Did you know that…
- Women have outnumbered men on college campuses since 1988?
- Women, while constituting 50.8% of the U.S. population, earn more than 57% of undergraduate degrees and 59% percent of all master’s degrees?
- Women account for 47% of the U.S. labor force and 52.5% of the college-educated workforce?
And yet, women’s presence in leadership positions lags woefully behind. While the U.S. workforce is about half women, only about one third of leadership positions are held by women. In fact, there are fewer women in leadership positions than there are men named John.
The good news? Organizations are recognizing that failing to fully tap into the talent women bring to the workforce is more than simply a form of social inequity. It is a poor business decision. Failing to fully leverage the skills and talents of this educated and motivated segment of the workforce means organizations aren’t getting the best return on their talent investment.
So, what can be done? Research reveals companies that demonstrate the best results in advancing women leaders and getting an enhanced return on talent investment do two things: they take active steps to improve the environment for women and all members of underrepresented groups, and they invest in women’s leadership training. And yet, this poses it’s own unique set of challenges.
- Many companies have fabulous training and development departments that provide excellent technical training, smooth on-boarding and orientation, and other important programs. However they lack the in-house expertise to address the needs of advancing women leaders. So, the training doesn’t happen.
- Companies may be willing to invest in women’s leadership training, but they have no strategic approach and simply send random women (normally the women who ask to attend, not necessarily the women who would most benefit the organization) to random events. And while there can be some benefit, this lack of focus means it is difficult to measure results or determine a return on investment.
Companies may want to strategically invest in women’s leadership, but they don’t know where to start, what type of curriculum to offer, who will facilitate…. in short… it is difficult to create a training program from scratch.The solution many organizations are implementing is to invest in a proven, turnkey, women’s leadership academy. Why is this such a sought after solution?
- A turnkey women’s leadership academy is easy to implement. Organizations only need to determine the criteria for attendance, decide on the length of the program (6 month or 10 month), and assign an administrative lead to be responsible for logistical details such as meeting room space. That’s it! It’s that easy.
- A turnkey women’s leadership academy can be tailored to meet specific needs. While the curriculum is pre-determined, there is ample opportunity for the curriculum to be tailored based on the needs of the organization and the specific women in attendance.
- A turnkey women’s leadership academy yields maximum results with minimal stress. There is no need to wonder if the curriculum is making an impact. There is no need to fret about whether the tools and techniques actually work. There is no need to worry about all the pesky details.
- A turnkey women’s leadership academy provides an incredible return on investment. Participants leave with more than theory. They leave with tools and with action plans! The results are clear. Check out the hundreds of thousands of dollars saved when participants from one large healthcare system in Kentucky put the tools and techniques they gleaned to use!
Imagine how your organization could benefit from The Women’s Leadership Academy: Transform Choices, Ignite Influence, Remarkable Results. There would be a forum where women leaders could network across departments, share best practices, discover new tools and strategies, and learn from an expert in the field of leadership and communication. And, the best part? It’s easy. It’s more than cost effective. It can improve employee engagement, reduce turnover, boost morale and contribute to making your organization an employer of choice. And, it goes a long way towards bridging the gap between where women are in their leadership journey and where they could be to benefit your organization.
To find out more about your Women’s Leadership Academy facilitator, Pamela Jett, and to discover how you can schedule your 2020 academy contact Aimee at 866.726.5388 or Aimee@JettCT.com.