Allyship is the missing piece to the leadership puzzle

The conversation around women in leadership has undoubtedly shifted in recent years. Representation has improved, visibility is stronger and the rhetoric surrounding gender equity is more confident than it once was.  

Yet in highly technical and commercial environments such as actuarial, financial services and insurance, the structural barriers that have historically limited women's progression have not disappeared; they have simply become more subtle and, in some cases, harder to challenge. 

Research from the Tech Council of Australia shows that women make up only 20 percent of Australia's highly technical workforce, and after the age of 40, they leave the sector at nearly twice the rate of men. Those figures are more than statistics; they show the same persistent pattern: participation improves at entry level, but representation narrows sharply in senior technical and leadership roles. 

The issue is not capability. It never was. It is confidence, culture and the systems we continue to reward. 

The confidence gap starts long before the boardroom 

The pipeline problem does not begin at promotion. It begins earlier.  

Cultural messaging quietly shapes who feels they belong in maths-heavy, analytical or commercially complex roles. Many girls opt out early, not because of aptitude, but because somewhere along the way they absorb the message that they do not quite fit. 

I was told directly that women are not good at maths and should not be leading companies. My response was simple: I will prove you wrong! 

That determination can build resilience and ambition, but it also creates a generation of women who feel they must constantly justify their place. When a career is built on disproving assumptions, it carries an invisible tax, the pressure to be overprepared, over-credentialed and consistently exceptional, simply to be seen as credible.  

Those patterns do not disappear in the workplace. They compound as expectations increase and visibility grows. 

Inclusion cannot sit with women alone 

At Finity, I serve as a Board sponsor for our diversity, equity and inclusion program. Our goal is straightforward, to design a workplace where talent thrives because of difference, not in spite of it. 

Our volunteers are called "allies", intentionally, reflecting our belief that DEI is not an initiative owned by women, but a leadership responsibility shared across the organisation.  

Part of my role is elevating underrepresented voices to the Board and ensuring feedback translates into policy, measurable targets and practical change. That includes mentoring programs, structured development pathways and deliberate advocacy for progression into highly technical and commercial leadership roles. 

However, one uncomfortable truth remains: in many organisations, DEI work is still disproportionately carried by women. While that commitment is admirable, it is neither sustainable nor sufficient to drive systemic change.  

Allyship is the missing lever 

Progress accelerates when men step in as active allies. Not merely as observers or supporters in theory, but as visible participants in redesigning systems and challenging bias.  

Allyship involves listening and being open to feedback, being active in breaking down barriers, calling out bias in real time, nurturing and sponsoring talented individuals.  

Creating workplaces where women can thrive  

Flexibility, while important, is not synonymous with equity. Hybrid work arrangements, parental leave policies and public commitments are a start, but they will not close leadership gaps on their own. 

Let us focus on making workplaces where women feel like they belong. Where we broaden our definition of leadership and potential. Recognising the value a balance in gender can make to a business, through emotional intelligence, thoughtful decision-making, and the ability to influence collaboratively.  

A responsibility to the next generation 

International Women's Day should be more than a celebration of incremental progress. It should prompt a deeper question about whether the systems we're building today are going to make the next generation fight the same battles we have.  

Women do not need to be more resilient. What we need are structures that remove barriers and penalties, make women feel like they belong in the boardroom and make allyship a shared expectation rather than a 'nice-to-have'.  

For leaders, particularly men, the message is simple: participate actively and challenge assumptions that no longer serve the organisation. For younger women entering technical fields, do not wait until you feel ready before putting yourself forward. Find allies who will advocate for you in rooms you are not yet in, remain conscious of the confidence gap without letting it define you, and push for more than previous generations were encouraged to. 

The future of leadership will not be shaped by policies on paper. It is whether organisations are prepared to redesign systems with intention and accountability. Allyship is not a side conversation, but it is the missing piece that will determine whether progress accelerates or quietly stalls.