Advancing Women Leaders

While great strides have been made in the advancement of women, challenges remain. A 2023 Women in the Workplace report from McKinsey and LeanIn shows that representation of women has increased at the C-suite and senior executive levels from 17 to 28% since 2015. Unfortunately, however, progress is lagging at the manager and director levels. Without increased representation of women at lower levels of leadership, the pipeline will not support continued growth at the top.

The Advancing Women Leaders Series recognizes that, to address these gaps in the pipeline, organizations need to invest in the development of their female talent, particularly women of color. This program aims to empower women at the early to mid-level stages of their careers to build their confidence, visibility and influence in order to rise to higher levels of leadership.

The program begins with an examination of gender stereotypes, including a specific focus on the double bind – the idea that women can be seen as likable or competent but it’s very difficult to be seen as both. Participants better understand their own experience through this lens and develop actionable strategies to overcome these biases.

Early sessions also focus on overcoming impostor syndrome, clarifying short and long-term career goals, and building a more strategic network. With strategies that acknowledge the reasons women are more likely to experience impostor syndrome and struggle to build strategic relationships, participants are empowered to take bolder steps to access the resources and opportunities needed to achieve their career goals.

The Advancing Women Leaders program also teaches women how to more confidently manage conflict, strengthen their communication skills and effectively build their influence to effect change. With greater self-awareness, as well as a better understanding of the primary sources of conflict, resistance to change and office politics, participants feel more emboldened to build stronger relationships and advocate for their positions.

Critically, women also learn to promote themselves to ensure that they are adequately recognized for the value they offer. They learn to do this, not in self-serving ways, but in ways that best support the business by ensuring influencers understand and leverage their capabilities. A focus on self-promotion, combined with sessions on strategic mindset and time management, provide women with the skills needed to let go of lower-value work activity and maximize their impact on the business.

We wrap up the program with a focus on inclusive leadership, including fostering psychologically safe work environments for themselves and others. We also celebrate participant successes throughout the journey and ensure that they are set up for ongoing success when they leave the program.

According to a 2023 article in the American Psychological Association, “When more women are empowered to lead, everyone benefits. Decades of studies show women leaders help increase productivity, enhance collaboration, inspire organizational dedication, and improve fairness.” To achieve this vision, however, we need a more robust pipeline of female professionals at all levels of leadership. The Advancing Women Leaders program is designed to fill existing gaps and prepare women to step more confidently and boldly into higher levels of leadership.

Program Overview

The Advancing Women Leaders program is a 12-week program, which begins on Tuesday April 2, 2024. Meetings will be held every Tuesday from 9am to 10am via Zoom. Register now!