How I lead even when I don’t feel “ready”

Spoiler: I’ve done it more times than I can count, even if it didn’t feel like “leadership” at the time.

Here’s my raw truth from years of facilitating workshops, pitching ideas, and stepping into rooms where I was the youngest (or only) woman at the table:

“Not ready” is the entry fee for most women leaders.
We’re conditioned to wait for permission, perfection, or a flawless pitch. But leadership isn’t a checklist—it’s a muscle you build by jumping in messy. I once led a training that I had less than 30 minutes to prepare for, I sketched the agenda on a napkin. Prep? Half-done. Confidence? Wobbly. Outcome? They loved it, and it unlocked months of collaboration.

Three things that have helped me every time:

Borrow legitimacy: Lean on the room’s collective wisdom. “I’m facilitating today so what’s one thing you’re bringing to make this brilliant?” creates co-ownership

Name the discomfort: “I’m figuring this out with you—let’s make it great together.” Vulnerability flips “not ready” into relatable strength (so critical to my feminist leadership journey).

Start smaller than you think: One conversation, one bold question, one follow-up email.

Often readiness is more of a perception we hold colored by years of bias and is the world telling us we need to do more to be seen.

What’s your “not ready” leadership story? Drop it below