At 13, Amina was elected Head Girl of her school. She was bright, ambitious, and full of ideas. Yet, when she voiced them, she was told to be “less bossy.” Her male classmates, on the other hand, were praised for being “natural leaders.” By the time she graduated, Amina had learned to shrink herself; to speak less, to take up less space. Years later, when a leadership opportunity arose in her community, she hesitated. The confident girl who once led her school had been conditioned to doubt her place in leadership.
Amina’s story is not unique. It reflects a broader reality: leadership gaps do not emerge in boardrooms – they start in classrooms, playgrounds, and homes. The barriers that keep women out of leadership roles are planted early, reinforced by cultural expectations and societal limitations. If we want to close the leadership gap, one of the things we must do is stop waiting until adulthood to intervene. The work begins now, while minds are still being shaped.
This is where projects like the National Head Girl Project become instrumental in shaping the next generation of female leaders and encouraging male allyship.
The benefits of gender-diverse leadership are well documented. In 2018, McKinsey’s Delivering through Diversity report, show that companies with women in leadership are 21% more likely to outperform their peers in profitability, and the 2024 Pathways to Growth presents case studies demonstrating how early-stage companies have implemented gender-inclusive strategies leading to business growth, enhanced performance and profitability, the impact of female leadership is equally significant in governance, education, and community development. Countries with higher female political representation have stronger policies on education, healthcare, and social welfare. Research from the 2024 Global Gender Gap Report and 2024 World Bank Group report also highlights that societies that invest in women’s leadership experience lower levels of poverty and greater overall well-being.
One of the primary reasons for the persistent leadership gap is the lack of early investment in female leaders. Studies highlighted in The Confidence Code by Katty Kay and Claire Shipman show that confidence plays a crucial role in leadership, yet many young girls experience a sharp decline in self-assurance during adolescence. This lack of confidence translates into fewer leadership aspirations in politics, community engagement, corporates and beyond.
We cannot wait until women are in the workforce or public office to start talking about leadership. By then, deeply ingrained societal norms, cultural limitations, and patriarchal mindsets have already taken root. If we want to see real change, we need to start shaping the minds of young people early. It is significantly harder to reshape the minds of older individuals who have already been conditioned to think within rigid societal norms.
The National Head Girl Project embodies the kind of strategic early investment that can drive long-term systemic change. By identifying, mentoring, and equipping young women with leadership skills at the secondary school level, the project lays a solid foundation for future female leaders in business, politics, education, and civic society. This model aligns with findings in How Women Rise by Sally Helgesen and Marshall Goldsmith, which emphasize the importance of breaking early career-limiting habits and building confidence in leadership abilities from a youthful age.
Crucially, the National Head Girl Project also incorporates male allyship. Too often, the conversation around women’s leadership happens in silos, with little involvement from men. However, true progress requires collaboration.
Books like Good Guys: How Men Can Be Better Allies for Women by David G. Smith and W. Brad Johnson emphasize that societies where men actively champion gender inclusion see significantly more progress in gender equality. Similarly, Julie Kratz’s ONE: How Male Allies Support Women for Gender Equality outlines practical ways by which men can become effective allies in dismantling gender biases. These insights are just as relevant in the workplace and other spaces, as young men need to be part of the gender balanced leadership conversation early, so they grow up valuing inclusivity, fairness, and shared leadership.
The goal is two pronged: One, to create more opportunities for women and two, to remove/significantly reduce the limitations that have historically held them back with support from progressive male allies. This way, we can focus on making leadership an available and natural option for women, not one constrained by outdated gender norms.
The Ripple Effect: From Schools to Government and Society
Investment in female leadership at an early stage has a powerful ripple effect on governance, policymaking, and community well-being. Melinda Gates, in The Moment of Lift, argues that when women are empowered, entire communities thrive. Young women who receive structured leadership training are more likely to pursue ambitious paths, engage in policymaking, and mentor the next generation. This cyclical effect creates a self-sustaining model for closing the leadership gap.
Moreover, addressing gender disparity in leadership is not just a moral imperative, it is a necessity for the progress of society. A study from Invisible Women by Caroline Criado Perez exposes the biases embedded in systems designed without women’s representation. When women have a seat at decision-making tables-whether in parliament, local government, or community organisations-policies become more inclusive, societies become more just, and change happens quicker.
A Call to Action
If we are to close the leadership gap and unlock the full potential of female leadership, investment must begin at the basic level. The National Head Girl Project provides a blueprint for scalable, impactful intervention. However, broader institutional support is required from governments, educational institutions, and civil society-to expand such initiatives and integrate leadership development into mainstream education systems.
We must stop asking why women are not advancing and start questioning why the path has been made so difficult in the first place. Leadership should not be a privilege reserved for a select few; it should be an accessible and natural choice for women everywhere. By investing early, dismantling patriarchal constraints, and fostering male allyship, we create a world where female leadership is not the exception but the norm.
The question is not whether women are capable of leading, it is whether we are brave enough to dismantle the barriers that have kept them from doing so for generations. Will we continue to admire leadership potential from afar, or will we create the conditions for it to thrive and make investment in female leaders? The future of leadership depends on the choices we make today.
About the Author
Olamide Kuteyi is a Program Manager at WILAN Global, where she drives programs that advance a shift towards gender balanced leadership. Passionate about strategy, capacity-building, and impactful leadership, she brings a keen focus on institutionalizing programs and fostering sustainable growth. With a background in law and program management, she is committed to creating inclusive spaces for learning, leadership, and innovation.