When Talent Isn’t Enough: The Leadership Gap Women of Colour Still Face
Talent has never been the issue.
Neither has ambition.
Women, particularly women of colour, enter the workforce highly educated, capable, and motivated.
Many perform at exceptional levels, take on significant responsibility, and do so with professionalism and resilience.
Yet too many see their careers stall early, long before leadership roles come into reach.
I’ve lived this reality. Supporting women of colour to navigate invisible barriers and reclaim agency in their careers is central to my coaching work.
Not because they need fixing, but because the system often does.
Individual clarity and confidence matter. But without organizational accountability, the leadership gap will persist.
And just because women of colour carry these challenges well doesn’t mean they aren’t heavy or that the system is working.
Why Talent Alone Isn’t Enough
Women of colour don’t stall because they lack capability. They stall because they encounter barriers that are subtle, normalized, and difficult to challenge without risk.
These include:
Microaggressions that erode credibility over time
Unequal access to stretch assignments and high-visibility work
Stereotyping and tokenism that distort perceptions of leadership potential
Bias in performance evaluations, where standards quietly shift
Limited sponsorship, advocacy, and informal career guidance
Individually, these barriers may seem manageable. Collectively, they create friction at every step forward.
The Leadership Gap Starts Earlier Than We Think
Much of the equity conversation focuses on senior leadership. But the real breakdown happens far earlier.
The 2025 Women in the Workplace report describes the “broken rung” — the failure to promote women into their first management role. When women are overlooked at this stage, the entire leadership pipeline narrows: fewer gain people-management experience, fewer advance, and fewer reach senior roles.
For women of colour, the gap is wider still. Despite equal or higher levels of ambition, they are promoted at lower rates. Over time, this compounds into persistent underrepresentation at the top.
When Ambition Starts to Erode
One of the report’s most concerning findings is the growing “ambition gap.” Women, particularly women of colour, are increasingly less likely to pursue promotions.
Not because they lack drive. But because advancement feels less attainable, less supported, and more costly.
Many are navigating:
Increased workload without increased authority
High expectations with little margin for error
Low psychological safety when advocating for themselves
Rising burnout and job insecurity
When effort doesn’t translate into opportunity, pulling back becomes rational.
This isn’t “leaning out.” It’s a response to conditions that no longer make ambition feel credible.
What Actually Helps Close the Gap
Closing the leadership gap requires both individual strategy and systemic change. Organizations, in particular, must act.
Here are 5 shifts that can make a meaningful difference:
1. Move beyond mentorship to sponsorship
Mentorship offers advice. Sponsorship offers advocacy. Women of colour need leaders who actively champion their advancement and put their credibility on the line.
2. Make leadership development intentional and accessible
Leadership pathways shouldn’t depend on informal nominations or “tap-on-the-shoulder” moments. Clear criteria, early exposure, and equitable access matter.
3. De-bias performance and promotion decisions
Organizations must examine how concepts like “potential,” “readiness,” and “leadership presence” are defined — and whose behaviours are rewarded or penalized.
4. Track outcomes, not just intentions
Equity commitments mean little without data. Tracking promotions, development opportunities, and attrition through an intersectional lens reveals where systems fail.
5. Create conditions that make ambition sustainable
Workload, flexibility, psychological safety, and leadership behaviour all shape whether advancement feels worth pursuing. Ambition survives in environments that don’t punish visibility or advocacy.
Moving Forward
When talent isn’t enough, the problem isn’t the talent.
Women of colour don’t need to work harder, be more resilient, or contort themselves to fit broken systems. They need equitable access, credible pathways, and leaders willing to examine how power actually operates.
Just because someone carries it well doesn’t mean it isn’t heavy.
And just because women keep going doesn’t mean the gap isn’t real.
Closing the leadership gap requires honesty, accountability, and sustained action—so talent can finally translate into opportunity.
How I Can Support
If you’re navigating barriers that aren’t about capability or effort, you’re not alone — and you don’t have to figure it out on your own.
In my private and group programs for women of colour, I support you to clarify your value, strengthen your leadership presence, and position yourself for meaningful next steps—whether that’s a promotion, a strategic career pivot, or expanded influence.
If you’d like to explore whether this support is right for you, please schedule a free discovery session here to see how we can work together.
