Latest news with #Sylvia
Sky News
3 hours ago
- Sky News
Edward Zakrzewski: Execution of man who killed his wife and children sets new state record
A man who murdered his wife and two children with a machete has become the ninth person to be executed in Florida this year. Edward Zakrzewski's death sets a new annual record for the state - and two more are scheduled this month. The 60-year-old was pronounced dead on Thursday after being given a three-drug injection: a sedative, a paralytic and a drug that stops the heart. Zakrzewski had been on Death Row since 1994, when he was convicted of murdering his wife and two children, aged seven and five. He had told others he would kill them rather than let his wife, Sylvia, divorce him. She was attacked first with a crowbar and strangled with a rope, while the children were hacked to death with the machete. Sylvia was also attacked with the machete when Zakrzewski thought she was still alive, according to court testimony. Zakrzewski's final bid to delay the execution was thrown out on Wednesday. Officials at Florida State Prison said he had a final meal of fried pork chops, root beer and ice cream. His final words were: "I want to thank the good people of the Sunshine State for killing me in the most cold, calculated, clean, humane, efficient way possible. I have no complaint." Opponents of the execution argued it shouldn't take place as the original 7-5 jury split in favour of killing him wouldn't be enough under current laws. Florida's previous record since capital punishment was restored in 1976 was eight executions back in 2014. No other state has killed more people this year - and two more are set to take place in Florida on 19 and 28 August. Texas and South Carolina are second, with four executions each. A total of 27 men have been put to death in the US so far in 2025.
The Irish Sun
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
How Sylvia Young went from housewife charging 10p for drama lessons to theatre school boss who made Britain's top stars
FOR a housewife who started out charging ten pence for after-school drama lessons, Sylvia Young had an incredible ability to spot raw talent. The 85-year-old, who 15 Sylvia Young had an incredible ability to spot raw talent Credit: Alamy 15 Sylvia helped hone the skills of a who's who of the British entertainment industry Credit: Facebook/FrancesRuffelle 15 Amy Winehouse passed the audition to join Sylvia's theatre school in London Credit: Getty 15 A young Amy Winehouse pictured at the Sylvia Young Theatre School Credit: X Among those to have passed the audition to join her theatre school in London were singers Dua, who has won seven Brit awards and three Grammys, said that she did not know she could sing until a teacher at the Sylvia Young Theatre School told her how good she was. Actors who attended her classes include The school was also a conveyor belt for EastEnders stars, with Nick Berry, Letitia Dean, Adam Woodyatt and Dean Gaffney all passing through its doors. READ MORE ON DRAMA SCHOOLS Stage fright But there were problems along the way. In 1998 one of the drama masters was arrested for indecent assault, and the company struggled to survive the Covid shutdown. The pressures of fame also proved too much for some former pupils, including the late Winehouse and EastEnders' original Mark Fowler, David Scarboro, who was found at the bottom of cliffs as Beachy Head in East Sussex in 1988. Sylvia, though, was loved by her former pupils, many of whom paid tribute to the 'backstage matriarch'. Keeley Hawes wrote: 'I wouldn't have the career I have today without her help'. Most read in Celebrity And All Saints singer Nicole Appleton commented: 'This is going to really affect us all who were lucky enough to be part of her amazing world growing up. What a time, the best memories.' DJ Tony Blackburn added: 'She was a very lovely lady who I had the privilege of knowing for many years. She will be sadly missed.' Winehouse Shows Star Quality Actress Sadie Frost commented online: 'What a woman, what a family, what a legacy! Sending everyone so much love and support. She was always so lovely to me.' And TV and radio presenter Kate Thornton said she 'meant so much to so many'. Sylvia did not boast about the success of her students and the school's website does not mention its incredible roster of ex-pupils. But it is hard to imagine a single drama teacher ever having as much impact as her. Sylvia's two daughters, Alison and Frances Ruffelle, who are directors of the theatre school, said: 'Our mum was a true visionary. 'She gave young people from all walks of life the chance to pursue their performing arts skills to the highest standard. 