Embrace Your Inner Elphaba | Especially in the Boardroom
Guest Contributor: Gillian Campbell | Resilience Coach & Inspirational Speaker
In a world where women are still told to lead softly, to speak less and apologise more, Gillian Campbell has a bold invitation:
We need women who challenge the old script. Women who lead on their own terms.
Women who, like Elphaba, stop asking for permission and start trusting their power.
Embrace your inner Elphaba.
Yes, that Elphaba — the misunderstood force at the heart of Wicked.
She was labelled difficult, too much, not enough.
She didn’t break. She rose. She flew.
And it’s time more women did the same.
Across industries, boardrooms, and leadership teams globally, the tides are turning. Companies are committing to targets like the WISTA 40 by 30 pledge, aiming for 40% women in leadership by 2030. But targets alone aren’t enough.
We need women who challenge the old script. Women who lead on their own terms.
Women who, like Elphaba, stop asking for permission and start trusting their power.
As a resilience coach and international speaker, Gillian Campbell doesn’t deliver generic inspiration. She brings grounded insight and unapologetic energy — reframing what leadership looks like when it’s fuelled by courage, not compliance.
“Elphaba reminds us that power isn’t about being accepted. It’s about being authentic — even if that unsettles the room.”
– Gillian Campbell
So what does it look like to lead like that?
Lead with authenticity, not apology
Speak up, even when your voice shakes
Choose where you spend your energy — and walk away when it no longer serves
Build a circle of voices that lift yours higher
Keep showing up — even when you're called “too much”
Let others chase titles.
You? Build something bolder. Truer. Untouchable.
Because leadership isn’t about fitting in.
It’s about flying.
Leadership isn’t about fitting in. It’s about flying.
Book Gillian Campbell for your next keynote
📩 To enquire about speaking engagements, please reach out to Gillian on LinkedIn.
If you're planning a Women’s Day event in August (South Africa), or looking ahead to International Women’s Day 2026, Gillian is now taking limited bookings for global engagements.
Her talk is real, disarming, and unforgettable — ideal for companies who want to inspire without cliché.