Women's Leadership Program Overview
Organizations thrive and out-perform their competitors when they have a strong pipeline of diverse talent from which to tap. The Women Leaders: Advancing Together leadership program is designed to build that talent pipeline by helping rising women leaders be successful within their organization.
In this leadership development program, rising women leaders and their senior managers will develop critical skills to advance their careers. They will later come together for several joint sessions to address various challenges facing women leaders.
Rising women leaders and senior managers will, as separate cohorts, develop and master key leadership skills they need for success. Together, they will explore how gender differences at work impact leadership strategies, building productive relationships, mentoring, and office politics.
Who Should Attend this Women’s Leadership Training?
This unique program is designed for high-performing women leaders and their senior managers of any gender.
The Rising Leaders’ program is designed to help women professionals develop the skills they need to move into leadership roles or advance their career in leadership. It is open to all women interested in management, but may be especially relevant for those with roles such as:
- Lead
- Team lead
- Supervisor
- Coordinator
- Assistant manager
- Manager
The Senior Leaders’ program is designed to empower senior executives in honing their executive leadership skills while actively supporting the progression of women leaders within the organization. Program content for senior leaders (of any gender) will be appropriate for:
- Senior manager
- Director
- Vice-president
- C-Suite executive
While rising and senior leaders may attend these programs individually, we strongly encourage rising women leaders and their senior managers to attend together. Senior leaders attending as a pair should work with the rising leader in a management context. They should be in a position to mentor, guide, and potentially promote rising women leaders within their organizations.
While the program will be especially beneficial for those who attend as a pair or group, group attendance is not required. Solo participants will also gain significant benefits from the program content.
Groups of two or more individuals from the same organization receive a discount. To take advantage of the group discount, please email ExecDev@DCE.Harvard.edu for further instructions. Learn more about our discount for group participation.
Benefits of this Women’s Leadership Program
Women Leaders: Advancing Together is a unique and intensive leadership program designed to promote the advancement of talented and motivated women into leadership roles. The program is focused on actionable takeaways that will enable leaders at all levels of an organization to empower your team, grow your organization, and advance your career.
Through small group discussions and exercises, you’ll master critical skills in key areas such as leadership style and brand, strategic thinking and problem-solving, and creating and leveraging perceptions, for example. By grounding the exercises and discussions in real-world challenges and solutions, you’ll find that you can apply the take-aways immediately when you return to the office.
Additionally, rising women leaders will have an opportunity to complete a project that involves developing their personalized career roadmap, and senior leaders will have an opportunity to create action plans tailored to tackle specific work-related challenges. Following the on-campus week, participants will continue to work on their projects and action plans, complemented by the benefit of individual coaching support. Participants will be able to present their projects and action plans during the coaching sessions, receive valuable feedback, and strategize ways to overcome any obstacles or unexpected challenges that may arise when applying the lessons learned upon their return to the office.
Curriculum
This intensive program involves a mix of highly interactive and engaging work sessions for each cohort (rising women leaders and senior leaders), as well as joint sessions and networking opportunities.
For rising women leaders, session topics will include:
- Creating and promoting your leadership identity, brand, and style
- Improving your communication, presentation, and negotiation skills
- Enhancing visibility and self-promotion across your organization
- Building power and networks
- Developing your career roadmap
- Negotiating for leadership success
- An individual coaching session to overcome challenges that may arise when applying lessons learned
For senior leaders, the program curriculum will focus on executive leadership skills and driving change at the top. Topics will include:
- Building credibility and inspiring others
- Using emotional intelligence to problem-solve and lead teams
- Establishing and communicating your vision to lead change
- Effectively identifying and managing broader strategic priorities
- Sponsorship and mentoring
- Identifying and creating opportunities for high-performing team members
- An individual coaching session to overcome challenges that may arise when applying lessons learned
In addition to networking opportunities, joint sessions for both rising leaders and senior executives will enable all participants to work together to create inclusive workplace environments that will enable women leaders to succeed.
