Why do women so often feel they need to get all the possible training and qualifications before they put themselves forward for a new role or opportunity — while men are far more likely to ‘give it a go’ … confident they will learn what they need to know on the job?
Running Board Leadership programs I noticed that not only were the majority of participants women (getting the training first), the few men who did attend the programs already had Board experience — possibly even chairing a Board — before they had realised there was a lot they didn’t know about governance and the legal and financial responsibilities of a Board Director.
Katalin Howell
This same confidence and willingness to ‘give it a go’ also gives men a head start in work promotions and prospects, contributing to the many reasons women are under-represented in senior leadership roles. My passion for gender equity has become a primary focus of both my professional and volunteer work, in which I aim to help change the landscape of leadership in the Australian workplace.
As a leadership development professional — with more than 20 years’ experience in psychology education, leadership development, board governance, and executive education — my passion is to inspire individuals to empower themselves and others to make good choices with which to have a positive impact in achieving their own leadership vision and the vision of their organisations. For me gender equity is a crucial element.
Melissa LewisGender equity also became a critical motivator for Melissa Lewis as she worked her way through male-dominated industries in commercial real estate, and running a major shopping centre, before following her passion to start her own business focused on empowering women.
We are both passionate about empowering women to identify and leverage their strengths for greater career success, which is why we have developed our Women Who Lead program.
With more than 30 years of experience working to empower women, Flow Leadership director Katalin Howell and Style Confidante director Melissa Lewis understand the challenges professional women face.
We have collaborated to offer businesswomen the combination of our skills and experience, which centres on evidence-based psychological research that enables women to feel confident and want to be more visible. We also focus on the importance of having a defined personal brand, and behaviours to influence and persuade stakeholders.
The Women Who Lead leadership program has been designed to develop the participants’ leadership capabilities in the key areas of self-awareness, appropriate assertiveness, effective communication, personal brand, creating presence and the ability to promote you. All these key focus areas are ultimately designed to increase confidence and empower participants to step up in their leadership journey.
We know that organisations with a higher proportion of women in their top management and on their Boards have better results. Yet in ASX 200 companies, the number of female Chairs on ASX 200 Boards remains woefully low, with even fewer female CEOs — and many of the top 200 still have no women on their Boards.
The Australian Chief Executive Women Gender Equality survey highlighted that organisations attracting and developing women leaders can draw on a deeper and more diverse pool of executive talent. So we need to develop women leaders who are empowered to make a difference. There is no question that we need strong, positive and inspiring women in senior leadership roles, who support and promote other women into senior leadership.
Flow Leadership Centre is a leadership development company underpinned by proprietary research. This research has led to the development of the Flow Leadership Model that creates a leadership roadmap.
Flow Leadership is the ideal or ultimate state of effectiveness, influence and success in leadership. We offer programs to develop emerging, established and executive leaders who are self-aware and are developing the ability for unconscious and spontaneous movement between approaches and styles, with best fit to the context or current audience, to attain Flow Leadership and become the ideal leader.
Style Confidante is dedicated to empowering businesswomen on their journey towards greater confidence, presence and influence. By helping clients elevate their personal brand and image, Style Confidante readies women for professional advancement, particularly in the financial service, law and IT professions.
Through specialised support in developing executive presence and self-promotion with gravitas and style, we help professionals leverage their unique strengths and become more visible and valued in a competitive environment. With newfound confidence and a polished, professional image that matches their capabilities, Style Confidante clients have been recognised as industry experts and leaders in their field.
Recognising the very different yet complimentary offerings of our two businesses, we know that we are well placed to make a real difference in developing women leaders. There are so many ‘training’ programs women can choose from that probably won’t make much difference in their careers. However, we wanted to offer a leadership development program with real, long-term impact.
Women Who Lead is a program for women who want to lead with style, confidence, visibility and influence.
Skills will be developed in:
- Self-awareness to be the best version of themselves
- Increasing employee motivation and productivity
- Contributing to a positive organisational culture
- Increasing confidence for women leaders to step forward and self-promote
- Flow Leadership
- Increased leadership capabilities to motivate individual staff and teams
- Networking skills
- Enhancing brand awareness
- Creating brand advocates for the organisation
- Promoting consistency and congruency amongst the team and organisational brand.
The program is designed to have impact far longer than the three program days. Opportunities for reflective practice and applying the learnings from the program are a key focus throughout. Post-program, we offer further opportunities for participants to take-up 1:1 coaching or individual consultations, as well as becoming a member of the Women Who Lead alumni network. This network offers ongoing peer support and connection to a variety of further leadership development forums.
Individual participants will benefit from an increased self-awareness and level of confidence, empowering them to lead with presence and influence. Exposing the unconscious blockers to success and replacing them with conscious choices, enables a future-focused, positive and collaborative approach to working with others. Rather than waiting for superiors to notice them or to be invited to contribute their knowledge and opinions, our women leaders will feel empowered to step up and speak out.
The Women Who Lead program leaders will also encourage and mentor others creating a positive change in workplace culture. Organisations will benefit from empowered women leaders who are ready to lead by example for overall personal and business success.
If you would like to know more about our programs or would like a program tailored for your organisation, please contact us at Katalin@flowleadership.com.au Melissa@styleconfidante.com.au or visit our website www.flowleadership.com.au
