Key Players Consultancy-Women’s History Month Reflection: Lessons That Still Guide Us

Women’s History Month is an opportunity not only to celebrate the achievements of women throughout history, but also to reflect on the lessons that continue to shape how we lead, work, and support one another today.

Many years ago, early in my career as a young wife and working mother striving to balance professional responsibility with family life, I was a proud subscriber to working Mother Magazine.  I had to be one of the first to read: This Is How We Do It: The Working Mothers' Manifesto by Carol Evans. Evans was the president and CEO of Working Mother magazine and a long-time leader advocating for the advancement of women in the workplace.  This was one of my favorite books because it resonated with me so much. I was a professional with a young family, and I was very committed to both.    This Is How We Do It: The Working Mothers' Manifesto by Carol Evans helped to raise my awareness by giving insight into how other successful women professionals were balancing work and family life. 

Published in 2006, the book drew on research from hundreds of working mothers and the experiences of millions of readers of Working Mother magazine to explore how women successfully navigate career and family responsibilities.

At the time, I saw the book primarily through the lens of a working mother trying to do the best I could for my family while continuing to build my career. Looking back today—after more than 20 years in program and project management, leadership, and cross-functional collaboration—I realize the lessons in that book extend far beyond working mothers. They offer guidance for anyone striving to lead with integrity, balance priorities, and care for people while achieving results.

Lessons That Still Matter Today

One of the most powerful takeaways from that book was the idea that success is rarely about doing everything perfectly. Instead, it is about making thoughtful decisions about what matters most in any given moment.

Over the years, I have seen several key principles from that message play out in my own leadership experience.

Balancing Priorities

Leadership requires constant prioritization. Whether managing government-funded programs, coordinating cross-functional teams, or navigating complex stakeholder relationships, understanding what requires immediate attention—and what can wait—is critical to delivering meaningful outcomes.

Transparency and Vulnerability

Too often leadership is portrayed as having all the answers. In reality, effective leadership requires transparency and the willingness to acknowledge when you don’t know something or when you need support. Authentic leadership builds trust, and trust is the foundation of high-performing teams.

Knowing Your Limits One of the most important lessons for any professional is recognizing that we cannot do everything alone. Knowing your limits is not weakness—it is wisdom. It allows leaders to build stronger teams and create environments where others can contribute their strengths.

Asking for Help

Collaboration is one of the most powerful tools in program and project management. The most successful initiatives I have led were never the result of one person’s effort. They were the result of teams working together, sharing expertise, and supporting one another to reach a common goal.

Adjusting When Necessary

Programs evolve. Communities evolve. Workforce needs evolve. Effective leadership requires the humility and strategic awareness to adjust when circumstances change.

Caring for People as a Motivator

Perhaps the most enduring lesson is that people are the most valuable asset in any organization. When leaders genuinely care about the people they work with—whether team members, partners, or the communities they serve—motivation, collaboration, and commitment naturally follow.

Why These Lessons Matter Today

In my work through Key Players Consultancy, I have seen firsthand how these principles translate into successful programs, stronger partnerships, and meaningful outcomes for communities, programs and individuals.

Whether working on economic development initiatives, supplier diversity programs, workforce development strategies, or community engagement efforts, the foundation remains the same: people, trust, and thoughtful leadership.

Women’s History Month reminds us that progress is built through the experiences, insights, and leadership of those who came before us. The lessons I learned years ago from a simple book on working motherhood still inform how I approach leadership today—not just as a professional, but as a person committed to doing work that matters.

And perhaps that is one of the most important reminders of all.

The wisdom that shapes our future often comes from the experiences we reflect on years later.

Happy Women’s History Month.

— Cameil D. Coleman

Managing Partner & Principal Consultant

#Key Players Consultancy