As a coach, I often hear people talk about the ways they hold back their passion, their courage and sometimes even their sense of what is possible. I also hear people talk about how leaders or organisations are holding them back. Perhaps sometimes both are true. We wait until we feel ready. We wait for permission. We wait until someone notices us. That is what makes Rachel Ojuromi's story so powerful. She didn't wait for the invitation.

If meritocracy truly rewards talent, effort, and qualifications, why are women still vastly underrepresented in leadership?

When I took over the leadership of a team that was in disarray—struggling to deliver the required service and lacking support and respect..