A leadership role opens up.

Before it is formally advertised, several people already know about it.

Someone has been informally encouraged to apply.
Someone else has already had conversations with senior stakeholders.
Another has quietly been given stretch opportunities that position them as the “natural fit”.

And often, none of this is written into policy.

Because leadership progression is not only shaped by performance.
It is also shaped by access.

Access to relationships.
Access to visibility.
Access to informal networks.
Access to conversations happening behind closed doors.

At Lead with Difference Global, we believe this is one of the most overlooked barriers affecting women, ethnically diverse professionals, and many underrepresented employees within organisations.

Because while workplaces often focus heavily on recruitment and representation, far fewer examine who actually gets proximity to influence, sponsorship, and opportunity.

And when access is uneven, progression becomes uneven too.

The Leadership Advantage Many Organisations Do Not Recognise

Most organisations believe progression is merit-based.

And while performance absolutely matters, leadership opportunities are often influenced by something less visible:

Familiarity.

People tend to advocate for those they know.
Trust those they feel comfortable with.
Share opportunities with those already within their circles.

This is rarely intentional exclusion.
But it does create unequal access.

For example:

• Who gets invited into informal conversations after meetings?
• Who receives mentoring organically?
• Who gets visibility with senior leadership?
• Who is given the benefit of the doubt when potential is being assessed?

These moments may seem small individually.
But collectively, they shape careers.

And employees who are outside dominant networks often have to work significantly harder to access the same opportunities others receive more naturally.

Why Networking Does Not Feel Equal for Everyone

Networking advice is often framed very simply:

“Be more visible.”
“Build relationships.”
“Speak up more.”

But this overlooks an important reality.

Not everyone experiences workplace networking in the same way.

For many women, ethnically diverse professionals, and neurodiverse employees, networking can carry additional layers of complexity.

Some may feel pressure to:

• Code-switch in professional spaces
• Monitor tone and communication style carefully
• Navigate stereotypes around confidence or credibility
• Adapt themselves to fit dominant workplace cultures
• Attend networking spaces where they do not feel psychologically safe or included

Others may simply not have the same informal access to leadership spaces.

For example, opportunities often emerge through:

• Social gatherings outside working hours
• Existing personal relationships
• Shared cultural familiarity
• Informal conversations rather than formal processes

And when inclusion relies heavily on unwritten rules, many talented employees are unintentionally left navigating systems they were never fully invited into.

The Cost of Keeping Opportunity Informal

When leadership access depends too heavily on informal networks, organisations lose more than fairness.

They lose talent.

Employees who consistently feel overlooked despite strong performance often begin to disengage.

Not because they lack ambition.
But because progression starts to feel inaccessible.

Over time, this can lead to:

• Reduced confidence
• Lower engagement
• Withdrawal from leadership aspirations
• Higher attrition among high-potential employees

And replacing employees is expensive.

According to AXA UK, the average cost of replacing an employee is £6,125 per hire once recruitment, onboarding, and productivity loss are considered.

That figure is an average and can rise significantly for leadership, specialist, and senior positions.

But the financial cost is only part of the picture.

Organisations also lose:

• Institutional knowledge
• Diverse thinking
• Leadership potential
• Innovation
• Trust in progression systems

Because employees pay attention to who gets access.

And when opportunities repeatedly circulate around the same networks, people notice.

Sponsorship Matters More Than Organisations Realise

One of the biggest differences between employees who progress and those who remain overlooked is often sponsorship.

Not just mentorship.

Sponsorship.

A mentor advises you.
A sponsor advocates for you when opportunities arise.

Sponsors:

• Recommend people for opportunities
• Increase visibility with decision-makers
• Speak positively about capability in influential spaces
• Help others see leadership potential

The challenge is that sponsorship often develops informally.

And people naturally tend to sponsor those they feel familiar with.

This means employees who already sit outside dominant leadership norms may also sit outside informal sponsorship networks.

At Lead with Difference Global, we believe organisations need to become far more intentional about how leadership visibility and sponsorship are distributed.

Because talent cannot progress if nobody is opening doors.

Creating More Equitable Access to Leadership

Inclusive leadership development is not about forcing everyone to network in the same way.

It is about recognising that access itself may currently be uneven.

Here are four important questions organisations should be asking:

1. How transparent are progression opportunities?

Do employees clearly understand how leadership opportunities emerge?
Or do opportunities rely heavily on informal visibility and relationships?

2. Who receives sponsorship?

Who is consistently advocated for in senior spaces?
And who may be delivering strong results without receiving the same visibility?

3. Are networking cultures genuinely inclusive?

Do employees feel psychologically safe and included within informal leadership spaces?
Or are some constantly adapting themselves to fit in?

4. Are leadership pathways broad enough for different styles?

Do organisations only reward one type of visibility and communication style?
Or is there room for different ways of building influence?

A Final Reflection

Leadership opportunity is rarely shaped by performance alone.

It is often shaped by access.

Access to visibility.
Access to sponsorship.
Access to trust.
Access to influential relationships.

At Lead with Difference Global, we believe organisations need to examine not only who is talented—but who is truly being positioned to succeed.

Because when leadership pathways remain heavily dependent on informal familiarity, organisations risk overlooking capable people who simply do not have the same access to unwritten networks.

And when that happens, businesses do not just lose individuals.

They lose perspectives, innovation, leadership capability, and future growth.

The organisations that will thrive in the future will not be those that simply talk about inclusion.

They will be the ones that intentionally widen access to influence, opportunity, and leadership itself.

Are You Ready to Better Understand How Empowered Your People Feel to Progress?

Take Lead with Difference Global’s Empowered Score Survey (ESS) to better understand the experiences shaping wellbeing, engagement, progression, and retention across your workforce.

Because when employees feel genuinely seen, supported, and connected to opportunity, they do not just stay.

They grow, contribute, and lead more confidently.