From visibility to influence: The missing link in women’s leadership

By Rita Adu BOATENG

Sustainable Development Goal 5 (SDG 5) calls for achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls. Across Ghana and the African continent, conversations on women’s empowerment often centre on access — access to education, finance and leadership opportunities. Yet, one crucial enabler of progress remains underexplored: influence.

The underrated power of influence

Influence is the silent currency of leadership. It shapes perception, builds trust and determines whose voices are heard when critical decisions are made. In many Ghanaian organisations, particularly at the middle management level, women often underestimate the strategic value of cultivating influence.

Your influence on key stakeholders — how they perceive you, how they respond to your input and how confidently they associate your name with results — determines whether your name is mentioned in the boardroom as a candidate for opportunity or as an afterthought. Access to the C-suite of any organisation requires more than technical competence. It demands presence — the ability to shape narratives, command trust and influence decision-makers even when you’re not in the room.

Why visibility matters

A few months ago, I was having a conversation with a friend about how most institutions never advertise C-suite roles. These roles are filled quietly, through networks, trust and reputation. Organisations seek individuals who embody leadership readiness, not just managerial skill. That readiness is often demonstrated through visibility and influence. Yet, I have watched talented women — intelligent, capable and efficient — choose to remain behind the scenes. They deliver the work, ensure excellence, but pass the presentation or recognition moments to their male colleagues because it feels “safer.”

But here’s the truth: you cannot influence from the shadows. Leadership visibility is not about self-promotion; it is about strategic positioning. It is how you communicate your value, demonstrate confidence and allow others to associate your competence with leadership potential.

Influence as a catalyst for leadership mobility

Globally, studies show that organisations with gender-diverse leadership teams perform better financially and socially. Yet, in Ghana, women still occupy less than 15 percent of top executive roles across major industries. This gap is not solely due to lack of capacity or ambition; it often stems from limited visibility and weak stakeholder influence.

Influence builds advocates — people who will mention your name positively in a room of decision-makers. It opens doors to mentorship, sponsorship and strategic alliances. When women learn to manage influence intentionally, they amplify their leadership capacity and move from operational execution to strategic impact.

How women can build influence and visibility

1. Own your expertise – Speak confidently in meetings. Share insights and recommendations. Influence grows when people associate your name with credibility.
2. Be present in strategic spaces – Attend events, roundtables and fora that expand your visibility beyond your department or company.
3. Cultivate relationships intentionally – Influence thrives on trust and mutual respect. Build authentic connections with decision-makers and peers.
4. Mentor and be mentored – Influence multiplies when you empower others. Women who lift other women become visible champions of impact.
5. Tell your story – Use your voice. Whether through thought leadership, internal presentations or external platforms, visibility comes from articulating your journey and value.

Beyond representation — Toward impact

The goal of SDG 5 goes beyond placing women in leadership roles; it is about ensuring they have the influence to drive change once they get there. Ghana’s corporate landscape is evolving; but for women to take their rightful place at the table, they must begin to see influence not as manipulation or politics, but as a strategic leadership tool.

Every woman aspiring to the top must learn to navigate the dual pathway of competence and influence. Influence makes your competence visible. Influence gets your name mentioned. Influence opens the door to the C-suite.

As women in leadership, let’s move from the comfort of the background to the courage of visibility. Because when women lead with influence, they do not just change their titles — they change the trajectory of institutions, industries and nations.

>>>the writer is the Founder of Chalom Hights, a women’s empowerment organisation committed to breaking barriers, building confidence and helping young women lead with influence. Through initiatives like the ElevateHer Series, she advocates for visibility, leadership readiness and gender equity in corporate and entrepreneurial spaces.

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