Have questions about this program?
Please reach out to us! Our team is available Monday – Friday, from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Eastern Time at (617) 998-8500 or via email at ExecDev@Dce.Harvard.edu.
Note that any questions regarding discounts or invoices are best addressed via email.
Considering this program?
Instructors
-
![Pamela Rucker]()
Pamela Rucker
Pamela is a featured speaker at CIO events in the United States, Canada, and Europe. She brings over 25 years of experience helping executives to understand their business drivers. Pamela earned a master's degree from Harvard University. -
![Areen Shahbari]()
Areen Shahbari
Areen has over 17 years of corporate, business training, and consulting experience. Through her two self-founded ventures, Areen Training and Consultancy, and Cactus International, as well as her roles as an instructor at Harvard, Stanford, and Babson Executive Education, Areen has offered training, consultancy, and coaching services to numerous firms, governments, non-profits, and startups globally. -
![Headshot of PDP Instructor Jill Slye]()
Jill Abruzese Slye
Jill Slye has over 30 years of experience in business and teaches in multiple capacities across various schools at Harvard University. Her classes cover topics such as the fundamentals of public speaking and leadership communication. She is the founder of A Sounding Board, LLC, a global public speaking coaching company. -
![Diana Buttu]()
Diana Buttu
Diana was a fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and at Harvard Law School. She is an instructor at Harvard Extension School. She specializes in negotiations, international law, and international human rights law. She worked on the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, serving as the only female negotiator during her five-year tenure. -
![Laura Wilcox]()
Laura Wilcox
Laura has been in academia for over three decades at the intersection of business, innovation, and education at MIT, MIT Sloan, and Harvard. She is the Director of Management and Finance Programs at Harvard University's Division of Continuing Education. -
![Laurie Pascal]()
Laurie Pascal
Laurie Pascal is President of Pascal Coaching and Consulting LLC and a Senior Lecturer in Health Management at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, where she brings more than 30 years of industry experience in organizational behavior, strategy, and leadership to both traditional graduate and mid-career learners. Her consulting work with international and US organizations focuses on leadership and team development, organizational effectiveness, and effecting change. -
![PDP Instructor Jackie Campbell]()
Jackie Glenn
Jackie Glenn is the founder and CEO of Glenn Diversity Inclusion & HR Solutions, a diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) consulting practice that helps empower individuals, leaders, and corporations to foster equitable and inclusive spaces for all.
Instructors
-
![Pamela Rucker]()
Pamela Rucker
Pamela is a featured speaker at CIO events in the United States, Canada, and Europe. She brings over 25 years of experience helping executives to understand their business drivers. Pamela earned a master's degree from Harvard University. -
![Areen Shahbari]()
Areen Shahbari
Areen has over 17 years of corporate, business training, and consulting experience. Through her two self-founded ventures, Areen Training and Consultancy, and Cactus International, as well as her roles as an instructor at Harvard, Stanford, and Babson Executive Education, Areen has offered training, consultancy, and coaching services to numerous firms, governments, non-profits, and startups globally. -
![Headshot of PDP Instructor Jill Slye]()
Jill Abruzese Slye
Jill Slye has over 30 years of experience in business and teaches in multiple capacities across various schools at Harvard University. Her classes cover topics such as the fundamentals of public speaking and leadership communication. She is the founder of A Sounding Board, LLC, a global public speaking coaching company. -
![Laura Wilcox]()
Laura Wilcox
Laura has been in academia for over three decades at the intersection of business, innovation, and education at MIT, MIT Sloan, and Harvard. She is the Director of Management and Finance Programs at Harvard University's Division of Continuing Education. -
![Laurie Pascal]()
Laurie Pascal
Laurie Pascal is President of Pascal Coaching and Consulting LLC and a Senior Lecturer in Health Management at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, where she brings more than 30 years of industry experience in organizational behavior, strategy, and leadership to both traditional graduate and mid-career learners. Her consulting work with international and US organizations focuses on leadership and team development, organizational effectiveness, and effecting change. -
![PDP Instructor Jackie Campbell]()
Jackie Glenn
Jackie Glenn is the founder and CEO of Glenn Diversity Inclusion & HR Solutions, a diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) consulting practice that helps empower individuals, leaders, and corporations to foster equitable and inclusive spaces for all.
