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I’d played in thousands of basketball games, and this one felt no different, until everything changed.
I was a point guard in the WNBA at the time, and I found myself in a situation I’d been in countless times before. I was the last line of defense on a fast break as the opposing team’s player dribbled to the other end of the floor. The only thing between her and the basket was me as I backpedaled at full speed.
Then I heard a loud pop. In that moment, I didn’t realize it would be the last time I’d step on the court as a player. The knee injury ended my career.
Just like that, my team was forced to pivot and step into new roles. Fortunately, we had depth. Talent had been developed, and the bench was ready to step up.
In sports, championship teams don’t just rely on their starting five; they invest heavily in their bench. The strength of a team isn’t just measured by who’s on the court today, but by who’s developing on the bench, who’s being prepared to lead in the future, and how intentionally that talent is cultivated over time.
Those same lessons apply in business.
If we want more women in leadership roles, we can’t wait for a vacancy to start developing them or sit back and hope they find their way there. We have to be intentional, strategic, and bold in building the path forward.
Developing a Pipeline of Women Leaders That Are Ready to Lead
- Track Talent Like a Leader Tracks Performance Metrics
Utilize data to understand who’s rising, where women are getting stuck, and where to focus development. This includes developing clear metrics that measure specific goals, productivity, quality of work, 360-degree feedback, and progress in skill development. - Opportunity First: Empower Women to Lead Before the Pressure Hits
Don’t wait until someone’s in a leadership role to give them leadership opportunities and responsibilities.
Assign women to high-stakes projects, invite them into strategic conversations, and help them practice skills to lead under pressure. Look for ways to set women in your organization up to win this week. Experience builds readiness. - Be a Strategic Sponsor, Not Just a Supporter
Women need leaders who sponsor them. These are people in the room who will advocate for them when decisions are being made. Someone who says, “She’s ready, put her in.”
While women supporting one another is essential to advancing gender equity in leadership, it’s equally important for male allies to actively use their influence to open doors, advocate for opportunities, and help shift systems that have historically overlooked women. - Normalize Developmental Conversations Early and Often
Leaders should have regular career conversations with women on their teams. This includes conversations not just on performance, but about aspirations. Don’t wait until annual performance reviews. Instead, engage in discussions about goals and long-term potential as a part of regular conversations. This will inform development plans that help women build the skills and confidence needed to take the next step when the opportunity comes. Feedback is a gift and fuels growth. Don’t wait to give it.
How should organizations develop talent pipelines for women compared to men?
At its core, developing talent should follow the same leadership principles. The goal isn’t to lower the bar or create two separate tracks, but to ensure that everyone has equal access to what they need to succeed.
However, the approach may differ when developing women, not because their capability is different, but because their access often is. Leaders shouldn’t lower expectations for women, but instead, they should remove the barriers that prevent them from meeting those expectations on an equal playing field. Leaders can achieve this by ensuring women have intentional access to opportunities, addressing bias in evaluations, and recognizing the diverse workplace experiences of their employees.
At Teamalytics, we guide leaders in moving beyond empty platitudes, driving intentional strategies that empower women to lead with impact and unlock their full potential within the organization.
Just like my team’s months of preparation made all the difference when I got injured, the work you do to prepare and elevate women leaders will shape the opportunities they have in the future.
What will you do today to start building a pipeline of women leaders?
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