Being the 'Only' Woman in the Room Isn't Empowering - It's Exhausting. Here's What Needs to Change | Entrepreneur

"In 2025, it's not uncommon to see only one woman in a boardroom. From Fortune 500 companies to small mom-and-pop shops, sometimes women are hard to find in leadership. I know because I've been there. As the owner of a boutique consultancy, I've hosted dozens of workshops that help businesses transform their organizational cultures towards inclusion and equity. But when I look up from my presentation, sometimes I am the only woman in the room."

"While being the "first" or "only" woman at the table is often hailed as progress, it can come with hidden costs: pressure to overperform, emotional labor, isolation and the unspoken expectation to represent all women. Too many women have hit their heads on the glass ceiling (or the concrete wall, which many women of color face) only to be trapped at the bottom rungs of organizations."

Boardrooms frequently include only one woman, and women often face barriers to entry that limit leadership representation. Being the "first" or "only" woman at the table brings hidden costs such as pressure to overperform, emotional labor, isolation, and the expectation to represent all women. Women of color often encounter a more rigid barrier and become trapped at lower organizational rungs. Leaders must acknowledge bias, examine behaviors like interrupting or doubting women, and implement structural changes. Inclusive hiring, promotion practices, and organizational adjustments can remove barriers and allow qualified women to advance.

Read at Entrepreneur