Building Your Authentic Leadership Legacy: 3 Action Steps for Honoring Women’s History Month
As multicultural women leaders, we carry within us the strength of our ancestors and the dreams of those who follow us.
Our leadership legacies are built on the incredible women who have gone before us – women who led movements, broke barriers, and redefined what leadership could look like. This month, we honor them by continuing their work, showing up boldly, and shaping a future that reflects our values.
To help us kick off Women’s History Month, I want to share three action steps you can take to shape your authentic leadership legacy with intention:
1. Harness your hope
Hope is a powerful motivator – it’s the belief that change is possible and that your actions can create something meaningful. It’s what fueled the women before us to fight for the rights and opportunities we have today. From the suffragists who refused to be silenced to the trailblazing executives, activists, and changemakers of today, each journey started with hope.
As you step into your own leadership, ask yourself:
What do I want to be remembered for as a leader?
What kind of impact do I want to have on my team, my organization, or my industry?
How can I make my unique voice and values part of my work every day?
Action:
Write a “2025 Legacy Statement.” Imagine it’s the end of the year, and someone is giving you feedback on your leadership.
What would you want them to say about you? Use this vision to guide your decisions and priorities.
2. Take courageous action
The women we celebrate during Women’s History Month didn’t wait for permission to lead – they acted. Whether it was Dolores Huerta demanding labor rights, Patsy Mink reshaping education policy, or Maya Angelou using her words to change minds, these women stepped forward even when it was hard.
Your legacy begins with courage – the courage to lead authentically, rooted in your values and cultural identity. And it grows with intentionality, as you choose to elevate voices, champion justice, and ignite change through your actions.
Every decision you make, every person you empower, contributes to the braid of your legacy.
Action:
Identify one courageous step that pushes you closer to your goals and commit to doing it within the next 30 days.
Maybe it’s advocating for a promotion, sharing a perspective in a meeting, or mentoring someone who reminds you of where you started.
3. Accept that you’re on a journey
Leadership isn’t about perfection – it’s about progress. Every woman whose name we honor this month made mistakes, faced setbacks, and had moments of doubt. What made them remarkable wasn’t flawless leadership, but resilience.
Your legacy is being written every day in the small, consistent choices you make. Celebrate your wins, no matter how small, and give yourself grace when things don’t go as planned. Authentic leadership shines when it’s rooted in humanity – modeling for others that it’s okay to learn, adapt, and grow.
The legacy you’re building is a work in progress, and every day offers a new opportunity to learn, adapt, and move forward.
Action:
Create a pattern for an end-of-week reflection on one moment where you lived your values as a leader.
Write it down, and over time, you’ll have a record of how your legacy is unfolding.
Lead with Intention in 2025
This Women’s History Month, we can honor the past by shaping the future. Your leadership matters. Your voice matters. And when you lead with authenticity and purpose, you don’t just build a career… you build a legacy.
Rise boldly, knowing that the work you do today will inspire the next generation of women leaders.
Lead the way,
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