Closing the Confidence and Visibility Gaps for Women
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Rupal Patel, a former CIA agent turned CEO and author, led the session “Closing the Confidence and Visibility Gaps for Women” at the 2025 ACFE Women’s Summit. To start off the session with a practice of confidence, Patel invited four volunteers to sit at the front of the room and get comfortable with “being seen”, prompting the four women to sit on the stage for the remainder of the session.
Weaponized “Absence of Evidence”
Patel highlighted an issue contributing to the visibility gap, calling it the “weaponized ‘absence of evidence’”. She argued that a lack of visible representation of women in leadership, science and innovation is often wrongly interpreted as evidence of their absence or lack of capability. “There is so much noise in the world about what women can and can’t do,” she stated, “how we do and do not contribute, how we may or may not have unfair advantages because somehow we’re not qualified to get places on our own. And so much of that is because of this idea that there’s an absence of evidence.”
She continues to make this point by posing the question that those who perpetuate the “absence of evidence” argument might ask, “Where are all the women leaders? Where are all the women scientists? Where are all the innovators? Right? If they were out there, if women were at a par with their male counterparts, we’d be seeing and hearing about them, right?” Immediately refuting these statements, Patel discusses how “an absence of evidence is equated with an evidence of absence”, and that “People assume that they just don’t exist.”
“We’re doing the work, so we should be getting the recognition”
In 2017, Jessica Wade started writing Wikipedia articles for female scientists and was recognized in 2022 for creating more than 1,700 pages highlighting women’s contributions. Patel used this example to highlight how female leaders and innovators have been ignored since there was only a Wikipedia page for one female scientist, Marie Curie. She emphasized how this has been a common theme for centuries, erasing women’s innovations and accomplishments, appropriating them and practically plagiarizing their ideas. “It’s not asking for unfair advantages,” Patel states. “It’s not asking for things that we don’t deserve. We’re doing the work, so we should be getting the recognition.” She made this an example for why women need to close the visibility gap and participate in the conversation by taking credit for and bringing their own ideas to the table. “This idea that ‘women just run into stem’, ‘we need to encourage women because it’s not their natural forte.’ It’s total nonsense. It’s just that the voices and the stories are not being shared.”
Confidence is Not Fixed
Patel shared her lessons learned over the years, emphasizing that confidence is not fixed but rather something that develops over time through practice and experience. She stressed the importance of challenging negative beliefs about yourself, such as feelings of inadequacy or that your voice does not matter. She encouraged women to question why they hold themselves back and to recognize their valuable insights and expertise, stating “You don’t have to be the expert or the foremost guru or the world leading anything. You have a story, you have insight, you have expertise. You can just contribute. That is all you are doing. That is all any of us can do.”
Patel addressed the tendency for women to feel they need excessive qualifications and argues that women are often encouraged to be over-credentialed, stating, “We have to get a certificate. We have to get that degree. We have to have somebody else tell us that we are good enough.” She challenges this by suggesting it is a form of self-sabotage that prevents women from taking risks and pursuing their goals. She emphasizes that the world does not operate on a purely meritocratic basis and that waiting for external validation can be a barrier to advancement.
Patel offers a perspective on the common framing of imposter syndrome. She argued that by labelling it as a “syndrome,” it implies that there is something inherently wrong with women who experience these feelings. Instead, she reframes those feelings of self-doubt as a potential indicator of growth, a sign that one is pushing beyond their comfort zone rather than being an “imposter.” Patel reinforces this by saying “You have been asked to be in that room because you have value to add to that conversation”, emphasizing that women are invited to participate because they bring valuable skills and perspectives to the table.
How Do We Close the Visibility Gap?
Know Your “Why”:
Patel provided attendees with some examples of knowing why we should be more visible, stating that it is the most important question.
Gaining PR, customers or clients.
Getting an investment for your business.
Being seen as an expert in your field.
Raising awareness.
Having an impact.
Getting promoted or a pay raise.
Audit Yourself
Emphasizing the importance of self-awareness when it comes to presenting yourself professionally, Patel urged attendees to audit their online profiles, especially LinkedIn, to ensure they accurately reflect their skills, experience and professional brand. She cautions against underselling yourself or presenting an outdated or unprofessional image, encouraging women to be proactive in shaping their online presence.
Review Your Profiles: Get feedback from a colleague or friend on your professional profiles, such as LinkedIn, and update them accordingly.
Choose Two Channels: Choose two social areas. Podcasts, social media, LinkedIn, conferences, panels, media, etc. Just choose two and then be consistent about showing up in those places.
Pitch Yourself: Nominate yourself for an award, ask for a raise or promotion, etc.
Brag Sheet
Patel discussed creating and maintaining a “brag sheet”, a running document of accomplishments, positive feedback and contributions, big or small. It is not just a resume or a list of formal achievements, but a comprehensive record of value. She encourages women to find the criteria for the promotion or raise, a speaker role or an award they want, and then list off why they deserve it by using their brag sheet.
