The readiness gap: Are women truly prepared to lead or simply expecting equality to arrive?

By Rita Adu BOATENG

Across the corporate world, in development institutions, and within government structures, one strategic priority stands firm: gender equality in leadership.

Sustainable Development Goal 5 has driven significant investment into empowering women to rise into senior roles. Companies are rebuilding systems. Parliaments are reforming policy. Global institutions are reshaping leadership accessibility.

Yet one critical and provocative question persists:

Are women truly prepared to occupy the leadership roles being created for them?

Today’s young professional woman is more educated and ambitious than any generation before her. But rising through the pipeline — from junior to middle and ultimately senior management — remains a major challenge.

In Ghana, only 8percent of CEOs are women (World Economic Forum, 2024), despite women constituting over 44percent of the workforce (Ghana Statistical Service). Globally, progress remains slow: at the current pace, it will take 134 years to close gender gaps in leadership (WEF Global Gender Gap Report, 2024).

So the question becomes: Do we have a preparedness issue?

Degrees alone don’t guarantee upward mobility. Success flows to those who prepare with intention:

Women must set bold, aspirational career goals. Not goals limited to job security — goals focused on visibility, influence, and leadership identity. Women must actively invest in development — sometimes self-funded. Leadership demands skills acquisition beyond functional expertise: negotiation, strategy, executive presence.

Women must start behaving like leaders before they are appointed as leaders.
Leadership is expressed through presence — how one speaks, shows up, and navigates “the corridors of power.” Influence is often cultivated long before a title is earned. Equally important is the willingness to step outside comfort zones. The path to senior leadership is rarely straight. Lateral moves, stretch assignments, and new environments are often powerful accelerators. The experiences gained along the way are what sustain women once they reach the top.

We must also challenge a narrative that has unintentionally taken root: Women do not rise by excluding men. While women supporting women remains essential, many male colleagues and leaders are champions of inclusion — advocating for change, mentoring emerging female talent, and opening doors. Collaboration strengthens the agenda. The pie is big enough for all of us to share.

Across the world, organisations are investing billions into gender advancement:
the UN, IFC, McKinsey’s Women in the Workplace initiative, and Mastercard’s Women SME programmes — among many others. In Ghana, we are seeing more corporate mentorship programmes, leadership accelerators, and capital support for women-led innovations.

But advocacy and access alone are not enough. For progress to translate into leadership representation, women must rise to claim it. Leadership seats are not given — they are earned. So here is the uncomfortable truth: Gender equality will not be handed to us on a silver platter. Representation demands readiness. Advancement requires action. Leadership requires courage.

Women must prepare themselves to lead — not tomorrow, not someday — now. Because when the door finally opens, stepping in boldly is not only personal victory; it is progress for generations watching behind us. The world is shifting. Opportunities are emerging. Momentum is building. The real question is…Will women lead the charge — or wait to be invited into the room meant for them?

Rise. Connect. Be Equipped.

To support the growing movement of ambitious young women in Ghana, Chalom Hights is hosting The Power Side — a networking and empowerment event focused on preparing young women for senior corporate leadership. Registration opens soon — stay tuned on our social media pages.

>>>is the Founder of Chalom Hights, a women’s empowerment organisation. With a career in Marketing, Customer Experience, and Business Operations, she combines corporate expertise with social impact through initiatives like the ElevateHer Series, inspiring women to lead confidently, balance ambition with wellbeing, and create meaningful change. Contact: [email protected] 

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