It’s time to evolve how we develop women leaders

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RB

  Ellie Smith, PhD  &  Rikia Birindelli-Fayne

6 min read

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Leadership development programmes for women are undergoing a quiet transformation.

Globally, companies are reassessing their long-standing strategies: shifting away from approaches that narrowly focus on “fixing” women and moving toward models that build inclusive cultures and open doors for all talent. This shift doesn’t diminish the importance of cultivating women's talent; it acknowledges that focusing exclusively on women in isolation can inadvertently reinforce the very barriers we’re trying to dismantle.

And yet, the global numbers tell a sobering story. According to the World Economic Forum, women's representation in top leadership roles has declined for the third consecutive year. The data is a stark reminder: more training isn’t enough if the surrounding systems stay the same.

The key question is not: How can we prepare women to lead?

It’s: How can we reshape the conditions so that more women — and more marginalised talent — can thrive?

The pivot from exclusivity to inclusion

In the US, there’s growing caution around programmes that focus exclusively on a single demographic group. Many organisations that once offered women-only initiatives — like leadership accelerators or sponsorship tracks — have since broadened their scope to support a wider pool of high-potential talent. Importantly, while these programmes still ensure women are represented, they are no longer framed as “for women only.”

Europe is seeing a parallel evolution. Some companies have opened their development programmes to all employees while maintaining a strong emphasis on high-potential women. Others are restructuring their efforts into flagship women’s pipeline programmes that remain integrated within broader talent ecosystems. These changes reflect a deeper realisation: real equity isn’t achieved through targeted programmes alone. It requires reimagining the systems that govern access to opportunity.

These shifts raise important questions:

  • What message are we sending when women are developed separately?
  • What are the limits of women-only programmes?
  • Do women’s leadership programmes lead to actual advancement, or just activity?
  • As programmes become more inclusive, will women still rise?

The limits of “Fix the women”

These shifts in leadership development strategy may be a boon for women and other talent, offering organisations a chance to deeply evaluate their approach to talent strategy. For too long, leadership programmes aimed at women have leaned heavily on upskilling — more training, more confidence-building, more executive presence. These initiatives were often positioned as solutions to help women advance by gaining skills and confidence.

But critical questions remain:

  • Did these programmes lead to promotions or lateral development for women within their organisations?
  • Were organisations tracking the long-term impact after the programmes ended?
  • Without measurable outcomes, were we simply trying to "fix" women — and if so, did that approach ever truly work?

Catalyst research has long shown that advancement barriers stem from systemic inequities, not from a lack of individual ability. These barriers are about visibility, relationships, and access to decision-makers; the behind-the-scenes dynamics that determine who gets seen and sponsored. And critically, this exposure isn’t distributed equally. Factors like gender, race and ethnicity, organisational level, and age (Deloitte) all shape whose potential is recognised and whose is overlooked.

The journey for pioneering women leaders doesn’t end with promotion. It continues in how they’re supported once they arrive (HR Magazine). Too often, first-generation women leaders are left isolated, navigating their roles without systemic backing. For this reason, structural change — in succession planning, cultural norms, and how leaders are held accountable — matters just as much as individual preparation.

That’s why the most effective development efforts today are shifting focus. Rather than overinvesting in capabilities employees may already have, these programmes are building infrastructure around sponsorship, strategic networks, and stretch opportunities. These are the levers that move careers forward, especially for those who have historically lacked access. These aren’t soft additions to a leadership curriculum; they are the curriculum.

At Parexel, for instance, Catalyst Award-winning development circles are designed not just to mentor women, but to equip all employees to champion one another. These circles model the kind of collective sponsorship that lifts individuals while reshaping the environment around them — a rising-tide approach that strengthens the whole pipeline.

Organisations that are embedding these practices directly into their leadership culture understand that sponsorship isn’t simply about offering encouragement or making introductions. The most impactful sponsors are those willing to spend their social capital to back rising talent, including women leaders (Fortune) — especially women of colour — even when it comes at personal or professional risk. The difference is clear: Mentors talk with you. Sponsors talk about you. And in today’s workplace, sponsorship also means protection. True sponsors don’t just advocate — they shield.

What gets measured still matters

But even the best-designed programmes can fall short if they aren’t measured in the right way. Too often, success is framed in terms of participation: how many employees completed a programme, how many sessions were held, how many hours of training were delivered. That’s not enough—especially in Europe, where regulatory directives are now pushing for greater gender representation on corporate boards and in leadership roles (European Commission).

If organisations are serious about progress and want to see a real return on their investments, they need to track the outcomes that matter: promotions, pay equity, advancement into P&L roles, retention of diverse talent, and internal mobility across demographics.

Critically, this data must go beyond gender alone. Race, ethnicity, age, disability, and socioeconomic background (to name but a few) all intersect to shape the leadership pipeline. This data should be collected and applied in regions where feasible. Programmes that fail to consider this complexity, if located in a region or country where it's legally appropriate to do so, risk missing the very people they’re designed to support.

Toward an inclusive leadership culture

What’s emerging now is a more holistic model of leadership development: one that sees inclusion not as a niche initiative but as a core business function. Inclusive leadership programmes alone won’t close the gap. Companies are moving beyond one-off workshops and instead cultivating everyday habits of sponsorship, recognition, and shared success.

This is what the future of talent strategy looks like: not a siloed programme that treats women as a problem to solve, but a living culture where everyone can grow, contribute, and lead — driven by building better systems for everyone, together.