You’re in a leadership meeting.

Someone’s name comes up — a woman who isn’t in the room.
You know she’s capable.
You know she’s ready.
You know she deserves to be considered.

And there’s a split second where you decide:
Do I say her name?
Do I advocate?
Or do I stay quiet?

No one would fault you for silence.

But leadership is rarely defined by what’s easy.
It’s defined by what we amplify.

The Subtle Competition We’ve Been Conditioned To Accept

High-achieving women have quietly absorbed a dangerous narrative:

There are only so many seats at the table.

If she rises, it somehow threatens my place.

So we compete.
We compare.
We measure.
We gatekeep.

We tell ourselves:
“I had to figure it out alone — so she should too.”

But let’s call that what it is.

That isn’t strength.
It’s scarcity in disguise.

And scarcity thinking keeps powerful women isolated — not influential.

The Data Tells a Bigger Story

This isn’t just a feeling. It’s structural—and the research shows that when women advance together, organizations thrive.

• McKinsey found that companies in the top quartile for gender diversity in executive teams are 25% more likely to have above-average profitability compared to those in the bottom quartile.
• A Boston Consulting Group study of 1,700 companies found that organizations with above-average diversity in leadership generate 19% higher innovation revenue.
• Credit Suisse’s global Gender 3000 report found that companies with at least one woman on the board delivered higher average returns on equity and stronger stock performance than those with all-male boards.
• Research published in Harvard Business Review shows that teams with more gender diversity demonstrate better problem-solving and collective intelligence, leading to stronger decision-making and outcomes.
• And perhaps most telling: a PayScale workplace study found that organizations where women actively support and advocate for other women report higher levels of engagement, retention, and psychological safety across teams.

Translation?
When we advocate for and sponsor women, organizations win.

• stronger financial performance
• more innovation
• better decision-making
• healthier cultures

This isn’t just about fairness.

It’s about building better companies.

When women collaborate at the top, culture shifts faster.

The pie expands.
It always does.

The Shift That Changes Everything

At some point in my career, I realized something uncomfortable:
If I wanted a different experience for women coming behind me, I had to model it.

Not by overextending myself or rescuing.

But by intentionally opening doors.

• Saying someone’s name in a room she wasn’t in.
• Referring clients.
• Inviting women into proximity.
• Creating rooms where collaboration was normal.

That’s one of the reasons I built the Powerhouse Women Network.
Because I’m done with surface-level networking and performative connection.

If you’re tired of pretending there’s only one seat available, you’re my kind of woman.

We don’t compete for chairs.
We design bigger tables.

3 Shifts to Build Bigger Tables

1. Audit Your Scarcity Thoughts

Notice when comparison creeps in.

Instead of: “She’s ahead of me.”

Ask: “What can I learn from her?”

Scarcity shrinks you.
Curiosity expands you.

2. Practice Active Sponsorship

Mentorship is guidance.

Sponsorship is advocacy.
This week:

• Mention one woman’s name in a room of influence.
• Make one introduction.
• Recommend one woman for an opportunity.

Saying her name is leadership.

3. Build Rooms That Feel Different

If you don’t see collaborative spaces — create them.

Host a dinner.
Start a roundtable.
Join a community where women link arms instead of compete.

Proximity changes mindset.
And mindset changes culture.

How I Can Help

If this resonates, here are three ways to step further into collaborative leadership:

You don’t have to build alone.

You were never meant to.

1. Join my from Burnout to Alignment Workshop. Where we identify your personal burnout signals and realign your energy with your priorities. You can find more information HERE.
2. Join the Powerhouse Women Network! Find more information HERE.
3. Build a custom strategy to reach your goals without burning out or compromising your purpose. Find out more information on this FREE complimentary call.

Your Turn to Reflect a Step Further:

Who are you advocating for right now?

And if you’re honest — where have you been staying quiet?

Leadership isn’t climbing alone.
It’s lifting as you rise.

– Christi Cossette