The Future of Blind Leadership: Reflections from United Blind Leaders’ First Webinar of 2025
On Thursday, 13 March 2025, United Blind Leaders (UBL) hosted its first webinar of the year, bringing together blind leaders and allies for a thought-provoking discussion on the realities, challenges, and opportunities in blind leadership. Facilitated by Graeme Innes, the panel featured three blind leaders, Professor Ron McCallum AO, Donna Purcell, and Lauren Henley, each of whom offered valuable insights from their leadership journeys.
The discussion explored what blind leadership truly means—not just holding executive positions, but shaping processes, influencing change, and uniting people to drive meaningful outcomes. Leadership is about more than titles; it is about presence, influence, and the ability to facilitate progress.
The Challenges of Blind Leadership
The panel highlighted key barriers that blind and vision-impaired leaders continue to face. One major challenge is accessibility—many organisational systems remain inaccessible, from management platforms to last-minute document sharing that leave blind professionals struggling to participate fully. These barriers make leadership harder than it needs to be.
Another significant challenge is the emotional and mental toll of leadership. The isolation and anxiety that can come with leadership roles were discussed candidly, acknowledging that blind leaders often carry an additional burden of proving themselves in spaces not designed with them in mind.
Creating Opportunities for Blind Leaders
Despite these challenges, the panel identified key opportunities to strengthen pathways for aspiring blind leaders. Organisations need to actively support blind and vision-impaired people who want to move into leadership roles, ensuring they have the tools, training, and opportunities to succeed.
Mentorship was a strong theme, with panellists reinforcing how learning from experienced leaders is crucial for building leadership skills. Creating a supportive community where blind leaders can share experiences, strategies, and advice will be essential to ensuring ongoing success.
It was acknowledged that blind people bring unique strengths to leadership, including deep listening skills and patience. These qualities should not only be recognised but leveraged to enhance leadership effectiveness.
What’s Next for United Blind Leaders?
The webinar also provided an update on UBL’s latest developments. UBL is committed to creating a safe space for blind leaders to discuss barriers and develop practical solutions. Looking ahead, UBL plans to deliver on its strategic plan. In 2025, it will incorporate as a not-for-profit organisation and establish a governing board, ensuring it has the structure needed to drive long-term impact. Additional webinars are planned throughout the year. The Committee encouraged suggestions for topics to be shared on the UBL-Chat list. To subscribe, send a blank email to ubl-chat+subscribe@groups.io.
The full recording of the webinar is now available on our website. Whether you are a blind leader, an aspiring leader, or an ally, we encourage you to listen to the session, reflect on the conversation, and join us in building a future where blind leadership is valued and supported.
Together, we are shaping a more inclusive and empowered future for blind leadership.