In our Leadership Insights I Wish I Had Known at the Start series, we brought together five women from around the world to reflect on the lessons they wish they’d known when they first stepped into leading.
What emerged was a set of grounded, deeply personal insights, not from handbooks, but from years of navigating people, projects, crises, and self-doubt.
Episode 1 features Aramide Kayode from Nigeria
At just 24, Aramide leads a free school for underserved children in Nigeria. Her insights are shaped not by boardrooms, but by classrooms where children arrive hungry, hopeful, and full of potential.
Her first rule of leading is believing in people before they believe in themselves.
Aramide listens fiercely, fights for her students beyond the school gates, and celebrates progress, even the smallest steps forward. She reminds us that leadership is not a title, it’s a commitment to showing up with care and consistency.
“You can’t lead people you look down on. You must lead them with love, with dignity, with belief,” said Aramide.
Episode 2 features Amy Brand from the United States
Amy, a senior leader in academic publishing, brings a grounded, practical view of leadership. For her, it’s never been about charisma, and it has always been about clarity.
She urges us to ditch the glamour myth and focus on the real work: structuring teams, showing up every day, protecting your emotional energy, and never outgrowing your learning mindset. Amy’s anecdote of emotional overextension during the pandemic is a stark reminder of the cost of “over-caring” and the power of boundaries that serve both you and your team.
“It’s not glamorous. It’s not about blowing people away. It’s about getting the basics right, again and again,” said Amy.
Episode 3 features Alison Coburn from the UK
Alison offers nine core lessons from decades of experience from the arts to environmental leadership.
Her first and foremost is don’t lead alone. Build your survival kit, the people and structures that keep you grounded when things get tough.
From learning to delegate, to leading upward (not just downward), to recognising that communication is the job, Alison’s voice is clear, practical, and deeply honest. She reminds us that leading is a muscle, not a moment.
Episode 4 features Falak Madhani from Pakistan
Falak Madhani is a health systems leader focused on equitable primary care, mental health, and suicide prevention in Pakistan. Falak’s reflections are twofold and both land with real weight.
First, she cautions against stepping back too early, even when you think you’re empowering others. Visionaries need to stay with the work, removing obstacles long after the “strategy” is done.
Second, she explores the emotional toll of leading with a strong sense of social justice. In moments of inequity and moral clarity, she invites leaders to hold nuance, not just outrage to pick their battles thoughtfully.
“You empower people to fail when you walk away too soon. Stay. Stay and help them succeed,” said Falak.
Episode 5 features Saki Chen from China
Saki, a lawyer and pilot, led a team of older, more experienced men on a historic flight around the world. Her lesson? Boldness is contagious.
From securing sponsorship to managing self-doubt, Saki shares how she earned trust not by overperforming, but by being clear: “This is my flight.”
She also speaks about the importance of composure. While she was open about the challenges they faced, she was intentional about not burdening her team with her personal self-doubts. While leading, she believed in showing belief, even when she had to work to find it herself.
So, What These Conversations Taught Us About Starting to Lead?
Aramide Kayode says:
- Believe in people before they believe in themselves.
- Listen fiercely, not just to what’s said, but to what’s meant.
- Fight for those you lead, especially when they can’t fight for themselves.
- Celebrate growth, not just results.
- Never look down on people you lead, they feel it.
- Feed people with knowledge, care, and (sometimes literally) food.
- Hold emotional space presence matters more than performance.
- Say no when needed staying true to your mission requires boundaries.
Amy Brand says:
- Charisma is overrated, get the basics right.
- Structure matters, make the system work for your people.
- Boundaries are a kindness, protect your capacity to lead.
- Over-care can lead to burnout, find balance.
- Stay a learner – the work changes, and so should you.
Alison Coburn says:
- Your support network is your Survival Kit
- Act and look the part
- Influence the people above you
- Delegating is tough but it’s how you grow
- Spot and back great people early
- Communicate everything and listen hard
- Don’t pass your stress down
- Be tough when needed
- Stand up, even when it’s risky
Falak Madhani says:
- Don’t disappear after the strategy phase, your vision still matters.
- Be available to remove obstacles for your team, it’s not micromanagement, it’s support.
- Resist black-and-white thinking, nuance makes you a better at leading.
- Fight the fight that matters and know when to walk away.
Saki Chen says:
- Be bold enough to dream and to say it out loud.
- Self-doubt is normal, don’t let it spread.
- Lead older, more experienced people with clarity not defensiveness.
- Own up to your mistakes
- Stay focused on your definition of success not someone else’s.
Listen to the episodes here.
