What is Leadership?

As of mid-2025, women hold approximately 9.4% of CEO positions at Standard & Poor's (S&P) 500 companies. That number may not sound impressive, but it matters when you remember that 25 years ago, only 9 women (0.02%) led S&P 500 companies.

Did you know that approximately 46% of Fortune 500 companies in 2025 were founded by immigrants or their children? This percentage has remained consistently high over the years and is often used as a proxy for the S&P 500. These companies include Apple, Amazon, Google, Costco, and DoorDash.

There are two things about these facts that excite me.

First, immigrants are an asset to Canada and certainly to the United States and Europe. Second, imagine what the corporate world could become when women reach parity with men in leading the largest companies in the world. As this trend grows and with more women and immigrants honing their leadership skills, I am hopeful that by 2035, we will see more women, more immigrants, and more immigrant women leading, and that we might succeed in restoring consciousness to capitalism.

My Leadership philosophy is dream it, believe it, and execute it.

Dream it

The first step for any aspiring leader is having the courage to dream big. It is giving yourself permission to imagine yourself as a leader of a team, a community, a company, a country, a school, a board, a charity, or whatever you dream of leading.

“The person with big dreams is more powerful than one with all the facts.”— Albert Einstein

Believe it

The second step — and the harder one — is belief.

Perspective is everything. It is your starting point. It determines where you think you are, how far you think you need to go, and your chances of achieving your dream. Belief is the bridge between dreaming and executing. Arianna Huffington once shared that her favorite quote by Rumi is: “Live life as if everything is rigged in your favor.”

This quote became one of my favorites as well. Everything about me makes me the leader I am today. The world might say that an immigrant woman who started her career without knowing what the word “depreciation” meant, while raising a one-year-old child, was not privileged.

I see it very differently. Being a working immigrant mother has been a great advantage.

I was born resourceful; I carry 8,000 years of Syrian heritage in my DNA. Syria is one of the oldest civilizations in the world. I started my career as a mother, so I never had to interrupt it. I have grit. I see patterns differently. Living between two worlds teaches you to hold two truths at once, making you more creative, more empathetic, and more open to trying new ways of doing things. My name is not common in the Canadian professional market, and I'm now ahead. There are 100 Mikes — and one Najah (sorry, Mike).

It is fascinating to me that the underdog philosophy runs deep in Western culture. The truth is, People with humble beginnings are more likely to be driven and keen to win. If you happen to live in a safe house with access to clean water, education, a supportive community, and free healthcare, you are already in a better position than most of the world. This starting line is advanced, especially when coupled with a dream and self-belief.

Again, perspective matters. The next time you experience imposter syndrome or underestimate another team member because of “disadvantages,” remember that these might be the gifts that will make you (or them) a great leader.  Gifts that Mike might not have (sorry again, Mike).

When you truly believe in your dream, execution becomes less intimidating than it once seemed.

Execute it

Yes, excellence matters. Yes, mastery matters. Yes, leadership in any field requires excellence and 10,000 hours to master your craft. But hard work alone will not make you the obvious next leader. Executive presence does. Power literacy does.

Power is a tool. Like any tool, it can be used for good or for harm. Learning how to navigate power is essential to executing any vision, whether in a corporate environment, a public institution, an educational setting, or a non-profit organization.

Building your personal brand, authentic networks, and finding sponsors is not optional — especially if you do not come from the traditional background of those who led before you.

A final note to current leaders:

Smart people surround themselves with smarter people. While we like to believe we are unbiased, the truth is that we all carry bias. More often than not, we do not choose the best person; we choose the person we feel most comfortable working with.

That is why intentional systems and intentional leadership training matter. Unconscious bias is addressed by intervening in the leadership system and ensuring that all your high-potential mid-level leaders (not just Mike) are visible, sponsored, and ready for promotion. This responsibility sits with those who already hold power.

If this resonates

If you are a leader looking to strengthen your leadership bench with promotion-ready talents — including women, immigrants, and non-white male talent — I would love to work with you to improve your executive pipeline.

If you are an aspiring immigrant or first-generation woman leader (or someone who is willing to learn from an optimistic, practical, goal-focused mindset) and you want to master your personal brand, build your network, and design and execute your boldest leadership plan, I would also love to work with you.

Let us connect