Empowering young women to become inspiring leaders

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As Newsletter Coordinator, I am consistently blown away by the incredible stories that we are gifted to share with our readers. These stories leave me inspired, empowered and educated. From Shelly Marc’s fight for racial equality, to Lara and Nky leading action to combat sexual violence in UK Universities, I am in awe of the inspiring leadership and determination to change the world around us. We are a global and diverse network united in a common mission; women and underrepresented groups must lead the future of foreign policy decision making.

“Women bring to leadership a special sensitivity… a woman who is able to negotiate, to compromise, to find alternatives, is an example of strength.” Ellen Johnson Sirleaf

Young women need to realise their leadership potential and grasp opportunities to be agents of change, whether this be through leading a society at University or in the workplace. In this time of uncertainty and hardship, it is more important than ever that we lead with humanity, inspiration and hope. So, what does it mean to be an inspiring leader? Inspirational leadership can be developed and displayed in any setting. At its core is the ability to enhance the potential of those around you by creating an environment where they are inspired, energised and empowered to drive change. It is about self-awareness (what inspires you?) and awareness of others. Inspiring leaders seek and listen to advice and are not afraid to suggest bold changes.

“The finest acts of leadership are acts of inspiration and love.
Not acts of fluff. Not of seduction. Not of sentiment.
But acts of respect, of feeling, of humility, of presence, of listening” Nancy Kline

I can think of a few people that I would describe as inspiring leaders. What they all have in common is the ability to lead by example and with respect, compassion and courage, proving that “leaders are made, not born”.

Developing Compassion, Respect and Courage

Compassion means proactively engaging with the individual circumstances, values, strengths and priorities of those in your team and responding with kindness. The pandemic has revealed the importance of this and many point to the success of female leaders such as Jacinda Ardern, Erna Solberg and Angela Merkel. Without wishing to gender-generalise, these leaders (and many more) prove that respect and compassion are complementary to strength and decisiveness.


Respect has to be earned, maintained and nurtured. As an inspiring leader, create an environment of respect where everyone is supported in enhancing their performance. Stand in their shoes and take time to understand their pressures and guide them to be their best.


Courage is the ability to see yourself as a leader and be bold in having a positive impact on people. It is well researched that women are more likely to doubt their abilities and are less comfortable seeing themselves as leaders than men. I certainly struggle with self-confidence and self-doubt, comparing my weaknesses with other people’s strengths. This is normal yet when the going gets tough we are able to rise to the challenge and remind ourselves of the courage we all have. During the pandemic women across the world are showing remarkable courage; from the women balancing full time employment with homeschooling their children, to working endless hours as healthcare professionals on Covid-19 wards.

Of course, leadership is not about trying to ‘fit a mould’. I believe that by blending our own cocktail of leadership qualities based on personal strengths and the necessities of the role we can start to enhance our compassion, respect and courage, and be as inspiring as some of our great female heroes.


Here’s how:

  • Acquire wisdom through self-reflection and learning from others. Seek mentorship opportunities and learn from their knowledge and experience. I am fortunate to have weekly meetings with a mentor which has been fundamental to my professional development.

  • Strengthen your values and beliefs. Self-reflect on your personal value set and use it to shape your own leadership style. For me these are integrity, honesty, compassion and respect. As we progress in our careers, we must not lose sight of our initial driving force nor compromise on our values. If you are currently job-seeking, make sure the organisation’s values align with yours.

  • Empower others. Regardless of your position you have the ability to inspire and empower those around you. As cliché as it sounds, when you get to the top of the mountain, look down and give a hand up to the woman climbing up behind you.

So, as we approach International Women’s Day, I encourage you to stand up and see yourself as an inspiring leader.

Felicity Challinor is a newsletter coordinator studying Global Politics at Durham University.