For too long, leadership has been framed as a solo pursuit, a race to the top, where only a few get a seat at the table and everyone else is expected to fight for the scraps. That model was never designed for us. It was built on scarcity, not abundance. On exclusion, not collaboration. But for Black women, our power has always been different. I write about this in my book Afro in the Board chapter 3 Sisterhood. It lives in our ability to stand together, to build networks, to carry each other, to multiply strength rather than hoard it. The next chapter of leadership is not about competing for space, it’s about creating it together.
Competition Is a Script We Didn’t Write
Many of us grew up in professional environments where competition wasn’t just encouraged, it was glorified. Being “the only one” in the room was treated like a badge of honour, not the symptom of a system that kept us divided. I’ve been in boardrooms where women looked at one another as rivals rather than allies. Not because we wanted to, but because the system made us feel like there was room for only one of us. That is how scarcity works, it turns potential allies into silent competitors. But here’s the truth: we don’t have to keep playing by those rules. We can rewrite the script.
Why Collaboration Is Revolutionary
In a world that profits from our division, collaboration is radical.
When women collaborate, truly collaborate we disrupt the very structure that keeps power concentrated in the hands of a few. We create new networks of influence. We open doors wider, not just for ourselves, but for the next woman walking behind us.
Collaboration says: “I don’t need to dim your light to make mine shine.”
Collaboration says: “We can build something bigger together than we ever could alone.”
A Lesson from the Boardroom
I remember a particular project early in my consulting career. Two of us, Black women, were unknowingly being pitted against each other for the same opportunity. We were both qualified, both talented, both hungry.
For a moment, I almost fell into the trap of seeing her as competition. But something in me shifted. Instead of competing, we decided to collaborate. We shared strategy. We co-presented. We backed each other in meetings. And what happened? We not only secured the contract, we grew the opportunity beyond what was originally on the table. Our collective power amplified the vision. That moment changed the way I move in professional spaces forever.
Sisterhood as a Strategic Advantage
Sisterhood isn’t just an emotional safety net, it’s a strategic advantage.
When women choose to work together, they:
- Expand reach and visibility.
- Share knowledge, skills, and resources.
- Build credibility through mutual advocacy.
- Create a louder, more unified voice in rooms that would rather silence us.
I’ve seen deals close, programmes launch, and movements grow, not because of one person’s brilliance, but because of collective power.
Shifting from Scarcity to Abundance
Scarcity tells us there’s only one seat.
Abundance says: We can build the whole table.
Scarcity whispers: Protect your opportunity.
Abundance responds: Expand it.
Scarcity thrives on fear.
Abundance thrives on shared power.
This is the mindset shift we need in modern leadership. It’s not about fighting for a sliver of space, it’s about making sure none of us are alone at the table.
Collaboration in Action
Collaboration doesn’t have to be loud or performative. It looks like:
- Speaking another woman’s name in a room she isn’t in.
- Sharing contacts, opportunities, and resources without gatekeeping.
- Mentoring and sponsoring instead of competing.
- Building micro-alliances that shift power dynamics quietly but powerfully.
- Refusing to replicate the same exclusionary patterns we’ve had to fight against.
When we collaborate intentionally, we build structures that outlast us.
Practical Steps to Lead Through Collaboration
- Shift Your Mindset
See another woman’s success as proof of possibility, not a threat. - Lead with Generosity
Share knowledge, connections, and opportunities without fear that it weakens your position. - Be Visible and Vocal for Each Other
Advocate publicly and privately. Speak her name when the door opens. - Celebrate Loudly, Strategise Quietly
Support her wins openly, but also build together behind the scenes. - Model It for Others
The way we lead teaches the next generation how to move.
Rewriting Leadership Together
The truth is none of us got here alone. Someone made space. Someone held the door. Someone spoke our name. Someone reminded us of our power when the room tried to silence it. We owe it to each other to keep that legacy alive. Not through competition, but through collaboration with intention.
Final Reflection
Collaboration over competition isn’t just a nice slogan. It’s how we reclaim power. It’s how we build movements, not just careers. It’s how we ensure that when one of us rises, we all rise.
“When women collaborate, the boardroom doesn’t just change. The whole system shifts.”
So, the next time you’re in a space where the system wants to make you compete with the woman beside you, pause. Look her in the eye. See an ally, not a rival. Because together, we can build something far greater than the table they gave us.
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