In global health, where leadership directly impacts millions, the call for authentic, value-driven leadership is not just timely but essential. Authentic leadership embodies a healthy alignment between one’s beliefs and actions, requiring deep self-awareness, emotional clarity, and the courage to act with integrity, especially in uncertain circumstances.
For women leaders facing the intersecting challenges of inequity, underrepresentation, and systemic complexity, authenticity serves as a powerful foundation. It empowers them to lead with confidence rooted in their true selves, rather than conforming to external expectations.
Ahead of our upcoming East Africa Power Up workshop on Authentic Leadership, we sat down with Dr. Terry Kigundu, a senior facilitator at WomenLift Health and leadership development expert who will be leading the workshop sessions, delving into the transformative power of self-awareness, courageous growth, and leading from personal truth. Her insights not only preview the workshop but also serve as a deeper call to women in global health: to lead boldly and authentically.
How do you define “authentic leadership” in the context of mid-career women working in global health, and why is it so vital today?
Authentic leadership is about alignment between who you are, what you stand for, and how you lead. It begins with identity: knowing who you are at your core. From there, it shapes your intent, what you seek to create, and your behavior, how you show up and act on that intent.
For mid-career women in global health, this kind of leadership is especially vital. Many of us have been taught to lead in ways that aren’t fully aligned with who we are, often editing ourselves to fit systems not built for us. But the work we do in global health calls for more than technical expertise; it calls for leadership that is values-driven, relational, and rooted in lived experience. When women lead from a place of internal alignment, they don’t just occupy space; they transform it.
What personal journey or moment led you to fully embrace authentic leadership in your career?
For a long time, I believed I had to show up as the composed, collected, competent, and unshaken one in the room. I thought that that was what leadership looked like. However, I later realized that constantly putting up a polished front prevented me from connecting with others, causing me to miss out on opportunities and the moment.
The turning point happened when I started leading from my heart. I allowed myself to be vulnerable by sharing both my wins and struggles. This led to a significant transformation. I began building deeper relationships, grounded in trust and mutual respect. People felt seen and heard, and I felt whole. That’s when I truly embraced authentic leadership not as a skill, but as a mindset and way of life.
You speak about “stretching beyond your comfort zone” while remaining authentic. How can women leaders do this without compromising their values?
It’s crucial to understand that stretching beyond your comfort zone doesn’t mean stretching your identity. Growth is most sustainable when it’s aligned with who you already are. The key is to lead from your core values that define you. When you’re grounded in your identity, you know your intent, and that shapes your behavior even when you’re navigating unfamiliar or high-stakes situations. You can take risks, speak up, or step into leadership roles that challenge you, and remain true to yourself. It’s not about being fearless, it’s about being anchored as you stretch.
Can you explain how you help women leaders identify their core values and transform them into visible leadership behaviors?
In our PowerUp workshops, we guide women leaders through a process of deep reflection, not to invent who they want to be, but to rediscover who they already are. We ask powerful questions: What energizes you? What brings you joy? What breaks your heart? What are you unwilling to compromise?
From there, women leaders identify their top 5 core values and narrow them down to two core values—values that aren’t just admired but actively lived. We then explore how those values show up in their everyday leadership, and importantly, how it feels when they are missing. This transforms values from internal beliefs into visible behaviors. The goal is alignment so that how you lead reflects who you truly are and what you care about most.
What reflective practices or habits do you recommend for women leaders who want to stay grounded and self-aware under pressure?
Staying grounded is about sustaining alignment between your identity, intent, and actions, especially when the pressure is high. Some practices I recommend include:
- Daily presence check-ins: A few quiet minutes to ask, What do I feel? What do I need? What do I want to bring today?
- Post-leadership reflection: After key moments, pause to ask, “Did I lead in alignment with my values?” What can I do differently next time?
- Journaling or voice notes: Capture what you’re learning about yourself as you lead. These small reflections help you track your growth over time.
- Community grounding: Surround yourself with peers or mentors who remind you of your worth and your truth, especially when systems try to tell you otherwise.
How does emotional intelligence support women in navigating complex, male-dominated systems and driving change?
Emotional intelligence is the quiet power that allows women to lead with clarity and intention in complex systems. It sharpens presence, helps read the room, makes sense of unspoken dynamics, and keeps leaders grounded in their emotional landscape.
In male-dominated spaces, emotional intelligence becomes a strategic asset. It allows women to navigate power structures with strategy, empathy, and self-awareness. Instead of shrinking back or overcompensating, they can respond purposefully, asserting their voice, setting clear boundaries, and building coalitions. Ultimately, emotional intelligence equips women to drive change while staying anchored in their values, their vision, and their authentic selves.
What’s the role of Allyship (male, women, and institutional allyship) in supporting women leaders to be their most authentic selves?
Allyship creates the conditions where authentic leadership can thrive. It goes beyond passive support; it’s intentional, sustained action.
Male allies can use their influence to amplify women’s voices and actively challenge exclusionary norms. Women allies play a vital role by creating circles of trust, reflection, and collaboration. At the institutional level, allyship requires more than symbolic gestures; it means redesigning policies, cultures, and systems that allow diverse leadership styles to flourish. When allyship is done well, it doesn’t just help women succeed, it allows them to be fully themselves as they succeed.
What advice would you give to women who feel called to lead but struggle with self-doubt or presence in their organizations?
If you feel called to lead, that calling is not an accident; it’s evidence of something powerful within you. Self-doubt is natural, especially in environments that haven’t always been seen or valued by your leadership.
But the presence isn’t about being the loudest in the room. It’s about being grounded in who you are, clear in your intentions, and deliberate in how you show up. Take small, consistent steps, to speak when it matters, advocate for what you believe, and show up with integrity.
You don’t need to become someone else to lead. You need to become more of yourself. And remember, courage isn’t the absence of doubt; it’s the decision to lead anyway.
Dr. Terry Kigundu is a Senior Facilitator at WomenLift Health and a leadership development expert. She will be leading the upcoming PowerUp session on Authentic Leadership on July 3, from 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM EAT / 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM CAT. Limited slots available register today.