Program Requirements
Successful completion of all program components is required to earn the Certificate.
Rising Women Leaders:
- Complete self-paced pre-work in advance (watch videos, read articles, complete self-assessment).
- Attend the 5-day on-campus program.
- Complete a career roadmap project.
- Attend a one-on-one coaching session where you will present your project and receive valuable feedback.
Senior Leaders:
- Complete self-paced pre-work in advance (watch videos, read articles, complete self-assessment, review vision statement).
- Attend the 4.5-day on-campus program.
- Create an action plan.
- Attend a one-on-one coaching session where you will present your action plan and receive feedback.
FAQs
What is a Women’s Leadership Program?
A women’s leadership program is designed to help women learn the skills and develop the tools they need to advance into positions of responsibility, authority, and leadership. While some women’s leadership programs focus solely on women, this program takes a unique approach, by empowering both rising women leaders and senior leaders to create inclusive workplaces where women leaders can succeed and flourish.
Why Do Women Need Leadership Training?
Women today continue to face obstacles moving into leadership roles. According to research, women are 13 percent less likely to be promoted into early management positions. This gap widens up the management chain: women only hold 40 percent of management positions against men’s 60 percent.
This powerful leadership training program helps women recognize and overcome those barriers early on. The program empowers women with the skills they need to advance up the management chain, while helping senior leaders recognize, mentor, and advance high-performing women.
Why Do Women’s Leadership Programs Work?
Pursuing professional development programs like women’s leadership training really do work.
It isn’t always possible to master leadership skills while focused on the day-to-day responsibilities in the workplace. Professional development programs give you the opportunity to take time away from the day-to-day to concentrate on those critical skills you need to succeed.
Women’s leadership programs also give women the space to examine the real world problems they encounter with the help and support of female peers, many of whom have faced similar challenges. Networking, peer support, and accountability partners make this women’s leadership program especially profound.
How Long is This Women’s Leadership Program?
Rising women leaders will spend five days on the Harvard campus in Cambridge, MA. The program kicks off four weeks before the on-campus week with self-paced pre-work, consisting of videos to watch and assessments to complete. After the on-campus week, rising leaders will complete a project outlining their career action plan and attend an individual coaching session to present their projects and receive valuable feedback.
Senior leaders will enjoy four-and-a-half days on the Harvard campus. Their program kicks off three weeks before the on-campus week with self-paced pre-work, including videos, self-assessments, and a short assignment to complete. Following the on-campus week, senior leaders will develop an action plan specifically tailored to address workplace challenges they encounter and attend an individual coaching session to present their plans and receive valuable feedback.
How Will This Women’s Leadership Program Help Me In My Career?
This women’s leadership program will empower both rising women leaders and senior leaders to take your career to the next level.
For rising women leaders, this unique program will give you the skills to become a more powerful, more confident leader.
For senior leaders of any gender, participating in this women’s leadership program will not only offer the opportunity to enhance your own leadership skills, but it will also provide you with the skills you need to advance high-performing team members and create a truly inclusive organization.
What Participants Are Saying
“I recommend this outstanding course to anyone aiming to be as effective as possible in a leadership role. The modules and activities enhance and solidify skills in negotiation, navigating complex situations, and being a trusted advisor with the ultimate goal of leading a team”
— Recent Participant
“The program helped me to grow professionally by adopting new skills. The program was very informative and I recommend every rising leader consider taking this opportunity.”
— Albandari Almutairi, Rising Women Leader from Saudi Arabia
“This program has really impacted me and I feel energized to pursue my career dreams with much more confidence, particularly because of the tools and strategies I’ve gained.”
— Recent Participant
