Is It Really Safe for Women of Color to Practice Soft Leadership? My Answer Will Surprise You
You might’ve heard that soft leadership – leading with empathy, emotional intelligence, and collaboration – is a must-have skill in today’s workplace. But for Women of Color, it can feel risky. Is it safe to lead with gentleness in systems built for aggression? That’s what we’re exploring.
Despite its name, soft leadership is not about passive or permissive leadership. Instead, it’s:
- Centering people over pressure
- Building trust-based teams instead of task-focused outputs
- Leading with integrity, not intimidation
It’s both a liberation strategy and a performance strategy, rooted in self-awareness and human connection.
For those of us navigating intersectional identities, showing softness can trigger:
- Perfectionism paralysis – the need to overcompensate because our authenticity might be misread as weakness.
- Code-switch fatigue – balancing cultural norms in professional spaces.
- Fear of tokenism – being praised for “soft” traits without systemic support.
Acknowledging these realities is the first step toward changing them.
Soft Leadership is transformative because it:
- Builds trust through connection
- Disrupts toxic cultures in a non-confrontational but powerful way
- Reclaims leadership as belonging, not just belonging-to
When you show up fully – emotion, history, values – you’re not just leading, you’re healing, guiding, and shifting systems.
Wondering how to begin embracing soft leadership?
- Permission: Give yourself space to BE.
Be authentic. Be transparent. Be human.
- Boundaries: Define what you will and won’t tolerate.
Boundaries are mandatory because they eliminate the need to assume.
- Visibility: Lead with heart in small interactions—team meetings, feedback, decisions.
Show up first for yourself, then for your people.
- Support Systems: Find community, coaching, or mentorship that celebrates not just your performance, but who you are as a person.
You do not have to lead alone.
If you’re curious about how this shows up in real life and what it looks like in practice? Watch the full conversation and examples in the video: Is It Really Safe for Women of Color to Practice Soft Leadership?
What is your experience with soft leadership?
Reply below or connect with me online to continue the conversation.
Nicki Sanders, MSW, is committed to career development, professional development, and organizational development. As Founder and CEO of Nicki Sanders Leadership Consulting, her mission is simple – to eliminate toxic workplaces by developing skilled, empathetic, and goal-oriented leaders who have the vision, support, and resources to create a culture where business prospers, and employees thrive individually and collectively. Nicki has an extensive background in nonprofit management leading high-functioning, multi-disciplinary teams, volunteer recruitment and retention, and social impact programming. She is a thought leader dedicated to dismantling the outdated, narrow view of social work and an accomplished professor, coach, trainer, and group facilitator who has combined her gift for authentic relationships, Master of Social Work degree, and over 20 years of diverse work experience to create a life and career aligned with her values and purpose. She is a lover of nature, cupcakes, travel, and 80’s hip hop and R&B music.
© 2025 Copyright Protected. ALL RIGHTS ARE RESERVED.