'Her rare ability to recognise raw talent and encourage all her students contributed to the richness of today's theatre and music world, even winning herself an Olivier Award along the way.' 15 Pop star Rita Ora also attended Sylvia's school Credit: Getty 15 Rita Ora pictured as a student of the Sylvia Young Theatre School Credit: John Clark/22five Publishing 15 Denise Van Outen was a product of the prestigious school Credit: Getty 15 A young and smiling Denise at Sylvia's school Credit: YouTube Sylvia made it to the top of the British entertainment industry the hard way. She was the eldest of nine children born to Abraham Bakal, a tailor's presser, and housewife Sophie in London's East End. Born in 1939 just after the outbreak of World War Two she remembered the air raid sirens during the Blitz of the capital. She was evacuated to a village near At the local library she was gripped by reading plays and would meet up with friends to perform them. While still at school she joined a theatre group in North London, but her dreams of treading the boards in the West End were dashed by stage fright. She said: 'I used to lose my voice before every production. When I think about it, they were sort of panic attacks.' Instead, she married telephone engineer Norman Ruffell in 1961 and stayed at home to look after their two daughters. When Alison and Frances attended primary school, Sylvia started teaching drama to their fellow pupils. It cost just ten pence and the kids also got a cup of orange squash and a biscuit. Word spread and when her students got the nickname the Young-uns, Sylvia decided to adopt the surname Young for business purposes. The first Sylvia Young Theatre School was set up in 1981 in Drury Lane in the heart of London's theatre district. Two years later, it moved to a former church school in Marylebone in central London, where most of its famous pupils got their start. Even though it is fee-paying, everyone has to pass an audition — and only one in 25 applicants are successful. 15 Dua Lipa, who has won seven Brit awards and three Grammys Credit: Redferns 15 She did not know she could sing until a teacher at the Sylvia Young Theatre School told her how good she was Credit: Instagram 15 Emma Bunton joining the Spice Girls was thanks to Sylvia's school Credit: Getty 15 It was thanks to talent scouts and casting agents putting up requests on the notice board at the school Credit: Shutterstock Editorial It costs up to £7,000 per term for full-time students and only has places for 250 pupils aged ten to 16. There are bursaries and fee reductions for pupils from less well-off backgrounds, plus a Saturday school and part-time classes. Sylvia was always keen to avoid it being a school for rich kids. When she took an assembly she would ask pupils, 'What mustn't we be?', and they would shout back, 'Stage school brats'. Keeping kids level-headed when stardom beckoned was also important for the teacher. She said: 'I offer good training and like to keep the students as individual as possible. 'We develop a lot of confidence and communication skills. Of course they want immediate stardom, but they're not expecting it. You don't find notices up here about who's doing what. It is actually played down tremendously.' 'Baby Spice was lovely' A need for discipline even applied to Sylvia's daughter Frances, who she expelled from the school. Frances clearly got over it, going on to have a career in musical theatre and representing the United Kingdom in the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest, finishing tenth. Those genes were strong, with Frances' daughter, stage name Eliza Doolittle, having a Top Five hit with Pack Up in 2010. The ever-rebellious Amy Winehouse, who died in 2011 aged 27 from accidental alcohol poisoning, claimed to have been kicked out, too. She said: 'I was just being a brat and being disruptive and so on. I loved it there, I didn't have a problem, I just didn't want to conform. 'And they didn't like me wearing a nose piercing.' But Sylvia did not want Amy to leave. She said: 'She would upset the academic teachers, except the English teacher who thought she'd be a novelist. She seemed to be just loved. But she was naughty.' Other singers were clearly inspired by their time at the school, which moved to new premises in Westminster in 2010. 15 Billie Piper had her acting skills honed thanks to Sylvia Credit: Getty 15 Billie attended the Sylvia Young Theatre School Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd 15 Sylvia was loved by her former pupils, many of whom paid tribute to the 'backstage matriarch' Credit: Alamy She said, 'I was terrified', but that the vocal coach 'was the first person to tell me I could sing'. Talent scouts and casting agents would put up requests on the notice board at the school. One such posting led to Emma Bunton joining the Spice Girls. Of Baby Spice, Sylvia said: 'She got away with whatever she could. But she was a lovely, happy-go-lucky individual with a sweet singing voice.' Groups were also formed by Sylvia's ex-pupils. All Saints singer Melanie Blatt became best friends with But Melanie was not complimentary about the school, once saying: 'I just found the whole thing really up its own arse.' Casting agents did, however, hold the classes in very high regard. The professionalism instilled in the students meant that producers from major British TV shows such as EastEnders and Grange Hill kept coming back for more. Hundreds, if not thousands, of less well-known performers treading the boards of Britain's stages also have the school's ethos to thank for their success. Those achievements were recognised in the 2005 Honours List when Sylvia was awarded an OBE for services to the arts. Sir Cameron Mackintosh, who has produced shows including Les Miserables and Cats, said: 'The show that provided the greatest showcase for the young actors she discovered and nurtured is undoubtedly Oliver! which has featured hundreds of her students over the years. 'Sylvia was a pioneer who became a caring but formidable children's agent.'
