The perfect place and way to end the first day in the “Becoming An Authentic Leader” program for a group of female leaders from a large organization cross Nordic. We had a day together in a room of love and kindness with focus on unlocking the participants potential as individuals and as a team. The aim of the program is to focus on what is right with people instead of what is wrong and trying to fix it. Building a network within their organization that will make it possible to collaborate, elevate, and help each other. Last but not least retaining female leadership talents and encourage them to become leaders that will transform the current leadership demographic and culture.
The key to authentic leadership is knowing and investing in one’s strengths. All participants have had a CliftonStrengths assessment and a coaching feedback session. When we know our strengths, we are more likely to focus on what is right for us and take ownership of our own career. Becoming a sustainable leader who no longer is trying to be like other leaders and moving away from learned behaviors that are more likely to serve others but not necessary oneself.
"Becoming An Authentic Leader” is a program that encourage leaders to do what they do best and be true to their authentic self. The program acts like a catalyst for daring to explore one’s own leadership style and being a leader that challenge status quo, old ways of leadership that no longer serves the people in organizations. We encourage leaders to be true to themselves and their strengths in the needed creation of a culture with psychological safety, appreciation of authenticity and purpose driven engagement. Developing sustainable leadership that can create followship, facilitate conversations about wellbeing and an inclusive and empowering culture that can attract, develop, and retain people – especially Gen Z.
Together we explore the opportunities and barriers at each stage of the participants career that can be different for them as women. Knowing the challenges can help the participants to overcome them and create change for self and others on the road to authenticity, success, and happiness. Speak up and be an advocate for other women. Increase awareness around the fact that female leaders of any given organization are more likely to experience:
• Double standard.
• Being more severely scrutinized.
• Higher pressure to perform (but not compete).
• Executing more office housework.
• Expectations of others – majority.
• The more successful they become – the less likable they become (it is trap for most women).
• Stereotyping and unconcise biases.
The program supports the participants in aiming for promotions to leadership positions and even being the token of the organization in the name of a long-needed change. Understanding that when women enter positions of authority and influence, they are held to a different standard of likability. This double standard acts as a glass ceiling for women and stands as an obstacle toward realizing the gender equality.
Female Leadership strongly encourage women to say yes to be promoted, because they have most likely already done more than expected to deserve it. Women have and will never be promoted just because they are women but because they deserve it. Ignore the coffee machine gossip. Be the quota. Be the role model you have been missing. Dancing like no one’s watching. Lead your own life and career in a sustainable authentic inclusive way that is rewarding to yourself and others. This program help you love yourself, your strengths and becoming the authentic leader your organization is longing for and desperately need.
