Certain Uncertainty

18Want More Female Leaders? Develop Leadership When It Matters Most

Julie Carrier

Ella* took a deep breath. It was time. She was a special guest on a global podcast by Thinkers50, the world's most reliable resource for identifying, ranking, and sharing the leading management ideas of our age.¹ She was ready. Along with the president of her organization, she expertly engaged with Des Dearlove, co‐founder of Thinkers50, sharing her personal experiences with a groundbreaking, evidence‐based leader development and coaching program that had radically transformed not only her life but the lives of many of her colleagues.

It was hard to believe that just a few months ago, Ella was terrified of public speaking and so shy she wouldn't speak up or talk in group settings. Now, here she was, radiating confidence and self‐awareness and speaking with authority. Ella credits the program for helping her to grow as a leader—so much so, that she says colleagues from her previous organization would not recognize her.

Inspired by Amy Edmondson's groundbreaking work on psychological safety, Emmaline* led her high‐performing team to finish their Leadership Team Charter—a powerful living document and a formal agreement that outlines their leadership team's purpose, their goals, and their norms. The Charter supports the core tenets of Edmonson's work—ensuring the team is a safe place to speak up, ask questions, learn, grow, and, crucially, make mistakes.² After some intense collaboration, they completed ...