Leadership Training for Women
Women have always worked, but have not always led. For U.S. women, identifying the right leadership training resource in the 21st century is daunting, due not to a lack, but to an abundance of resources. But for most of the world's women in Third World countries, access to education, financial resources and actual leadership training is still a precious commodity. Prying opening the doors of leadership to women could greatly impact the world's economic and social outcomes.
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History
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Because historically women have not held leadership roles outside the home, their leadership influence on business--other than as World War II workers and secretaries--was unknown until the modern women's movement. Fifty years later, women have managed to climb many rungs of the corporate ladder and many are finally reaching the CEO office in developed countries. Leadership is about personal success and broadening opportunities.
For most of the world's women, especially those in predominantly male-dominated societies, women are often denied, not just advanced training but basic education. Where they are allowed that training, there is little access to financial resources to make better lives. Women's leadership in these countries is about access to economic resources that enable them to lead in the sustainable development of their communities.
Training Access
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Access is no longer an issue. Type in the words "women's leadership training" into a search engine and thousands of resources appear. Leadership training resources for American women exist at nearly every price point and in every geographic area of the country. Training ranging from three-day summits and multi-week executive training courses, to graduate degree leadership programs, to women's leadership training in specific fields like biodiversity, education or health. Many have scholarship or grant opportunities that increase access for women of limited means.
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Training Reach
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Access to leadership programs globally is limited, but growing. The Global Women's Leadership Network at Santa Clara University connects women in developed countries with women in Third World countries identified as potential community leaders. The Vital Voices Program, declaring that "investing in women improves the world," provides grants for direct leadership training to women in the Third World and follows their progress.
Women's Leadership Style
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When women began to climb the corporate ladder, the first leadership training directed to them tended to be focused on training them to lead like men. This often proved frustrating, since women tend not to lead by the male style of domination or "command and control."
Leadership training for women has evolved as research has revealed that women bring special leadership traits to the workplace. The Caliper Study revealed that women's leadership style included four valuable leadership qualities: team building, comfort with risk taking, skillful persuasion and a willingness to re-invent the rules. Many businesses now realizes that instead of training out these innate traits, they should be nurtured and respected. Women looking for training resources would do well to identify these topics in leadership curriculum.
Expert Insight
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Leadership expert, Esther Wachs, put the issue of women and leadership training into perspective with her groundbreaking 2001 book, "Why the Best Man for the Job is a Woman: The Unique Female Qualities of Leadership." In it, she examined the careers of 14 top female executives---including Meg Whitman, president and CEO of eBay--to learn what made them successful. Her conclusion about women and leadership echoed the Caliper Study, with this additional insight: women can be effective in the business world because they are "high touch" in a generally "high tech" environment. Leadership training should enhance, not destroy this asset.
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