#WomenEd Blogs

Taking the first steps towards Leadership

Monday, 27 March 2023

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By Sarah Moya @SarahMoya

After nearly twenty years of working in education, I find it is difficult to pinpoint where and how my experiences as a female professional differ from my male counterparts when it comes to career progression. Indeed, the subjective nature of my experiences, coupled with the suspicion that to raise them in the workplace may be met with denial and disapproval, has meant that I have perhaps shied away from conflict or starting difficult conversations where instead I should have been bolder and challenged decision making where I felt that gender was a factor.

So there was something incredibly empowering, uplifting and validating about being at the #WomenEd event held at Holy Cross School in Kingston in March, the day before International Women's Day, where I listened to a range of inspiring female leaders describe their own journeys.

I heard their experiences and recognised within them the commonalities with my own experiences
There were discussions about the struggle to be noticed above the members of the 'old boys' networks
I discovered the astonishing statistic that the education sector is the third worst nationally in relation the gender pay gap
I heard the call to all headteachers to not hire in their own self image

There were many aspects of the event that have stayed with me and left me feeling simultaneously frustrated and moved to ensure that I challenge the status quo, not only for my own career, but for all the brilliant, dedicated and inspiring women I have worked with and for the female pupils I have taught and will teach in the future.

The stories and experiences of the women at the #WomenEd event - women who have made outstanding contributions to education as female leaders - illustrated that taking those first steps towards action isn't always easy.

It takes courage to make changes and take chances in our careers when we feel inclined to wait patiently and politely for the right thing to happen, but that it is only after taking those actions, whether or not the results are what we desire, that we begin to develop our confidence and find our sense of direction.

In other words, we just need to get started.

And as females in education now, the impact and legacy of our actions will serve to inspire those that follow.

Or, as the great Dolly Parton put it:

'If your actions create a legacy that inspires others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, then, you are an excellent leader.'

It is with that in mind and the words of the brilliant women speakers at the event that I intend to move more boldly towards leadership roles myself whilst supporting my female colleagues to do the same.

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