Scottish Sun
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
How Sylvia Young went from housewife charging 10p for drama lessons to theatre school boss who made Britain's top stars
FOR a housewife who started out charging ten pence for after-school drama lessons, Sylvia Young had an incredible ability to spot raw talent. The 85-year-old, who died on Wednesday, helped hone the skills of a who's who of the British entertainment industry. 15 Sylvia Young had an incredible ability to spot raw talent Credit: Alamy 15 Sylvia helped hone the skills of a who's who of the British entertainment industry Credit: Facebook/FrancesRuffelle 15 Amy Winehouse passed the audition to join Sylvia's theatre school in London Credit: Getty 15 A young Amy Winehouse pictured at the Sylvia Young Theatre School Credit: X Among those to have passed the audition to join her theatre school in London were singers Amy Winehouse, Leona Lewis, Dua Lipa, Rita Ora and three-quarters of All Saints. Dua, who has won seven Brit awards and three Grammys, said that she did not know she could sing until a teacher at the Sylvia Young Theatre School told her how good she was. Actors who attended her classes include Keeley Hawes, Doctor Who's Matt Smith, Nicholas Hoult, who is in the latest Superman blockbuster, and Emmy-nominated Adolescence and Top Boy star Ashley Walters. The school was also a conveyor belt for EastEnders stars, with Nick Berry, Letitia Dean, Adam Woodyatt and Dean Gaffney all passing through its doors. Stage fright But there were problems along the way. In 1998 one of the drama masters was arrested for indecent assault, and the company struggled to survive the Covid shutdown. The pressures of fame also proved too much for some former pupils, including the late Winehouse and EastEnders' original Mark Fowler, David Scarboro, who was found at the bottom of cliffs as Beachy Head in East Sussex in 1988. Sylvia, though, was loved by her former pupils, many of whom paid tribute to the 'backstage matriarch'. Keeley Hawes wrote: 'I wouldn't have the career I have today without her help'. And All Saints singer Nicole Appleton commented: 'This is going to really affect us all who were lucky enough to be part of her amazing world growing up. What a time, the best memories.' DJ Tony Blackburn added: 'She was a very lovely lady who I had the privilege of knowing for many years. She will be sadly missed.' Winehouse Shows Star Quality Actress Sadie Frost commented online: 'What a woman, what a family, what a legacy! Sending everyone so much love and support. She was always so lovely to me.' And TV and radio presenter Kate Thornton said she 'meant so much to so many'. Sylvia did not boast about the success of her students and the school's website does not mention its incredible roster of ex-pupils. But it is hard to imagine a single drama teacher ever having as much impact as her. Sylvia's two daughters, Alison and Frances Ruffelle, who are directors of the theatre school, said: 'Our mum was a true visionary. 'She gave young people from all walks of life the chance to pursue their performing arts skills to the highest standard. 'Her rare ability to recognise raw talent and encourage all her students contributed to the richness of today's theatre and music world, even winning herself an Olivier Award along the way.' 15 Pop star Rita Ora also attended Sylvia's school Credit: Getty 15 Rita Ora pictured as a student of the Sylvia Young Theatre School Credit: John Clark/22five Publishing 15 Denise Van Outen was a product of the prestigious school Credit: Getty 15 A young and smiling Denise at Sylvia's school Credit: YouTube Sylvia made it to the top of the British entertainment industry the hard way. She was the eldest of nine children born to Abraham Bakal, a tailor's presser, and housewife Sophie in London's East End. Born in 1939 just after the outbreak of World War Two she remembered the air raid sirens during the Blitz of the capital. She was evacuated to a village near Barnsley during the war, only returning home once it was over. At the local library she was gripped by reading plays and would meet up with friends to perform them. While still at school she joined a theatre group in North London, but her dreams of treading the boards in the West End were dashed by stage fright. She said: 'I used to lose my voice before every production. When I think about it, they were sort of panic attacks.' Instead, she married telephone engineer Norman Ruffell in 1961 and stayed at home to look after their two daughters. When Alison and Frances attended primary school, Sylvia started teaching drama to their fellow pupils. It cost just ten pence and the kids also got a cup of orange squash and a biscuit. Word spread and when her students got the nickname the Young-uns, Sylvia decided to adopt the surname Young for business purposes. The first Sylvia Young Theatre School was set up in 1981 in Drury Lane in the heart of London's theatre district. Two years later, it moved to a former church school in Marylebone in central London, where most of its famous pupils got their start. Even though it is fee-paying, everyone has to pass an audition — and only one in 25 applicants are successful. 