How many times have you heard a friend tell you that they were ‘suffering from impostor syndrome’? How many times have you said those words yourself? I’ll hasten a guess: a hell of a lot.

The truth is, it’s a phrase that gets bandied about a lot. It’s used constantly in motivational speeches as something we can manage, it’s used as excuses for women not succeeding at work, but the truth is that we’re actually being told a bunch of lies about it.

Closing the female leadership gap is so much more than just fulfilling a quota or ticking a box. It requires deep, fully embedded change across all levels. A change that cannot be achieved overnight.

Because the gap still exists, regardless of how many steps have been taken in the right direction. Globally, women hold just 24% of senior leadership roles; patriarchy is rife in the workplace, and it’s high time we did something about it.

So, how can we close the female leadership gap? We need to take a multifaceted approach where stereotypes, pay, flexibility, celebrating success, balancing work styles and being perceptive all sit at the forefront of the work environment.

It’s a hefty task; there are mountains to climb and battles to tackle. Are you up for the challenge?

Facts are facts: without women, our world would not exist. Our role - our power - is enormous. And yet we still find ourselves bound by a patriarchal society; one that doesn’t just impact us, but also weaves its threads through male conditioning.

What is a woman’s role in a patriarchal society? A woman’s role in a patriarchal society is to be seen and not heard; to duly maintain the position as ‘stay-at-home’ mother and bear the load of childcare, household chores and everything that comes with it.

Sure, the number of women in the workplace and in senior positions is growing - but it isn’t enough. We’ve still got a long way to go; and hell of a lot of that change has to come from within.