Reflecting on my time speaking at the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) conference on the Women’s Leadership Panel, one realization stood out clearly: we spend a tremendous amount of time talking about getting to the table, securing that first seat, breaking through glass ceilings, and ensuring our voices are present in key governance and corporate decisions. As women, that climb to be seen, heard, and valued in strategic spaces is deeply personal.
Standing on that stage with dynamic leaders from across the province, it became clear that simply arriving at the table is no longer the final goal.
The real question is: What are we doing with the space around us once we arrive?
For years, the corporate and public sectors have relied on mentorship as the default solution for advancing women. Mentorship is valuable; it offers advice, encouragement, and guidance over coffee. But goodwill alone doesn’t build a sustainable pipeline. Real structural change happens when we move beyond mentorship into sponsorship.
Sponsorship means putting your reputation on the line, spending your political and social capital, and actively pulling women into high-stakes operational roles, budget owning portfolios, and key decision-making positions.
Sponsorship also demands a deeper, more subtle kind of courage: knowing when to step back so someone else can step up.
Leaving the table isn’t an admission of defeat or a surrender of influence. Done with intention, it is a powerful act of strategic governance. It recognizes that your leadership has built the foundation and that the most impactful thing you can do next is open that exact seat for the next generation to step into their own authority.
When we actively sponsor emerging talent and build a bench that is prepared, supported, and positioned to lead, we ensure our communities thrive long after we’ve moved on. True leadership isn’t just holding court at the head of the table; it’s making sure the room keeps growing, expanding, and leading long into the future.