15 Dua Lipa, who has won seven Brit awards and three Grammys Credit: Redferns 15 She did not know she could sing until a teacher at the Sylvia Young Theatre School told her how good she was Credit: Instagram 15 Emma Bunton joining the Spice Girls was thanks to Sylvia's school Credit: Getty 15 It was thanks to talent scouts and casting agents putting up requests on the notice board at the school Credit: Shutterstock Editorial It costs up to £7,000 per term for full-time students and only has places for 250 pupils aged ten to 16. There are bursaries and fee reductions for pupils from less well-off backgrounds, plus a Saturday school and part-time classes. Sylvia was always keen to avoid it being a school for rich kids. When she took an assembly she would ask pupils, 'What mustn't we be?', and they would shout back, 'Stage school brats'. Keeping kids level-headed when stardom beckoned was also important for the teacher. She said: 'I offer good training and like to keep the students as individual as possible. 'We develop a lot of confidence and communication skills. Of course they want immediate stardom, but they're not expecting it. You don't find notices up here about who's doing what. It is actually played down tremendously.' 'Baby Spice was lovely' A need for discipline even applied to Sylvia's daughter Frances, who she expelled from the school. Frances clearly got over it, going on to have a career in musical theatre and representing the United Kingdom in the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest, finishing tenth. Those genes were strong, with Frances' daughter, stage name Eliza Doolittle, having a Top Five hit with Pack Up in 2010. The ever-rebellious Amy Winehouse, who died in 2011 aged 27 from accidental alcohol poisoning, claimed to have been kicked out, too. She said: 'I was just being a brat and being disruptive and so on. I loved it there, I didn't have a problem, I just didn't want to conform. 'And they didn't like me wearing a nose piercing.' But Sylvia did not want Amy to leave. She said: 'She would upset the academic teachers, except the English teacher who thought she'd be a novelist. She seemed to be just loved. But she was naughty.' Other singers were clearly inspired by their time at the school, which moved to new premises in Westminster in 2010. 15 Billie Piper had her acting skills honed thanks to Sylvia Credit: Getty 15 Billie attended the Sylvia Young Theatre School Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd 15 Sylvia was loved by her former pupils, many of whom paid tribute to the 'backstage matriarch' Credit: Alamy Dua Lipa, who went to the Saturday school from the age of nine, was asked to sing in front of other pupils shortly after joining. She said, 'I was terrified', but that the vocal coach 'was the first person to tell me I could sing'. Talent scouts and casting agents would put up requests on the notice board at the school. One such posting led to Emma Bunton joining the Spice Girls. Of Baby Spice, Sylvia said: 'She got away with whatever she could. But she was a lovely, happy-go-lucky individual with a sweet singing voice.' Groups were also formed by Sylvia's ex-pupils. All Saints singer Melanie Blatt became best friends with Nicole Appleton at Sylvia Young's and brought her in when her band needed new singers in 1996. But Melanie was not complimentary about the school, once saying: 'I just found the whole thing really up its own arse.' Casting agents did, however, hold the classes in very high regard. The professionalism instilled in the students meant that producers from major British TV shows such as EastEnders and Grange Hill kept coming back for more. Hundreds, if not thousands, of less well-known performers treading the boards of Britain's stages also have the school's ethos to thank for their success. Those achievements were recognised in the 2005 Honours List when Sylvia was awarded an OBE for services to the arts. Sir Cameron Mackintosh, who has produced shows including Les Miserables and Cats, said: 'The show that provided the greatest showcase for the young actors she discovered and nurtured is undoubtedly Oliver! which has featured hundreds of her students over the years. 'Sylvia was a pioneer who became a caring but formidable children's agent.'
