“Be the leader you wish you had” – Simon Sinek
Imagine being the woman who broke societal beliefs and barriers and set the tone for the younger generation!
Imagine being known as a bold, courageous and fearless woman leader in the tech industry!
Imagine unlocking your full leadership potential and creating more impact without doubting your capabilities!
Even though we see so many talented, ambitious and high-achieving women like you, they still hold themselves back.
They fear showing up as their true selves in the workplace and they’re afraid to speak up for themselves or others.
For emerging female leaders in tech, navigating this path can be complex. They have to perform under pressure, break through systemic barriers, navigate biases and challenge stereotypes. All the while staying true to who they are, which can be both daunting and exhilarating, in their leadership journey.
This article is a guide for emerging female leaders who want to discover their true north and lead with their internal compass.
Leadership today is no longer defined solely by titles. It’s more than managing teams, setting deadlines or launching new products. True leadership comes from within — a grounded sense of purpose and authenticity that guides and inspires others. It demonstrates who you truly are based on your beliefs, values and vision. It also helps you lead not, from expectation but from conviction, not from fear but from clarity.
This Mckinsey and Partners article highlights how one can become an authentic leader:
Leading Off: Are you for real? A leader’s guide to being authentic
People’s perspectives about the work environment have changed over the years. Currencies like trust and transparency are important to them as they desire fulfillment without the burn out. They want the freedom to choose what success and a balanced lifestyle looks like for them.
So how do you, as an emerging leader, find your true north and lead teams that are multi-cultural and diverse with authenticity?
Know your true north. Trust your intuition. Believe in yourself. Think of your true north as a combination of your purpose, passion, values and core beliefs all guided by your internal compass. Let your inner sage (not your inner critic, story for another day!) keep you on the right track even when you doubt yourself.
Let’s dive in! Here are five transformative steps with reflective prompts that you can use to find your true north and lead purposefully.
1. Define Your Core Values
Our values are the foundation of our being which are non-negotiable and aligned with our true self. It’s the principles you stand by, even when it’s uncomfortable to do so. It’s what you do and say when no-one is watching you. Core values may include integrity, innovation, empathy and trust. They may also include family, fun or freedom. Your values influence the decisions you make in the workplace.
Reflective Prompt:
List your top five values and ask yourself: How do these values show up in my daily actions? Where am I compromising, and why?
When your leadership is rooted in your values, authenticity follows naturally — and people trust what’s real.
2. Self-Awareness of Your Leadership Journey
Your path into leadership hasn’t been accidental nor is it because you ‘got lucky’. Every challenge or breakthrough moment that you faced carried insights and learnings. Taking time to reflect on your journey allows you to understand what is working well and where any changes need to be made. It gives you clarity of your situation as well as the direction you need to take to achieve your goals.
Think about the moments that shaped your leadership voice; the mentor who saw your potential, the time you spoke up for what was right, the product that failed but taught you resilience.
Reflective prompt:
Write a timeline of a key and defining moment in your career and reflect on how it influenced your leadership style. Consider your thoughts and the patterns that emerged and how these aligned with your purpose.
Consider why you wanted to become a leader – was it for ego, money, a sense of achievement or to be a change maker?
3. Embrace Your Unique Voice
The tech industry is still very much underrepresented by female leaders. It can be tempting to conform to traditional (often male-dominated) leadership models to avoid conflict. But the most effective leaders aren’t those who dim their lights, stay small or agree with others — they’re the ones who fully own their voice.
Your voice can be empathetic yet assertive, collaborative yet visionary — or all of the above. Leading with your authentic voice builds trust and rapport in your teams, including allies, and helps employees feel safe, seen and have a sense of belonging.
Action step:
Start small. Speak up in meetings with confidence. Share your perspective even when it’s different. Your voice matters — and the people at the table need to hear it. Share your deeply held beliefs to create a meaningful impact in your Organisation.
Remember: authentic leadership means you can be vulnerable – let your team know when you don’t have all the answers. It shows that you are human and that you value their opinions too.
Vulnerability doesn’t mean you have to overshare details of your personal life to garner empathy. Nor does it mean sharing business challenges that may cause uncertainty within your team.
4. Find and Nurture a Support Network
Leaders will often say that it’s lonely at the top, especially for women navigating complex or inequitable tech environments. Surrounding yourself with a strong network of mentors or peers is crucial for your growth, resilience, and accountability.
Seek out people who believe in your potential and challenge you to rise. Join communities focused on women in tech leadership. And don’t hesitate to give as much as you receive — shared support is the backbone of sustainable leadership.
Action step:
Attend women-in-tech leadership networking events or virtual mastermind events. These conversations, set in safe and supportive spaces, can be career- and life-changing. Your network isn’t just about connections — it’s about shared courage.
5. Commit to Purpose-Driven Action
Discovering your true north is not a one-time revelation; it’s a practice. Purpose-driven leadership means making consistent choices that align with your deeper mission — even when the path is unclear. Even when you doubt yourself. Even when you feel ignored or unseen.
Let’s take a moment and reverse engineer your career journey?
Imagine yourself aged 75, sitting in your comfy chair, drinking your favourite latte and listening to soft music.
Ask yourself: What legacy did I leave behind? What impact did I make through my role, my voice, and my journey? What did I accomplish?
That could mean championing ethical AI, mentoring young women in STEM, or fostering inclusive hiring practices — let your actions reflect your purpose.
Clarity Prompt:
Write down your personal leadership mission in one sentence and include your values, strengths, style and goals. Post it somewhere where you’ll see it daily. Let it guide you in meetings or when faced with challenges.
Purpose is not just a destination. It’s the fuel that keeps you going when the journey gets tough.
Conclusion: Lead from Within
In a world that often tells women to shrink, compromise, or conform — choosing to lead with your true north is a radical act of courage. As you rise in the tech industry, know that the most powerful form of leadership is not perfection, but authenticity with purpose.
Define your values, embrace your voice, cultivate your community and reflect on your journey as you build your career. You are shaping the future of leadership in tech. And the most remarkable part? When you lead from within, you give others permission to do the same.
The time is now. Let’s create change for our future generations by shattering glass ceilings and building inclusive work environments for women in tech.
Meet the author, Nazlee Mayhew, Founder of Global Mindset Solutions. She is also a certified Life Coach with the Academy of Modern Psychology, Scotland and a certified Business and Mindset Coach, Money Mindset Coach, NLP Practitioner and Self Love Coach with the Clique Academy, United Kingdom.
She partners with emerging and mid-senior level leaders to help them define their leadership style, identify their strengths and leverage the power of soft skills. She also empowers them to unlock their full potential, develop a success mindset to become effective leaders and build high performing and inclusive teams.
If you’re interested to learn more about our leadership coaching programs, book a free 30 minute coaching clarity call here: www.calendly.com/nazmayhew or email her at [email protected] to learn more and see if we’re a great fit to work together.
