In business, women often encounter what Deborah Tannen calls “the double bind”.

In her article ‘The Power of Talk: Who Gets Heard and Why’, Tannen describes the way women in leadership often walk a narrow line: if we’re too assertive then we’re labelled as abrasive, but if we’re not assertive enough then we become overlooked.

Thank you so much to Homara Choudhary for inviting me to speak about sustainable growth on her COP29 podcast, Sustainability Now.

To shine as a leader in today’s gig economy and to stand tall on the frontlines of your given industry, you must first understand what kind of leader you are at this very moment. Knowledge of your strengths and weaknesses will inevitably make you more self-aware of your current capabilities and what you can do to thrive.

In the 160,000 years that Homo sapiens have existed, our species has seen the rise and demise of genius millions of times over. And yet, despite those centuries of experience, the exact formula for genius remains an enigma to this day.

Yes, it is multifaceted. And, yes, it is the bringer of change and momentum in every civilisation. But power is not an alien, misunderstood concept.