Women Leaders

Women continue to face unique challenges in all aspects of their life and this is especially true in leadership.

Research continues to highlight ongoing gender bias in organizations and we know many of our systems still reflect gender inequality. Traditional leadership is still ‘masculinized,” meaning that behaviors and actions associated with leadership are traditionally associated with men and masculinity (think being assertive, direct, quickly decisive). Women face a tricky double-bind when trying to effectively lead in that they risk being seen as either too emotional and too passive or too aggressive and “bitchy.”

Add to that the tensions that come from navigating both personal and professional life, trying to find time for self-care, and sorting through social pressures of what women ‘should’ do and feel, and you get a myriad of challenges and stressors.

Is there an answer?

While there may not be a solution to this problem, the answer is for each of us to develop our capacity for brave leadership. We need to learn the skills of courage, because it takes courage to exist in our organizations. We need to develop our ability to stand firm, hold boundaries, and advocate for what’s right. We need to do this in our workplaces, in our homes, and in our communities… with our colleagues, our sons and daughters, and our friends and family. We need to find allies in men who will join us in wanting a better, more balanced work environment. There is work to be done, but we can make a difference.

We strengthen women leaders

Leadership coaching

One-on-one coaching is a sure way to address your challenges and grow as a leader. Often, women don’t have a space to discuss their frustrations or get support around issues of gender bias. Women often don’t get the feedback they need to grow. Coaching is all about you and building your leadership capacity. For more about leadership coaching, click here.

Dare to Lead™: Brave Women

The Dare to Lead™ program is a great one for women leaders and it teaches courage, addresses common, yet challenging workplace habits that are problematic for women, and provides a road map for leading with authenticity while taking up your power effectively. The Dare to Lead™: Brave Women program explicitly brings in gender issues and addresses women’s leadership in the Dare to Lead™ framework. For more information on the Dare to Lead™, click here.

Workshops and Keynotes

When we apply a ‘gendered lens’ to workshop and keynote topics, it allows us to explicitly name and address the unique experiences women face living and leading. We examine how our topics might affect women differently. Some workshops are designed specifically for women leaders, and cover issues we know affect women, such as voice and power, boundaries and balance.Contact me to discuss a workshop or keynote for your group, and click here to learn more about offerings.

Get in Touch

Let’s talk about how we might work together to support and build up the women in your organization.

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