Daily Mirror
19 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Stage school star Sylvia Young's savage reprimand to young Rita Ora over rule-break
Dubbed the 'backstage matriarch', Sylvia Young, who died this week aged 86, nurtured some of Britain's most famous names at her London school, which opened in 1981. She mostly passed unnoticed in the street but in many ways Sylvia Young was everywhere – in soaps, sitcoms and TV dramas, in Hollywood films and on West End stages, and in worldwide hits and stadium shows. Without her, we might never have known pop stars like Amy Winehouse, Dua Lipa, Rita Ora or Leona Lewis. And from Grange Hill to Doctor Who and EastEnders, some famous names may never have been discovered. Although she never wanted the spotlight, the screens, stages and soundtrack of Britain today would be very different without the 'backstage matriarch', who died yesterday morning, aged 86. Tributes poured in from some of Britain's biggest stars, each crediting Sylvia with their success. All Saints singer Nicole Appleton said: 'She was a massive part of my life and paved the way for so many of us.' Actress Sadie Frost added: 'She was always so lovely to me and I will cherish the memories for ever.' Dua Lipa told of the encouragement she got from staff at the Sylvia Young Theatre School, saying: 'Sometimes, all it takes is one thing for them to say and that carries you on for the rest of your life.' Radio icon Tony Blackburn said Sylvia was 'a very lovely lady who I've had the privilege of knowing for many years'. Sylvia was born in Hackney, North East London, in 1939, just as the Second World War broke out. One of nine children, she remembered as a teenager seeking refuge from her busy house at the local library, where she would go every day to read, falling in love with plays. She joined a local theatre company but recalled: 'I used to get stage fright. I used to lose my voice before every production. When I think about it, they were sort of panic attacks.' She left school at 16 and in her early 20s married Norman Ruffell, a telephone engineer, and became a stay-at-home mother. Sylvia, who had daughters, Frances and Alison, started drama classes for children at schools, charging 10p a lesson, and then ran a Saturday school at a Drury Lane sports club. The school later went full-time, staring with 29 pupils in 1981. By 2010 it had grown tenfold due to good GCSE results and pupils' TV roles. The theatre school moved to Marylebone, where it remains. Although the fee-paying school was in high demand, she always ensured low-income students could attend on scholarships. Her daughter Frances Ruffelle, a West End star and mum of pop star Eliza Doolittle, said her mum was 'a true visionary' who 'gave people from all walks of life the chance to pursue their performing arts skills to the highest standard'. The late Amy Winehouse studied at the school after Sylvia gave her a part-scholarship. Sylvia said: 'At Amy's audition she sang On The Sunny Side Of The Street so superbly that I thought, 'My God, this is the new Judy Garland!' She was tremendously musical, she had her own style, image, everything. 'She wouldn't wear the school uniform correctly, her tie would often be askew and in classes she'd chew gum. But I couldn't be angry with her because she was her own person. She was a free spit and had been given a special gift." EastEnders' Dean Gaffney was at the school in the early 90s, in the same years as actors Daniella Westbrook and John Pickard, and Spice Girl Emma Bunton. Dean, who was also on a half-scholarship, remembered: 'On the Monday to Wednesday, you did normal academic subjects, then on a Thursday and Friday, it turned into a complete Fame school, with people singing down the hallways. 'If I hadn't gone to that school, who knows where I'd be. Maybe EastEnders wouldn't have picked up the phone to see who they'd got on their books.' Other famous attendees included Billie Piper, Letitia Dean, Lily Cole and Gemma Collins. Doctor Who actor Matt Smith, Little Mix singers Jesy Nelson and Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Busted bassist Matt Willis also went there. Pop star and talent show judge Rita Ora, who studied music at the school, recalled also having trouble following the rules. She said: 'I was cheeky. I hated wearing a hairnet. Sylvia would come into ballet class and catch me without one. 'Rita, there are some rules. This is a serious matter', she'd say. 'Sylvia had a soft spot for me, though. I was never rude, I just wasn't great at listening.' McFly rocker Tom Fletcher met his wife, presenter Giovanna, at the school, which they attended from the age of 13. Sylvia was at their wedding. Giovanna said: 'My life would not be what it is without Sylvia Young. She knew what every child was up to and how to get the best out of everyone.' While some pupils knew what they wanted to do with their talent, others, like Denise van Outen, were not so sure. Denise, who studied with actresses Billie Piper and Keeley Hawes, remembered: 'When we got towards the end of our time there, Sylvia sat each of us down for a careers chat and asked which way we wanted to go. 'They wanted you to choose one route or another, but I said, 'I like doing it all'. I was a bit confused, I suppose, because unlike Billie and Keeley, I didn't have an obviously outstanding talent. I enjoyed everything and could do it all okay. 'So Sylvia said, 'Well, try and do it all and see what happens. You don't have to be brilliant at everything'." It worked, and Denise went on to present the Big Breakfast, starred in musical Chicago and was runner-up in Strictly. Dua Lipa attended the school at weekends as a child, then re-enrolled following her A-levels. During the pop star's ITV Christmas special at the Royal Albert Hall last year she had an emotional reunion with her old music teacher, Ray. She recalled of him: 'He heard my really deep voice and was like, 'You've got something special, use it'. He completely changed my life.' Well into her latter years, Sylvia still lived in the school, describing herself as the 'caretaker' as she and Norman stayed in the upstairs flat. And right up to her death, she continued to nurture the stars of the future. The legacy of the 'backstage matriarch' will continue to shape the screens, stages and stadiums of Britain.
Fast Company
20 hours ago
- Politics
- Fast Company
Stop coaching women to ‘lead like a man'
Sylvia was a senior partner at a consulting firm who decided to put her hat in the ring for the coveted CEO position. Four other internal applicants—all men—made it to the list of final candidates. Early in her campaign, Sylvia met with Andrea to talk about her strategy to win over the board and senior partners whose votes she would need to secure the CEO position. Sylvia deftly noted that, as the only woman in the running, her gender would be salient in the minds of the decision makers. As such, she wondered whether she should 'lead like a man.' Too often, women in the workplace are told, explicitly or implicitly, that success means emulating male norms. Speak up more. Interrupt more. Show less emotion. But when women follow this advice, they're often penalized for it. The problem isn't that women need to change. Rather, our definition of leadership needs to change as it is still stuck in a mold that rewards masculine traits and sidelines others. Based on our respective experiences researching gender bias at work and coaching senior executives on their communication skills, as well as our personal experiences, we've seen this pattern play out again and again. Women are coached to overcome imposter syndrome and project authority in ways that often backfire. Meanwhile, organizations suffer, missing out on broader leadership styles, emotional intelligence, and more inclusive decision-making. Two urgent shifts are needed: First, we need to stop encouraging women to lead like men. Second, we must expand our understanding of what strong leadership looks like. Until we do, we're not just failing women, we're limiting our organizations' potential. There are four specific ways women are often advised to 'lead like a man'—but instead of reinforcing gendered norms, we can coach everyone, regardless of gender, to adopt more inclusive, effective leadership strategies. Here are the four problematic approaches and what to do instead. 1. Avoid Weak Language When outlining her strategy for obtaining the CEO role, Sylvia referenced how many stakeholders expected her, as a woman, to use weak language, but then penalized her for doing so. Sylvia decided that she would strategically use weak language with some old-school stakeholders but consciously avoid it with others. The question is, should this focus on weak language have come up at all? 'Weak language' is language that is tempered with disclaimers ('I don't know, but . . .'), hedges ('sort of,' 'I hope'), tag questions ('. . . don't you think?'), and apologies ('I'm sorry, but . . .'). Women are often faulted for using indecisive language, and we are all urged to avoid it. So-called weak language can soften a message, convey interpersonal sensitivity, and build trust. As such, it can be a way to strategically position yourself with various cohorts. Recognizing the impact that it can have, we encourage a relabeling of 'weak language' to 'strategic language.' This is about all of us being strategic or purposeful with our language, including when we demonstrate vulnerability. Certainly, leadership requires communicating with conviction. But let's coach everyone not to be overconfident when they speak. Leadership also requires curiosity and humility. Disclaimers, hedges, and tag questions are useful when we aren't totally sure and to express concern and humbleness. Strategic language can be a source of power and strength. 