This week, we discuss how diverse perspectives within executive leadership teams will drive maximum results. I sit down with three experts (Deondra Donald, Shalee Lehning, and Missy Forlani) who have collectively spent decades leading, coaching, and consulting across various organizational levels. All three strongly believe that diverse leadership is not just an ideal but a powerful catalyst for success. Their lived experience and professional insight as a Teamalytics Coaching Consultant set the stage for a deeper look into the data and the real-world impact of dynamic leadership.
The evidence is overwhelmingly clear: companies with greater gender diversity on executive teams are 39% more likely to outperform their profitability goals (McKinsey), and gender-diverse teams make better decisions 87% of the time (Harvard Business Review). Furthermore, diverse leadership drives 19% more innovation revenue (Boston Consulting Group). Despite these compelling statistics—which present a clear business case—many organizations still struggle to advance women into leadership roles.
Shalee, Deondra, and Missy share their perspective on how to unlock the power of diverse leadership teams. They are committed to changing this by helping organizations leverage the full potential of their talent, ensuring that representation is recognized not as symbolic but as truly strategic and effective.
Having served as a woman in Senior HR Executive and Executive Coaching roles, I’ve spent decades helping leaders grow into their potential, and I’ve seen firsthand the transformative power of diverse leadership. The evidence is clear: when women are at the table, businesses thrive.
Companies with women in leadership roles don’t just perform—they outperform. These stats above aren’t just statistics—they’re a business case. Innovation, smarter decisions, stronger financial outcomes: these are the direct results of having varied perspectives at the table. And yet, many organizations still struggle to reflect this diversity in their leadership ranks.
The issue isn’t a lack of qualified women. It’s often a lack of intentional systems to develop and elevate them. High-potential women are still too often overlooked for stretch roles or receive feedback that lacks clarity. Leadership models still too frequently reward traits that exclude the power of collaboration, empathy, and balanced decision-making—qualities many women leaders excel in.
At Teamalytics, we’re committed to changing that. We help organizations build leadership pipelines that reflect the full potential of their talent by making leadership behaviors visible, measurable, and coachable.
Representation isn’t just about equity—it’s about effectiveness. When leadership reflects the diversity of the world we live in, everyone wins.
As a Black woman in leadership who has coached and consulted across corporate boardrooms, schools, and executive teams, I have seen firsthand that presence, performance, and potential do not always equal promotion. For many women, especially women of color, the path to leadership is not a straight line. It is a layered journey that requires not just skill but resilience, strategic relationships, and clarity in the face of inconsistent feedback.
What I have learned, both through my own rise and in coaching others, is this: high performance alone is not enough. Visibility, voice, and value must work together. I have watched brilliant women shrink to fit the rooms they have earned a seat in, not because they lack confidence, but because they were never coached on how to own their impact in ways that align with their authentic selves.
That is why I am passionate about measurable behavioral coaching. Tools like Teamalytics do not just give you a leadership scorecard; they offer a mirror. They help women stop internalizing vague critiques like “you are too much” or “not quite ready” and start getting language around their leadership wiring, communication style, and blind spots. When women are equipped with that kind of clarity, they do not just take up space; they reshape it.
Representation is not symbolic. It is strategic. When diverse women lead, they shift team dynamics, influence culture, and model what courageous leadership looks like. My role and our mission at Teamalytics is to help unlock that leadership voice and ensure it is heard, respected, and retained.
As a woman who has had the privilege of leading, competing, and now coaching leaders at every level, I strongly believe this conversation matters. The gap in women’s representation in leadership roles isn’t about a shortage of capable women; it’s about a system that hasn’t fully evolved to recognize, develop, and advance them.
But even with the data, many companies are still struggling to advance more women into leadership roles. And from what I’ve seen — both in my own experiences and in coaching leaders inside companies — it’s rarely about a lack of capability. Instead, there are often subtle barriers that make the path harder to navigate:
- Sometimes, women don’t have access to high-visibility assignments or sponsorship relationships that build readiness for the next level.
- Many receive feedback that’s more vague than actionable, leaving them unsure of what to adjust to keep growing.
- Often, leadership models still reward one narrow style, one that doesn’t always recognize the value of collaboration, emotional intelligence, or balanced risk-taking that many women naturally bring.
These aren’t unsolvable challenges. But they require more than just good intentions or diversity targets. They require intentional development and clarity around behaviors that build leadership presence, influence, and impact.
That’s the work we care deeply about at Teamalytics. Our focus is on helping leaders see what it feels like to be led by them and identifying the specific behaviors that they can refine to grow into the leaders their organizations need.
Representation isn’t just about fairness. It’s about fully unlocking the potential that’s already in the room. It’s time to move from intention to action – by developing, promoting, and equipping diverse leaders, we build stronger teams, smarter strategies, and more successful organizations.
Take a closer look at your team and begin building a stronger, more diverse, high-performing organization. Start by completing the Team Assessment — click the link to begin your team transformation.
Author Bios: