In this episode of Lead to Soar, Michelle Redfern and Mel Butcher examine why so many capable women stall, disengage, or leave organisations, and why the problem is almost never the women themselves.
Using the metaphor of a flower that fails to bloom, the conversation shifts attention away from individual confidence, resilience, or ambition and toward the workplace conditions women are expected to succeed within.
Michelle and Mel explore how systems, norms, and leadership behaviours can quietly suppress women’s growth, even in organisations that believe they are supportive or progressive. They challenge the habit of asking what women need to change and instead focus on the better question: what is happening in the environment that makes thriving difficult?
The episode also looks at how bias shows up in expectations, feedback, opportunity allocation, and leadership pathways, and why women are too often over-developed in coping skills while under-supported by the system.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
Why women not thriving is a systems issue, not a confidence problem
How workplace conditions shape women’s performance and progression
The limits of individual development programs in biased environments
What leaders must examine when women stall or opt out
How inclusive leadership shows up through decisions, not intentions
Leadership questions to consider:
Where do women struggle to progress in our organisation and why?
What behaviours and contributions are rewarded or ignored?
How are opportunities, feedback, and risk distributed?
This episode is essential listening for leaders and organisations serious about creating workplaces where women can thrive, not just survive.
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