Leadership development has long been the NHS’s go-to solution for workforce inequality. We invest in programmes, roll out training, and invite aspiring leaders into talent pipelines. And yet—something isn’t working.
If leadership development alone could fix underrepresentation, we wouldn’t still be having the same conversation in 2025 that we were in 2015. But here we are.
Through my doctoral research, I’ve been examining how effective these programmes really are—especially for minority ethnic women. What I’ve found is troubling, if not surprising.
The One-Size-Fits-All Problem
Many leadership programmes are built around a standardised model. But leadership journeys are anything but standard. As Sealy (2018) notes, these programmes often benefit white women more than minority ethnic women—because they don’t address intersectionality, systemic bias, or the cultural nuances that shape career progression.
Minority ethnic women don’t just need skill-building. They need:
- Safe spaces to reflect and be seen.
- Strategic sponsorship, not just surface-level mentorship.
- Culturally aware facilitators who understand the challenges they face.
- Gate-opening networks, not closed circles.
There are promising approaches—like tailored mentoring and action learning sets—but these are far from the norm.
Time to Reimagine the System
We don’t need more leadership programmes.
We need better-designed ones—that recognise difference, confront bias, and create equitable opportunities for stretch and visibility.
Let’s be clear: the women are not lacking in talent.
The system is lacking in imagination.
It’s time to rethink leadership development—not to discard it, but to redesign it in service of equity, not just equality.
What if leadership development was built with equity at its core?
Let’s explore what’s working—and what urgently needs to change.
