion. What if the real problem isn’t how many women are in the room, but who we’re still keeping out?

Some women are still being left behind

We talk a lot about progress. And while, on the surface, things look a lot better, with women’s representation in the C-suite climbing from 17% in 2015 to 28% last year, the reality is that’s not the case for everyone.

McKinsey & Co’s 2024 Women in the Workplace report explores this further by looking at the broken rung. This is essentially the stage where women tend to get stuck, as they move from entry-level roles into more managerial positions. They found something interesting:

For every 100 men promoted to manager, 89 white women were promoted. 

But… 

For every 100 men promoted to manager, only 73 women of colour were promoted.

In the C-suite, these numbers are even more alarming. One in four leaders are women, but only one in 16 is a woman of colour.

Real diversity isn’t just about adding more women. It’s also about changing who gets seen, heard, and trusted as a leader. And right now, that’s still not happening for women of colour.

Benefits of having more women of colour on boards

We need more women in leadership. Not tomorrow. Not eventually. Now. I’m not here to politely suggest it. I’m here to shout it from the rooftops because frankly, I’m sick of walking into rooms where decisions are made and seeing the same type of person in charge every. single. time. Here are some reasons why this has to change, and why anyone who still doesn’t get it needs a serious wake-up call.

Different brains spark better ideas: women of colour bring fresh perspectives that you will never get from the usual boardroom crowd. They see things differently. They live things differently. When you bring women of colour into the boardroom, you get fresh ideas, bold perspectives, and real solutions that have been ignored for far too long. Different backgrounds mean different ways of thinking. Different thinking leads to better decisions, better strategies, better outcomes. In fact, companies with diverse boards are more successful. Studies show that companies with higher diversity are 27% more likely to outperform the competition. 

They lead with everyone in mind: women of colour don’t just fight for themselves. They fight for their communities. For the next generation. For people who’ve been excluded and overlooked. They know what exclusion feels like. That’s why they lead with inclusion at the core. They build teams. They lift people up, instead of locking people out.

They’re the blueprint: representation matters. Full stop. When young Black girls, brown girls, Indigenous girls, Asian girls, all girls, see women of colour in charge, it lights a fire. It tells them: “This world is yours, too.” These women don’t just break the glass ceiling. They shatter it. And then they help everyone else through the rubble.

So let me make this crystal clear. If you’re still hesitating, what are you waiting for? Without women of colour in leadership, you’re missing out on the most important change our world needs. And if you’re not making space for them, then you’re already falling behind. 

What you can actually do about it

So we’ve made the problem loud and clear. Now let’s talk about what we’re going to do about it because just talking about diversity doesn’t cut it anymore.

This is where it gets uncomfortable for some people, because it means letting go of power. Real power. Not performative gestures. Not panel discussions. Not hashtags. Actual seats at the actual table.

Here’s what needs to happen if we’re serious about change

Start with who’s missing 

Take a proper look at your boardroom, your leadership team, your “high potential” list. Who’s being included? More importantly, who’s not? You can’t create change if you’re not willing to notice the gaps. 

Set goals around representation, and not just gender. Break it down by race and ethnicity, too.

Change where you look for talent

Stop going back to the same networks, same schools, same referrals. That’s how we end up with the same candidates over and over.

Partner with organisations that support women of colour in business. Expand your outreach. Rewrite your job ads to remove biased language. Be intentional.

Prioritise equitable development

Once you hire women of colour, support them. Not just with a “mentor” but with real opportunities for growth.

Fund leadership training. Create sponsorship programmes. Set them up with champions, people who will advocate for them when they’re not in the room.

Make leadership pathways transparent

We can’t expect women of colour to move up if they don’t know how. And we definitely can’t expect them to stay if promotions feel like a mystery.

Be clear about what it takes to reach leadership roles. Make career progression visible, achievable, and equitable.

Create a culture that’s safe, not just diverse

It’s not just about getting women of colour into the room – it’s about making sure they’re heard, valued, and supported once they’re there.

Make space for different communication styles. Build inclusive feedback processes. Actively call out bias. Don’t just celebrate diversity, embed it.

Final thoughts

I’m not here to say progress hasn’t been made. But I am here to say, we can’t stop now. Not when the gaps are still so obvious. Not when so many women of colour are still being overlooked, underestimated, or completely left out of the conversation.

Because when women of colour lead, everyone benefits. Teams grow stronger. Decisions get smarter. Cultures get healthier. Change becomes possible.

The goal isn’t just more women in leadership. It’s the right women. The bold women. The ones who’ve been ready all along, we just weren’t listening.

Let’s fix that. Now.