Women's Leadership Programme

Women’s Leadership Programme Empowering your leadership success

www.cranfield.ac.uk/som/wlp

+44(0)1234 754500

execdev@cranfield.ac.uk

“A hugely inspiring programme that will have a lasting impact on me.” Hayley Rees, Head of Operations

Advance your career with this empowering programme

Designed to help you develop your sense of purpose as a senior leader, articulate your ambitions, and navigate challenges. • Are you seeking clarity, authenticity and direction in your career progression? • Do you need time and insights to identify motivators and develop your leadership skills? • Are you ready to fulfil your leadership potential and nurture your unique leadership identity? • Would you like to know more about how gender can impact career progression, and how organisational change can lead to greater gender equity? This transformational programme will inspire you to lead with authenticity, strengthening your leadership expertise and people skills. During the programme you will develop your unique leadership profile and understand how to apply your skills and capabilities in a strategic way. You will learn how to successfully navigate the cultural and political landscapes of modern organisations, overcome barriers and enhance your leadership impact.

Who is this for?

The programme is designed for experienced women managers and professionals who are readying themselves for the move to senior leadership roles. You will: • Currently hold a management or leadership position in your organisation;

• Be ambitious and motivated about your future leadership career; • Want to develop your personal influence and professional skills.

www.cranfield.ac.uk/som/wlp

+44(0)1234 754500

execdev@cranfield.ac.uk

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What to expect from Women’s Leadership Programme

Led by experts in the field of women’s leadership with extensive business and academic experience, the programme offers the opportunity to expand your leadership skills and develop an actionable plan to take back to your workplace. Established for over 25 years and regularly updated to reflect the latest tools, practices and strategies, the programme is evidence-based and grounded in Cranfield’s long-standing research in the areas of gender and inclusion. There is a strong emphasis on the importance of cross-cultural insight and ED&I in modern organisations, and how you can influence change in these areas. Career coaching models are used in the programme, providing a structured framework for your personal growth and a powerful tool to help you develop a coaching mindset in your interactions with direct reports. You will experience peer-to-peer coaching with others in the cohort, and there is also an option to book sessions with a professional coach to continue your own development. This unique programme offers a safe environment which builds trust and allows you to tackle organisational challenges and explore personal development insights with other women in similar positions. You will join a network of peers, academics and practitioners who will provide inspiration and support both during the programme and into the future.

“Such a thought-provoking few days, I feel genuinely empowered.”

Michelle Pearce Commercial Director

www.cranfield.ac.uk/som/wlp

+44(0)1234 754500

execdev@cranfield.ac.uk

Programme structure

The programme is founded on three pillars of empowerment:

Empower to action

Empower to influence

Empower from within

You will review and develop your strengths and practical competencies in transferable leadership skills such as negotiating, delegating and problem-solving. By establishing a clear understanding of your personal capabilities, you will be able to identify and address areas for development. As you explore the challenges of navigating organisational culture and politics, you will reflect on how institutional values can impact on women, especially those in leadership roles, and consider strategies for reforming established models and policies.

You will examine your individual identity and purpose, embracing your authenticity and recognising any distorting beliefs that are holding you back. By building your self-awareness and an understanding of how others see you, you will uncover your motivations for success and develop a powerful personal brand. Through deep self-reflection in a supportive environment, you will explore how to maximise your personal influence and unleash your potential. The insights acquired during the programme will ultimately contribute to a strategic career plan that you will develop with a re-invigorated sense of identity and energy.

Your skills and strengths alone are not enough to achieve leadership success.We will focus on the importance of network mapping and collaboration in developing your social capital. You will learn how intersectionality (your social, cultural and personal identities) impacts your professional influence, and the significance of understanding and embracing cross-cultural intelligence. As you evaluate your approach to building strong relationships with senior stakeholders, you will develop clarity around impression management tactics, and personal strategies on how to maximise your visibility in a positive way.

www.cranfield.ac.uk/som/wlp

+44(0)1234 754500

execdev@cranfield.ac.uk

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Programme leaders

Dr Deirdre Anderson Deirdre is Director of the Gender, Leadership and Inclusion Centre in the School of Management at Cranfield University, leading and coordinating the Centre’s work in inclusive practices within organisations. She is a Chartered Occupational Psychologist with extensive teaching experience with undergraduates, postgraduates and in executive education, working with students and clients to challenge, review and develop their approaches to more inclusive cultures through individual actions and organisational practices. Deirdre frequently presents her research at academic and practitioner conferences in the UK and internationally. Her research encompasses inclusive leadership, gendered working practices, flexible and hybrid working, and work/ family challenges in varying cultures. Deirdre has held senior roles within Cranfield and elsewhere, navigating and challenging organisational systemic and structural processes as she has progressed through her career. Prior to academia, Deirdre spent over 20 years working within organisations as a business psychology consultant. Her expertise focuses on design and delivery of creative and innovative development programmes which promote change within individuals, groups and organisations. She continues to specialise in executive leadership programmes for women.

www.cranfield.ac.uk/som/wlp

+44(0)1234 754500

execdev@cranfield.ac.uk

6

Why Cranfield?

Cranfield has a long and prestigious heritage not only in delivering women’s development programmes, but also researching and publishing on equality and diversity in the workplace: • Cranfield launched the first major women’s management development programme in the UK in 1986 for the largest private employer of women in the country at the time. • The ‘Women as Leaders’ open programme was launched in 1996. • Over 2,000 women have experienced a Cranfield women’s development programme. • The Female FTSE Board Report has been compiled by Cranfield since 1999, looking at trends in women’s representation on FTSE Boards and presenting related research. • The annual Women to Watch list was introduced in 2009, showcasing senior women across sectors and highlighting some of the vast talent pool available. • The FRC commissioned Cranfield to research the ‘Ethnic Diversity on FTSE Boards Report’ in 2022. • Cranfield’s Gender, Leadership and Inclusion Centre is a thriving community of researchers and practitioners investigating factors influencing equity, diversity and inclusion at work, interrogating power and privilege, and pioneering solutions for a more representative workforce with full and effective participation and equal access to opportunities for all. • The Women’s Leadership Programme is evidence-based with a focus on experiential learning. Our facilitators and coaches are carefully selected to deliver a meaningful and relevant experience that reflects the challenges and concerns of today’s women leaders.

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www.cranfield.ac.uk/som/wlp

+44(0)1234 754500

execdev@cranfield.ac.uk

Learning and courses for the decade ahead.

Our business development team are waiting to talk to you. T: +44 (0)1234 754500 E: execdev@cranfield.ac.uk www.cranfield.ac.uk/som/wlp

The solution described in this document is provide by Cranfield Management Development Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Cranfield University.

Every effort is made to ensure that the information in this leaflet is correct at the time it is printed. Please check www.cranfield.ac.uk/som/executive for the latest details.

Terms and conditions can be found at www.cranfield.ac.uk/som/executivetc

www.cranfield.ac.uk/som/wlp

+44(0)1234 754500

execdev@cranfield.ac.uk

Version 3. July 2024.