by Nicola Holloway
When we talk about leadership in international schools, it’s easy to turn to numbers. We hear about the ‘feminisation’ of education and how women make up the majority of teaching staff worldwide. When we take a closer look at these numbers, women remain underrepresented in school leadership roles, especially in the most senior roles.
But this isn’t a story about statistics. It’s a story of the voices of women I have spoken to, the stories they have shared. The voices that have struggled to be heard, to be recognised, to take up space. By looking into research and real stories, we can explore the systemic, social, and emotional challenges women face and practical ways schools can help create more inclusive leadership opportunities for women in international education.
‘I was in the room but not included at the table’
Let’s start with a story you may have heard before, because today’s challenges are not new.
Leila, a Deputy Head in a school in Asia, shared how she was the only woman on the senior leadership team. When she put forward ideas in meetings, she was often spoken over or dismissed. Yet when the same idea was shared minutes later by a male colleague, it was accepted by the group. This is not always intentional, but it is common. In 2017, Nicola Gugliucci introduced the term ‘hepeating’ to friends in a text describing this phenomenon. ‘Hepeating’ reflects subtle gender biases which influence the way men and women act as well as the way that their behaviours are received.
Many international schools talk about academic integrity and teach strategies such as paraphrasing ideas and citing sources to students. We can also respect each other’s intellectual contribution through norms of behaviour that show allyship and acknowledge others’ contributions in meetings. Allyship and acknowledgement might sound like: “I really liked Leila’s point earlier about…” or “Let’s build on what Leila suggested, that could really help us to…”.
When you are setting your team norms, let’s make them inclusive.
“When I’m decisive, I’m called bossy. When I’m collaborative, I’m called soft.”
The ‘think leader, think male’ mindset is still ingrained in many cultures. For women, this may result in female leaders being criticised for behaviours that earn men praise. Lucy, a Head of Department in South America, shared how she was called into a meeting with her Head of School. The concern? Her tone had been described as “too aggressive.” Yet her male colleague, who demonstrated similar directness, was praised as a strong and confident leader.
In Europe, Charlotte called me after hearing through the grapevine that she had not been interviewed for a leadership role she had been voluntarily covering. The reason? She was considered “too quiet.”
This is the tightrope that women leaders face. If they lead with confidence and authority, they risk being labelled aggressive or unlikable. Lead with empathy and collaboration, and they risk being seen as soft or lacking authority. This is not about individual women leaders lacking leadership skills; it is about gendered expectations about how leaders should behave.
Schools can address this by redefining what good leadership looks like, celebrating different leadership styles and actively challenging bias in systems and processes. When we make space for diverse leadership and question the systems that limit it, we build stronger teams and more inclusive schools.
“I am lucky that I can walk back into my leadership post after being on maternity leave.”
A few weeks ago, I read a heartfelt post from a woman leading in an international school. She described feeling “lucky” that her school supported her return after maternity leave. Through motherhood and beyond, women take on most of the unpaid care work and mental load at home. The impact of this ‘double shift’ may increase in international schools where transitions, long-distance care for family and lack of support network can all compound the mental load.
I spoke to Jenny, an experienced teacher thinking about stepping into leadership. “I would love to,” she told me, “but it is just not the right time. There is too much happening at home.” I have heard versions of this story in many different contexts, and we could be losing potential leaders before they even step through the leadership door. Challenging the way we have done leadership in the past can make leadership more accessible for everyone. Schools could consider redesigning out-of-hours expectations, providing administrative support to free up the cognitive load, providing care support for diverse families and exploring hybrid work options.
“In my culture, women are not seen as leaders, growing up I never saw a woman in a leadership role.”
The challenges of women in leadership are complex. Every woman brings her own experiences and identity to leadership. For many, that includes the added challenge of cultural expectations, racial identity, religion or sexuality. Women of colour, LGBTQ+ leaders, and non-Western women may face the pressure to conform while simultaneously being stereotyped. Ann, a leader from Asia and a member of the LGBTQ+ community, spoke openly about the way she questions her leadership identity. In her home country, women leaders are rare. As an LGBTQ+ woman, the pressure to conform, along with the experience of being seen as different, is even greater. While many challenges are shared, each person’s story is unique. Schools can support all leaders to define their leadership identity, overcome challenges and achieve leadership goals by funding mentorship and coaching programmes. When students see leaders who look like them, sound like them and share their experiences, it shows them what is possible. It tells them that they can be leaders too. The barriers that women face in leadership are well known, but there are solutions. When schools take the time to design leadership pathways that are flexible, inclusive and accessible, everyone benefits. By recognising and challenging bias, rethinking outdated systems and creating space for different leadership styles to thrive, we make leadership something that all educators can aspire to. Providing women with support through mentoring and coaching, we allow them to develop confidence and their leadership identity. By taking proactive steps, schools can grow diverse and effective leadership teams that challenge leadership stereotypes and positively impact learning and teaching.
Nicola Holloway is currently researching women’s leadership for sustainable futures and global at Portsmouth University.
Nicola Holloway, Founder, Leaderbly
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