From Boardrooms to Breakfast Tables: The Power of Community

Lisa McCurdy, IWF UK Member, Partner, Osprey Consulting

Leadership is often associated with scale, big roles, and bold decisions. The most meaningful forms of leadership, however, often begin in much smaller, quieter spaces.

This message was echoed by speaker Dame Julia Cleverdon, at the Jean Denton Lecture in June. Her call to action was clear: “You have to go to the places where change can happen.” Not just the high-profile venues and global stages but the everyday places. Your local school, your high street, your faith space, your community hall. It’s about proximity, and about presence. About remembering that leadership doesn’t have to be distant to be impactful.

In May this year, I hosted a local business breakfast at St Peter’s Church in St Albans (where I serve as Warden) – nothing flashy, just good coffee, warm croissants, and a diverse group of professionals coming together for conversation. Many attendees were working from home, some were new to the area, others were simply looking to connect. There was no agenda – just the simple idea of bringing people together.

One guest said, “We’re all so used to back-to-back Teams meetings, I’d forgotten how energising it is to be around people in person.” In our busy, hyper-connected-but-physically-disconnected world, we’re rarely invited to pause and be present in our own communities. And yet, these moments of genuine human connection can be surprisingly powerful and even transformative.

As women with influence and reach, we in IWF UK are uniquely placed to bring energy, wisdom, and connection into the rooms that matter – not just at work, but where we live. It doesn’t always require a grand plan or a platform. Sometimes it’s about showing up, listening, and quietly holding space for others.

The St Albans breakfast reminded me that leadership is just as much about being present as it is about being visionary. And that the impact we have in local communities can ripple outwards in ways we don’t always anticipate.

So here’s to more breakfasts. More community. More remembering that change often begins not in strategy documents but around a table with coffee, conversation, and care.