The powerful theme for International Women’s Day 2025, ‘For all women and girls: Rights, Equality and Empowerment’, resonates deeply with me, not just as a leader but as a woman who has worked across a range of sectors to advance the rights and opportunities of women and gender-diverse people. At YWCA Australia, we’ve been doing this for over 140 years, providing housing, support services and leadership pathways that empower women and their families to build the futures they deserve.

As I sit here on Larrakia Country in Darwin, watching the sun dip below the horizon, I reflect on the journey of leadership – my journey and the journeys of so many women who lead with courage, conviction and compassion. Leadership is not about perfection; it’s about purpose. It’s about aligning your values with your purpose and having the vulnerability to admit when you don’t have all the answers and when you need help.

My career has taken me from airlines in the Caribbean to working in TV across Europe and the United Kingdom, running A-League men’s professional football clubs in New Zealand and Australia and delivering lifesaving women’s health services in Nepal, Cambodia and South Africa. These experiences have shaped my understanding of the systemic barriers women face and the transformative power of opportunity and support.

For me, leadership comes down to two Vs: Values and Vulnerability in delivering your purpose. These are not just buzzwords; they are the foundation of how I lead, and they are the driving force behind the culture we’ve built at YWCA Australia.

My values have guided me through every role, and my vulnerability has allowed me to connect with the people across the organizations I have had the opportunity to work in. Together, these principles over time have shaped my approach to leadership.

The first V: Values

Values are the compass that guides every decision, every action and every interaction. Early in my career, I made the mistake of thinking values were just words on a page – something for HR to check off. I couldn’t have been more wrong. Values are the heartbeat of an organization. They define who we are, how we work and why we do what we do.

I live my life by three personal value themes: curiosity, fairness and justice and adventure. If a leadership role aligns with these values, I can provide the best me to an organization. I have taken roles that are not aligned to my values, and my heart wasn’t in it. I thought I could force it, but you can’t. The roles that are aligned to my values are where I thrive, and in turn, so does the organization that I am leading.

The success of my place in an organization and the success of the organization itself does not just depend on my values. The values of the organization are just as important, if not more.

At YWCA Australia, we’ve worked hard to ensure our values are not just aspirational but actionable. They are embedded in what we do, from how we support our team members to how we deliver services to the women and families who rely on us. Our recent Culture Survey results are a testament to this. With nearly 80 percent participation, the survey revealed that 96 percent of our team members understand our values, 93 percent know how to bring them to life in their roles, and 93 percent would recommend YWCA Australia as a great place to work.

But values don’t just drive culture – they drive performance. Over the past seven years, YWCA Australia has become a high-performing organization, delivering greater impact and improving our financial position while fully focused on our purpose. This didn’t happen by accident. It happened because we’ve stayed true to our values in delivering our purpose.

The second V: Vulnerability

Vulnerability is often misunderstood as a weakness. In reality, it’s one of the greatest strengths a leader can have. It’s about being honest about what you don’t know, admitting when you’ve made a mistake and creating a safe space for your team to do the same.

I’ve learned that leadership isn’t about having all the answers – it’s about asking the right questions and being open to learning from those around you. At YWCA Australia, we’ve fostered a culture where vulnerability is not just accepted but celebrated.

Our survey showed that 95 percent of team members feel supported by their managers, 94 percent feel their manager genuinely cares about their wellbeing and 90 percent can be their authentic self at work. This didn’t happen overnight, and we still have work to do. It happened because we’ve created an environment where people feel seen, heard and valued, not just as employees, but as people invested in our purpose.

Leadership in action: The intersection of values and vulnerability

At YWCA Australia, we’ve seen firsthand how values-driven leadership can transform lives. Whether it’s through our gender-responsive housing services, our specialist homelessness and domestic violence support programs or our leadership pathways for women, we are making a tangible difference in the lives of women and gender-diverse people across Australia.

But there’s still so much work to be done. As we head into the Federal Election, housing will be a critical issue – and in housing, gender matters. Women and gender-diverse people are disproportionately impacted by housing insecurity and homelessness. Domestic and family violence remains the leading cause of homelessness for women in Australia.

The right to safe, secure housing is the foundation of equality. Without it, women cannot thrive, families cannot flourish and futures cannot be built.

Because when women lead with values, vulnerability and purpose, they can create positive change for whole communities.

Opinions expressed by The CEO Magazine contributors are their own.