Rebel. It’s a word I’ve always loved. Indeed, to this day, I have a rebellious streak. The word carries a certain fierceness, doesn’t it? A refusal to play by someone else’s rules. At its root, the word comes from the Latin rebellis, meaning “waging war again.” It’s linked to resistance, to refusing to accept what’s imposed, and to rising up against the prevailing order. For centuries, it was painted as something dangerous, unruly, and disruptive. And can be still. Yet, for me, there is another side to the Rebel: a reminder that sometimes the only way to create something better is to rebel against the way things have always been. Indeed, even create a positive movement for that change.
Why does this matter? Because most of the women I work with have learned, often unconsciously, to conform. (Myself included.) To keep the peace, to play the game, to stay within the boundaries that others have drawn. That’s how we were taught to succeed: be agreeable, be dependable, don’t rock the boat. And yet, those very qualities — the ones that made us good students, diligent workers, reliable colleagues — become the shackles that hold us back as leaders. They keep us locked in roles that don’t fully stretch us, undervalued and under-recognised, endlessly proving ourselves in systems not designed with us in mind.
I see it in so many conversations. A woman who knows she’s underpaid but hesitates to speak up. Another with a bold vision for her team but waters it down because she doesn’t want to be seen as “too much.” Another who longs for a career change but can’t quite bring herself to step off the familiar ladder. Each of them is facing the same dilemma: do I keep conforming, or do I rebel?
Here’s the Lesson
To lead with ease and impact, rebellion is sometimes essential. Not rebellion for rebellion’s sake, but a conscious choice to resist the norms, the expectations, the invisible pressures that squeeze the life out of our leadership. Rebelling might mean saying no to the extra project that will only drain you. It might mean challenging the way performance is measured in your organisation. It might mean rewriting your own definition of success, even if it doesn’t match what others expect of you.
And I know from experience: rebellion rarely feels comfortable. It’s far easier to keep your head down, do what’s expected, and tell yourself that one day you’ll have more freedom. But that “one day” rarely comes unless you rebel today.
I remember a time in my own career when I realised I had been following a path laid out by others. Sure, it was prestigious and impressive on paper, but was draining me dry. The rebel in me began to whisper, and when I failed to act, began to shout: “Stop pretending to be someone you aren’t. It’s time to follow your heart..” It took courage to listen, to pivot, to carve my own direction. But if I hadn’t done that, I would not be coaching women leaders today. Only now do I feel I’ve found my work aligned with who I truly am, not who I thought I should be.
So here’s how you can apply this: ask yourself, *what in my life or work no longer feels like mine?* Where am I conforming just to be accepted, to fit in, to avoid judgement? And then, gently, courageously, experiment with rebellion. Start small. Refuse to apologise for a strong opinion. Say no without an explanation. Put forward a bold idea without cushioning it to please everyone. Notice how that feels. Notice how it shifts your energy.
Rebellion doesn’t always have to be loud and dramatic; sometimes the quietest acts of resistance are the most powerful.
When you rebel in service of your values, your vision, and your integrity, you give others permission to do the same. You begin to lead, not just manage. You stop being defined by the system and start shaping it instead. And that, I believe, is what true leadership is about.
So today, let the word rebel settle in your heart. Not as an accusation, not as a burden, but as an invitation. Where will you choose to rebel, so that you can lead with more ease, more authenticity, and more impact?
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