Why Women's Leadership Programs?

We've been fielding questions asking us if is it still necessary for there to be women's leadership programs? The most common question goes something like this: "Isn't leadership leadership?" As if there is some predestined, form-fitting suit that one puts on, and, there you have it, one is a leader. We get this fairly often from some fairly senior people who are what we'd consider to be open-minded and engaged.

We see these questions as indicative of how hard it is for even the most broad-minded to see how he or she is fitted and pressed by the stereotypical understanding of leadership. Action-oriented, analytical, calculative, decisive, black & white, one right answer, definitive…. These nearly unquestioned, right-way leadership traits overlook and dismiss perspectives, those specifically feminine in nature, that approach leadership in ways most concerned with developing and maintaining community, talent, and relationships. Traits that by the way mesh with the emerging theories of organizations as social structures—communities—built on relationships, identity, and shared purpose.

We see women's leadership programs as foundational, and more relevant than ever. Programs designed to build confidence and voice, intent on promoting dialogue in service of change that makes a difference. We see women's leadership programs as leading the charge to question the unquestioned assumptions that blind. Such as, "What does it means to lead?" "What are the dominant perspective driving the day-to-day understanding of the organization?" "What are we missing by missing the ingenuity available in the various voices and points of view we have at hand?" "Why are we so vested in the current strong-man ideal of leadership?"

There is a change in the air. We have organizations asking us to bring these themes to men, good men, who have just have not been given another way to assess their own assumptions about agency and power. Women's leadership programs are key to facilitating change that changes how we work and live. Women leave these program and take their change-agent energies back to the firm. Their voices provide organizations with ways to blossom which helps them attract and retain talent...and to learn to call upon diverse points of view to promote ingenuity and, subsequentially, market share.

But that enough of this...what do you think on this matter?