For years, conversations about women in leadership have focused on getting women into the room. But being present does not necessarily mean having power. At the Standard Bank Top Women Conference in Sandton this week, the conversation moved beyond representation to ask what happens once women get through the door.
Under the theme “Her Power. Africa’s Future: Amplifying Women-Led Growth”, the two-day conference brought together women leaders, entrepreneurs and business figures to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing women in the workplace and economy. Across discussions about leadership, artificial intelligence, education, entrepreneurship, and workplace culture, one message came through strongly; women need more than a seat at the table. They need to be heard, supported and given the opportunity to influence decisions.
For Ifeoma Agu, inclusion is about much more than having women physically present in a workplace. “It’s not just about who is in the room; it’s about who has a voice in the room, who gets heard, who gets interrupted, who gets the promotion and who gets to raise their hand in the room,” she said. Her point speaks to the difference between diversity and genuine inclusion. An organisation may have women represented across different levels, but if they are not listened to, promoted or trusted with decision-making power, the numbers alone mean little.
The conference identified leadership behaviour, organisational systems and accountability as key pillars in creating safer and more inclusive workplaces. Panellists also challenged the different standards often applied to men and women in leadership. Male confidence can be interpreted as leadership, while a woman displaying the same confidence may be viewed as aggressive. These perceptions can affect who is considered credible, who is given opportunities and who ultimately progresses into senior positions.
The conversation also highlighted the difference between mentorship and sponsorship. Women are often given mentors who can provide advice and encouragement, but sponsorship requires someone with influence to actively advocate for them and open doors for them. As pointed out, women are “highly mentored but under-sponsored”. That distinction is important because career progression is not always determined by ability alone. Networks, visibility and having someone willing to put their influence behind you can determine who gets the next opportunity.
But creating more inclusive workplaces also requires women to know themselves and understand what they are willing to accept. The conference encouraged women to be vocal, establish their boundaries, and make it clear when something is unacceptable. It is easy to lose yourself in a workplace, particularly when trying to fit into environments that may have their own expectations of what a successful woman should look and sound like. Knowing who you are can provide the confidence to keep moving, while psychological safety gives women the space to speak without fear of being dismissed or punished.
The discussion extended beyond the workplace to the future of young women entering an economy increasingly shaped by technology. Artificial intelligence is changing the skills employers need, making it important for education systems to prepare young people for a world that will look very different from the one previous generations entered. One of the conference messages captured this as “TQ plus EQ equals AIQ”, emphasising that technical competency and emotional intelligence will both be important as AI becomes part of everyday work.
For young women, however, access to these skills is closely connected to whether they can remain in education in the first place. The conference highlighted the need to keep girls in school as part of addressing challenges, including HIV, teenage pregnancy and gender-based violence. Education is not only about obtaining qualifications. It can determine whether a young woman has the opportunity to enter the economy, earn an income and make choices about her future.
That future also requires women to have access to economic opportunities. Conversations about women-led businesses, networking, and entrepreneurship highlighted the importance of connecting women with potential clients, investors, and partners rather than simply encouraging them to network. Initiatives such as Pitch Power and the Topco Deal Lounge were positioned as spaces where those connections could become actual business opportunities.
The question of support also extends to areas such as women’s sport, where female athletes continue to fight for visibility, investment and recognition. If society is serious about women’s empowerment, support cannot only arrive after women have succeeded. It has to be present as they build their careers and businesses.
The conference raised a question that goes beyond the boardroom, what does it actually mean to empower women? It cannot simply mean placing women in positions and expecting them to adapt to systems that were not built with them in mind. It means creating workplaces where their voices carry weight, providing sponsorship alongside mentorship, preparing girls for the future and giving women access to the networks and opportunities that can turn potential into progress.
Women do not only need to be invited into the room. They need to be able to speak, be heard and help decide what happens once they get there.
