Women leaders are a great source of inspiration for us all due to their high levels of originality, resilience and power. Leading women leaders can set high goals for themselves; imagine what they want life in the future to look like; and use creativity in doing things that will bring positive transformations into societies. Empowering leadership is about directing people and motivating them to achieve their dreams.
Becky Lodge, the Founding Director at Little Kanga Ltd., personifies this visionary leadership. She approaches her role with a holistic mindset, viewing challenges as opportunities for growth while remaining steadfastly committed to advancing equity, diversity and inclusion. Her focus is on developing long-term, sustainable change and nurturing the next generation of leaders, all while adapting to advancing circumstances.
Becky’s leadership is characterized by innovative thinking, empowering others, inclusive decision-making, and strategic visioning. She challenges the status quo, prioritizes mentorship, advocates for diverse perspectives, and sets ambitious goals. Through her inclusive and innovative approaches, Becky shapes the future, inspires progress and leaves a lasting impact.
A New Era for Entrepreneurial Learning
Becky’s leadership journey began with a deep desire to create lasting, positive change. Inspired by resilient women she met early in her career, she initially focused on personal success. However, her perspective evolved to view leadership as a collective effort aimed at inspiring others and driving systemic change.
Now, Becky prioritizes impact over personal achievement, working to revolutionize entrepreneurial education with Desk2Educate—a platform using AI and ML to offer affordable, undergraduate-style education to women and minority business founders.
Perseverance in Challenging Times
Becky’s guiding principles are integrity, empathy and perseverance. Integrity ensures that every decision she makes is grounded in honesty and ethical considerations, especially when these decisions impact the future of learners and professionals.
Empathy enables her to understand the needs and challenges of her team, colleagues and students, creating an environment where collaboration and mutual respect can flourish. Perseverance has been crucial for her in navigating the inevitable obstacles that arise in leadership, allowing her to remain focused and determined even when the path forward is uncertain.
Innovating through Leadership Obstacles
Challenges are an inherent aspect of leadership, but they also present opportunities for growth and innovation. Becky maintains her resilience by staying connected to her core purpose—reflecting on why she embarked on this journey in the first place. She recognizes that setbacks are a natural part of the process and views each challenge as a valuable learning opportunity.
To remain motivated, Becky sets clear, achievable goals and celebrates progress, regardless of how incremental it may be. Additionally, engaging with a supportive network of peers and mentors helps her maintain perspective and draw on shared experiences for guidance and encouragement.
The Transformative Power of Mentorship in Careers
Mentorship has been instrumental in shaping Becky’s career. She has been fortunate to have mentors who challenged her thinking, encouraged her growth and provided a safe space for exploring her potential. These relationships have offered valuable insights into both the professional and personal dimensions of leadership.
In her role as a mentor, Becky strives to be a supportive sounding board, offering constructive feedback and encouragement. She believes in leading by example and helping others navigate their unique challenges while developing their strengths and confidence. For Becky, mentoring is not about providing all the answers but rather about guiding individuals toward their solutions and fostering their development.
Building a Culture of Creativity and Experimentation
To promote innovation, Becky encourages open communication and the free exchange of ideas. She believes that creativity flourishes when individuals feel valued and heard, so she works to create a safe environment where her team can experiment without fear of failure.
Providing autonomy and empowering team members to take ownership of their projects are key elements of her approach. She also integrates continuous learning opportunities to ensure that the team remains abreast of new trends and methodologies while encouraging them to take calculated risks to drive innovation forward.
Creating Inclusive Leadership Environments
Becky is deeply committed to empowering women leaders and is passionate about actively seeking out and nurturing talent among women, particularly those who have historically lacked access to leadership opportunities.
She ensures that women within her team or sphere of influence are provided with equal opportunities to lead, contribute and grow. She is dedicated to creating environments where women’s voices are heard and where they feel confident challenging the status quo.
Additionally, she advocates for mentorship and sponsorship programs specifically designed for women, facilitating their development of the networks and skills necessary to excel in leadership roles.
Creating Equitable Policies in the Workplace
Inclusivity is a fundamental aspect of Becky’s leadership approach. She strives to lead with cultural competence, recognizing and valuing the diverse perspectives within her team. This involves actively listening to understand everyone’s unique experiences and ensuring that policies and practices are designed to be equitable for all.
She believes that adaptability is key, remaining open to change and acknowledging that no single leadership style is suitable for every situation or individual. By developing an environment of continuous feedback and learning, she can adjust her approach to meet the evolving needs of the diverse individuals she works with.
Embracing Every Individual’s Potential
Becky aspires to leave a legacy of empowerment, where those she has mentored and worked alongside feel that they have achieved more than they initially thought possible. She hopes to be remembered as someone who uplifted others and facilitated opportunities for underrepresented voices to be heard.
Professionally, she aims to contribute to an educational system that is more inclusive, innovative and resilient—one that embraces the potential of every individual and equips them with the tools needed to succeed in an advancing world.
Balancing Work and Well-being in Leadership
Becky would advise her younger self to trust the process and take bold steps, even when the path is unclear. She acknowledges that overcoming self-doubt and fear of failure is essential for growth, which comes from taking risks and learning from mistakes.
She would also stress the importance of building strong relationships and networks early on for personal and professional development. Additionally, she would highlight the need for self-care and balance, noting that leadership is a marathon, not a sprint.
