Radical Accountability: How to Finally Close the Leadership Gender Gap

What It Really Takes, From Ambitious Women and Accountable Organisations, to Advance Women’s Careers for Good

June is here, and with it comes a bit of tough love from me for anyone still waiting for the leadership gender gap to magically close.

Truth Bomb: Hope is not a strategy, folks!

If you want change, you must make it happen, because nothing changes if nothing changes.

I’ve decided to make June 2025 the month of radical accountability. I am going to dedicate my Friday posts to making sure that women, and the organisations that employ them, are equipped with not only my tough love truth bombs, but also WTAF to do to close the gender gaps and enable women to reach their full potential.

For women: It’s time to get serious about reaching your full potential. And I’m here to help!

For managers and organisations: It means finally stepping up, taking responsibility, and putting a stop to the tired habits that keep women’s ambition on the sidelines. Again, I’m here to help!

I’m ready to ask the hard questions, deliver the truth bombs, and create resources for you all to create workplaces that work for women. If you’re ready too, keep reading!

About Me

I am the unapologetically fierce, globally sought-after architect of workplace gender equality, diversity, equity, and inclusion. I am the go-to strategist for organisations ready to stop talking and start doing DEI right. A veteran of the corporate leadership world, I bring my signature blend of research-backed strategy, straight-talking tough love, and feminist wit to every challenge.

Author of The Leadership Compass: The Ultimate Guide for Women Leaders to Reach Their Full Potential and founder of the Lead to Soar Network, I’m on a mission to close the leadership gender gap, for good. When I’m not dismantling barriers for women leaders, I’m enabling them to have careers that soar.

Ready for a workplace that actually works for women? I’m your woman!

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Radical Accountability Begins at Home: The End of Waiting

Truth Bomb: Nobody ever reached their full leadership potential by hoping, wishing, or waiting for someone else to tap them on the shoulder. For women, especially, this is the month to make the switch from quietly delivering to actively claiming your ambition.

The research and every career story I’ve heard from ambitious women show that “heads-down bum-up” is not a ticket to advancement. In fact, it’s often a one-way ticket to being overlooked, underpaid, and assigned all the shitty NPJs (non promotoable jobs) because “you’re such a hard worker”. FTS!

What Is Radical Accountability and What Isn’t It?

Truth Bomb: Radical accountability is not a motivational slogan or a guilt trip aimed at women or their managers.

I have zero interest in blaming individuals for systemic problems. I am more interested in ensuring that organisations do not dump the work of progress onto women’s shoulders alone, and that women recognise that they have a big part to play in shaping their own destiny.

Radical accountability is a shared commitment, a deliberate, disciplined practice of naming the barriers, owning the solutions, and taking action at every system level.

So, my call to action is for everyone to sign up to stop settling for the status quo and start demanding tangible, measurable progress for women’s leadership and careers.

Radical Accountability For Women

Radical accountability is not:

• Waiting for recognition or hoping your hard work will speak for itself. It will not.

• Downplaying your ambition, skills, or right to be at the table. You are entitled.

• Blaming yourself for a broken system. You are not.

Radical accountability is:

• Owning your ambition and making it known.

• Actively seeking advice, champions, and stretch opportunities.

• Building your network, tracking your wins, and asking for what you deserve.

• Refusing to settle for workplaces that waste your talent.

For Managers and Organisations

Radical accountability is not:

• Sponsoring your “favourites” or people who look, sound and act like you.

• Making public pledges about gender equity, then doing absolutely fuck all about it.

• Delegating the work of progress to HR or the women’s ERG in your company.

Radical accountability is:

• Proactively sponsoring, advocating, and developing women, out loud.

• Auditing your processes, measuring your outcomes, and being transparent about what’s working (and what’s not).

• Embedding gender equity into your business's KPIs, reward systems, and culture.

• Owning your part of the problem and your responsibility to be part of the solution.

The Bottom Line

If you’re serious about closing the leadership gender gap, radical accountability means you stop pointing fingers, start naming what needs to change, and take concrete action, again and again and again.

Radical accountability is the end of waiting and the beginning of real progress. If you’re ready to move from talk to action, you’re in the right place.

I’m going to post a weekly challenge for women and organisations in June.

Week 1 Radical Accountability challenge for women:

Audit your career visibility.

• Where are you not being seen or heard?

• Write down one bold move you will make.

  • Ask for advice about a career matter from a leader you respect (be specific and strategic!)

  • Discuss a stretch assignment with your manager to increase your visibility

  • Book and plan a conversation with your manager and strategic mentor about your next career move.

  • Something else (share it with me!)

Commit to one of these this week.

Week 1 Radical Accountability challenge for managers and organisations:

Audit your team.

• Who’s actually being noticed, developed, and talked up behind closed doors?

• Who is flying under the radar, because you’re not looking hard or trying hard enough to further her career?

• Make a commitment to reach out to one woman, offer direct constructive performance-based feedback, or start a sponsorship conversation.

• Commit to listening to the lived experience of women in your organisation. Ask one simple question. “What is it like to work here as a woman?” Then really listen to her responses and reflect on them.

If you want credit for supporting women, stop thinking and start doing.

Truth Bomb for women and organisations

Radical accountability is taking ownership. This month, own your part, do the work, and let’s see what changes.

Paid Subscriber Bonus: Your Radical Accountability Accelerator

Ready to go beyond truth bombs and actually change your career trajectory (or your workplace culture)? This week, paid subscribers unlock the ultimate action pack:

1. Three-Month Guest Pass to Lead to Soar

Get exclusive access to the Lead to Soar Network, a women-only community for ambitious leaders determined to reach their full potential. Inside, you’ll find resources, masterclasses, career challenges, and a powerful network of women who are done waiting and ready to start leading. Your guest pass is the launchpad for real accountability, learning, and results.

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2. GO DEEPER: How to Get Noticed by Your Boss’s Boss

Stop waiting for recognition, start building it.

This practical companion guide breaks down ten strategic actions that get ambitious women noticed by senior leaders (without stepping on your boss’s toes). This tool gives you:

• Reflection prompts to audit your current visibility

• Behavioural checklists to identify your next best moves

• Next steps for mapping your actions to organisational values

• A framework to help you plan and discuss your progress with mentors or managers

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3. GO DEEPER: The 5x5 Method & Reflection Guide for Managers and Leaders

For those in people leadership or organisational roles:

This evidence-based guide puts radical accountability into practice with the 5x5 Method. It’s designed to help you:

• Audit the lived experience of women in your workplace

• Run honest, structured one-on-ones with women at all levels (with smart prep and reflection prompts)

• Identify the real blockers and opportunities for equity, using actionable questions

• Translate feedback into tangible improvements and culture shifts

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How to Access Your Bonus

All paid subscribers receive:

• Your 3-month Lead to Soar Network guest pass

• Instant download links for both GO DEEPER resources above

If you’re ready to put radical accountability into action—and want me and the Lead to Soar community in your corner—upgrade to paid and get started now.