February 2026
Editor's Note:
The Good Male Ally
There’s a hard truth we often don’t acknowledge enough when discussing women’s advancement: we don’t get to the top without male allies. We often talk about how women can lift each other up for the betterment of us all, but the reality is that men still hold the balance of power, and a good male ally can make all the difference.
Globally, men occupy roughly 75-80% of senior leadership roles and more than 90% of CEO positions. They control most promotion decisions, investment flows, and informal sponsorship networks. So while women’s ambition, competence, and resilience matter deeply, systemic progress stalls without those who hold power choosing to share it.
Male allyship isn’t about being nice, supportive, or quietly “on the right side.” It’s about using influence intentionally to advocate for who gets sponsored, whose voice is amplified in the room, who is trusted with stretch roles, and who is defended when the stakes are high. Research consistently shows that sponsorship - not mentorship - is the differentiator at senior levels, and men are far more likely to be sponsors simply because they already sit in positions of authority.
I’ve seen this first-hand. At various stages of my career, I was fortunate to have strong male allies alongside powerful female ones - men who didn’t just encourage me but advocated for me when I wasn’t in the room. They opened doors, challenged assumptions, and put their credibility on the line. That support didn’t diminish my work, it made it visible.
And here’s the nuance we often miss: allyship isn’t about rescuing women. It’s about recognizing that talent alone doesn’t neutralise bias, and that fairness requires intervention, not neutrality. Women are still more likely to be over-mentored and under-sponsored, more likely to be evaluated on potential risk rather than proven performance, and more likely to carry invisible emotional and organisational labour that goes unrewarded.
If we’re serious about women’s advancement, we have to be just as serious about engaging men - not as saviours, but as accountable partners in change. Because when power shifts behaviour, systems move. And when systems move, women don’t have to burn out just to break through.
That’s the conversation we’re having here, and it’s long overdue.
Lynn x
This month’s highlights
Ask Lynn
Any questions you have, career-led, life choices or situations you need help navigating - I will answer. This month I talk through questions such as:
How do I support the only woman on my team without making it awkward or performative?
My manager is back from maternity leave and struggling slightly - should I say something or keep covering for her?
How do I work well with a very traditional male manager while setting boundaries early?
My wife is the breadwinner and may become my boss - how do we protect our relationship and my sense of identity?
Episode VIII: Robert Baker, Founder, Potentia Talent Consulting
This week on She Means Business, I’m doing something a little different. For the first time, I’ve invited a man into a conversation usually reserved for women - not to centre himself, but to interrogate power alongside us.
My guest is Robert Baker, Founder of Potentia Talent Consulting, and a fierce advocate for gender equity in the workplace. Robert spent more than four decades at Mercer, where he rose to Senior Partner and led Diversity & Inclusion Consulting internationally, advising some of the world’s most influential organisations on leadership, culture, and talent. He is also a Trustee of UN Women UK and was recognised as an Agent of Change for his work advancing gender balance and inclusive leadership.
Power Play Picks
We love.
We love Divorce Solutions by my client, renowned divorce lawyer David Margo
A refreshingly calm, clear-eyed guide for those facing separation during a season when many couples confront long-avoided truths. This is divorce reframed: less conflict, more structure, and a conscious focus on dignity, fairness, and forward momentum. A smart, humane read for anyone navigating - or hoping to avoid - an unnecessarily adversarial ending.
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