As you plan leadership development initiatives for 2022 and beyond, consider these four opportunities to make a meaningful impact on the careers of women leaders.
by Karissa McKenna
January 3, 2022
When millions of Americans left their jobs in 2021, some analysts dubbed it the “Great Resignation.” But C. Nicole Mason, president and chief executive of the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, called it a “SHEcession,” noting that the industries hardest hit by the pandemic, such as leisure and hospitality, were disproportionately female.
The term still feels appropriate, as we see women’s departures from the workforce outpacing men in almost every function, level and industry. For many women, the latest research supports what they’re feeling and seeing in their own organizations. According to McKinsey & Co.’s 2021 Women in the Workplace study, “Four in 10 women have considered leaving their companies or switching jobs — and higher employee turnover in recent months suggests that many of them are following through.”
While alarming, this upheaval provides a powerful opportunity for leadership development professionals: an opening to give women leaders the resources and support they need to begin turning the tide.
As you plan leadership development initiatives for 2022 and beyond, consider these four opportunities to make a meaningful impact on the careers of women leaders.
1. Provide air cover for leaders participating in development opportunities.
Because women are struggling with radical disruptions and increased workloads in their professional and personal lives, it’s critical that they not perceive leadership development as “one more thing” on top of a growing and overwhelming list of responsibilities.
In order for it to pay off, leadership development takes time, critical thinking, reflection and practice. As you plan leadership development opportunities, you’re uniquely positioned to offer this “air cover” by ensuring that participants have the space they need to make it a real business priority.
First, communicate this need to participants and to their direct supervisors. The messaging from your organization should be that your leaders’ herculean efforts have been seen and are valued, and that development opportunities are a way for the company to invest in its employees long-term.
2. Create opportunities for vertical development through holistic leadership.
At the Center for Creative Leadership, we know leaders need more than just knowledge and skills to lead in a complex and ever-changing world. They need the wisdom that comes from vertical development.
Vertical development offers leaders sophisticated ways of thinking about complex challenges. It helps them gain new perspectives and leadership mindsets that boost their organizations’ business strategies. Through vertical development, leaders uncover the larger systems and ecosystems within their organizations so they can begin to influence those systems in intentional ways.
While no one experience can deliver vertical development on a platter, we’ve found that leadership development programs are most impactful when they invite leaders to reconnect with their own “from here to there” journey. For leaders on this journey, creating a desired future includes understanding past stories and present realities:
- FROM is about social identity, life experiences, assumptions, values, mental models and beliefs that shape participants’ approach to leadership and the choices they make.
- HERE is about paying attention in new ways to the impact they’re having, what they’re trying to accomplish, and the changing realities of the organizational and business environment.
- THERE is about connecting passion and purpose to priorities that accelerate themselves, their teams and their organizations, recognizing the opportunities that come with the degree of chaos and continuous disruption they’re facing.
Vertical development becomes possible when leaders are able to step out of their day to day and reconnect with their own personal journey. By allowing leaders the space to localize their work within the broader view of themselves, you can help them reclaim their agency and find healthier, more sustainable ways of working.
3. Give women (and all leaders) options for how and when they engage in leadership development.
Pre-pandemic, women represented approximately 30-50 percent of participants in our global Leadership Development Program (LDP)™ in-person cohorts. But during COVID, this dropped to around 10-15 percent, a signal that travel restrictions, work/life demands and school closures seemed to be disproportionately impacting the accessibility of in-person learning for women.
When we launched our new, all-digital LDP Live Online in June 2021, women made up 88 percent of participants, as we noted in the CLO article “Now is the Moment to Democratize Leadership Development.” Since then, we’ve continued to see solid and stable enrollment of women leaders. This new format option is reaching an audience of women eager for leadership development in an accessible format.
Considering that women are seeking permanent hybrid and virtual working options at a higher rate than their male colleagues, it makes sense that many women leaders would appreciate the ability to choose the leadership development option that fits their needs.
Additionally, leadership development that includes Live Online sessions on Zoom, Teams or other platforms can be especially beneficial for leaders of hybrid or virtual teams, giving them the virtual practice field they need to develop new skills and approaches to leading in the new world of work.
Finally, consider leadership development opportunities that can conform to individual leaders’ timing preferences, whether that’s through asynchronous learning or open enrollment courses that allow each leader to attend when it best fits their personal and professional schedule. These courses are designed to offer a consistent experience across your leader population that builds a common language and practice.
4. Consider women-only options for leadership development.
Learning leaders face a recurring question when they determine how to turn the tide of the SHEcession: Is it best to serve women through women-only experiences or through gender-diverse experiences?
Both approaches can have a positive effect on retaining and developing the women within your organization. When making the decision, evaluate these factors:
- Are women a demographic minority in the leadership ranks of your organization? If so, they may benefit from an all-women leadership development experience. The opportunity to connect and network with other women across their ranks can sometimes be more meaningful when it’s less available in their day-to-day work lives.
- Do you have executive-level support? All-woman programs are also most effective when they have the explicit support and involvement of executive sponsors. This sends a message to women leaders that their needs are seen and that the organization is investing in the value they are capable of creating.
- Is the development hosted within your organization? If so, consider including intentional and ongoing mentorship and sponsorship in the workplace. Doing so can provide guidance and support to help women integrate what they’ve learned into day-to-day operations.
All-gender leadership settings are also highly beneficial. After all, women lead in organizations that are racially, culturally, socioeconomically and gender diverse. All-gender leadership development can help participants network, influence and lead across demographics. And for women leaders struggling with burnout, it can be validating to hear that many of their challenges are shared by all genders, industries and functions.
Offer an alternative to leaving the workplace.
The COVID-19 pandemic has created a shift to an employee-driven model and the need for organizations to offer greater flexibility to their workforce. This includes the need to provide flexibility in learning and developmental opportunities.
To retain talented women leaders — and all employees who may need more flexibility — it’s imperative that leadership development be made more accessible and relevant. By creating space, providing options and offering the appropriate containers for learning, your organization can meet women where they are and show them how valuable their leadership is for moving your business forward.