2. Be Authoritative As a young information technology leader, Amy tried to emulate male colleagues through authoritative decision-making. But when Amy made a unilateral decision, she was surprised that she lost points with her staff. She quickly learned to seek everyone's input and ideally achieve consensus before making important decisions. Sometimes guidance to be an authoritative leader is overt. A client of Andrea's who had served in multiple C-suite roles left her last position when her male CEO repeatedly insisted that she was too soft and she needed to 'be a killer.' Authoritative leaders are also called visionary leaders, with their own vision for success. Men in leadership may default to using authority, as displays of dominance align with traditional male stereotypes and therefore tend to go unchallenged. While women may learn to use this approach in their attempts to establish credibility, it can backfire when they are misperceived as arrogant. The problem with this noninclusive, authoritarian approach is that it concentrates decision-making with one person and increases the risk of failure. Overreliance on a single perspective can lead to blind spots, regardless of how competent or visionary that individual may be. Even the most capable leaders have limitations in their knowledge, experiences, and biases. Particularly in less time-sensitive contexts, a participative, inclusive leadership style is better for everyone. Coach everyone to approach decision-making as a collaborative process. Invite input from all stakeholders, including those who may ask uncomfortable questions and those who typically remain silent. Building consensus will ensure all voices are heard, considered, and that everyone understands the rationale for decisions. This isn't about giving up control; it's about gaining valuable perspective and buy-in. 3. Master Self-Promotion A former male boss once advised Amy to 'take credit' for the success of projects, explaining, 'Everyone takes credit for everything around here.' But while Amy had led or contributed significantly to many initiatives, she felt uncomfortable claiming to them to be her solitary achievements. Her teammates deserved recognition. One of the most common questions Andrea hears from her female executive clients is: 'How can I talk about my work and strengths without sounding arrogant?' Notably, a leadership coach recently posed this question, proof that even those who coach others on confidence and communication can struggle with taking credit. The response to women and men promoting their own work and achievements has very different outcomes. Research shows that when women self-promote, they are seen as less warm and likable, whereas men who do the same are seen as more competent. Instead: Share Credit Generously Everyone should be trained that strategic self-promotion is leadership, not arrogance, so that women aren't penalized for it. Then the solution isn't to promote your work any more or less. Rather, it's to take credit differently. Visibility matters, and as such it is important to promote our own work. But we all need to consider the extent to which we promote our own work, share credit, and spotlight others' successes. True leaders understand how to confidently communicate their value while also celebrating the contributions of those around them. 4. Don't Be So Emotional After a recent workshop for female executives, Andrea heard from several women how effectively managing their emotions was a challenge. One woman said, 'My male colleagues can pound their fists and exude authority. Meanwhile, if I show emotion, I lose credibility.' Another participant spoke up: 'Imagine having any conviction. Suddenly, I'm labeled as an 'angry Black woman!'' Typically, the leaders we admire exude an ability to stay calm and in control, especially in crises. It seems that leadership is synonymous with emotional regulation. At the same time, emotional 'outbursts' are interpreted differently for men versus for women. For men, displaying emotions is interpreted as passion or authenticity. For women, displaying emotion is a sign of weakness and lack of control. Encourage everyone to lead with authenticity and discretion. Certainly, staying in control in crises situations is productive. But there are also benefits with sharing emotions and vulnerability. Communicating your convictions with passion can inspire a team. Leaders who demonstrate vulnerability also encourage a culture of psychological safety. That said, this is not about being unfiltered. There is an important difference between authenticity and transparency. Filtering and discretion are key. Redefining leadership Sylvia's question of whether she should 'lead like a man' was not just personal. It reflected a broader problem faced by women in leadership: the unspoken expectation to conform to outdated, masculine ideals of authority and success. If we want to cultivate inclusive, innovative organizations, we must redefine what great leadership looks like. Not by urging women to adapt, but by evolving the standards themselves. That's the only way we'll build a future workplace where all leaders can thrive on their own terms.
