Career Development Program for Women

Career Development Program

Scientific research has shown that ambitious women, even if they are young, and without children, get stuck in their career.

This happens because many women don’t understand how to play the game of ‘building a successful career’.

If they don’t manage to grow in their own organization – they find another job elsewhere, but then they realize that the same type of game is played in any company or academic institution.

Our ”Career Development Program for Women” is a combination of workshops, group coaching sessions and personal career coaching. The participants will be encouraged to interview one or more (female) role models and to find a mentor during the program. The program is given with a lot of humour and positive attitude towards both women and men.

Workshop ‘The unwritten rules of making the career game’

What this workshop covers

This workshop is about the unwritten rules and how to play the game of ‘building a successful career’ strategically and without losing your own identity.

Why it matters?

At first, many women have no idea that a sort of game is being played at. Their work. They expect the same transparent rules to apply as those applied during their school and study periods: you do your best and you are evaluated accordingly, in the form of higher grades.

In the office, however, the rules are much more diffuse. And since most of the organizations and companies were founded by men, these rules are adopted to masculine working style.

What you’ll learn

The participants will learn the differences between feminine and masculine working styles and how to adopt different styles to reach their career goals. The participants will have discussions about the unwritten rules they have to deal with at their company.

Workshop ‘Behavioural archetypes’

What this workshop covers

In total, 11 archetypes are described in detail: 6 female and 5 male behavioural styles. Dynamics between female and male archetypes is explained.

Why it matters?

All archetypes are present in each personality, but the way we grow up, live and work determines which ones are most dominant. No matter if you are working in business company or organization, all of them are present and relevant. With insights into the archetypes, it will take you less time to recognize their way of thinking, their (over)sensitivities, their pet subjects, their norms and values.

What you’ll learn

Participants learn how to adopt their behaviour at certain moments and respond in a way that might not feel natural to them. They become aware of the pattern in their own and other people’s behaviour. They will extend their own behavioural repertoire, or of choosing more well-thought-out strategy, instead of waiting to see what happens.

Participants will learn how to be in control of their own emotions.

Session ‘Inter-vision’

Experience has shown us that participants can learn a lot from peers. In this program, we will organize one inter-vision session. In this session, all participants will discuss their personal case with each other. This allows people to get input from their peers on issues and problems.

Workshop ‘Field of influence at work’

What this workshop covers

This workshop is about identifying your area of influence correctly; the area within which you can exercise influence.

Why it matters?

The higher you get in an organisation, the less room there is for everyone. You have to push your way to the top. If you want to achieve your aims, it is very likely that they. Will clash with the objectives of other people in the organisation, simply because they also want to be the leader of that interesting project, or because, if you are in control of part of the budget, then there will be less for the manager to allocate.

What you’ll learn

Participants will draw their own field of influence around a strategic goal. They will analyse their own field of influence and reflect on the following questions: Who are the main ‘players’ in my field of influence? Who has formal and informal power? What position do I choose? How do I use my own power? Which strategies are used and what strategy will I choose?  Participants will attribute the archetypes from previous workshop to the various players in their field of influence.

Session ‘Imaginary obstacles’

Participants learn how to deal with imaginary obstacles that prevent them from getting the career they deserve and from daring to choose risky and interesting assignments. Some of the examples of imaginary obstacles are: “I don’t have enough experience”, “It’s only for men”, “I have to be always available” etc.

Workshop ‘Strategic negotiation for women’

What this workshop covers

This workshop gives insight in the negotiation process and goes deep into the dynamics at play among the various archetypes in the that process.

Why it matters?

To operate more effectively within our field of influence, we have to negotiate! To be able to do your work well, you need money, space and position. And so you negotiate budgets, (meeting) times to present your ideas, training possibilities, physical space and promotions, etc. Not without reason, negotiation is one of the most critical factors for success.

What you’ll learn

Participants learn different steps in negotiating: how do you prepare, what strategy do you choose and how do you play the ‘negotiation game’. We relate to the behavioural archetypes, and based on the checklist we developed, the participants will prepare and practice their own business negotiation case.

Session ‘Private life as a glass ceiling in career’

This session tackles famous ‘work-life balance’ topic. Participants learn practical methods and get inspirational ideas ideas on how to ‘fit in the agenda’ both working and private life. They also learn how to recognize when someone’s private life becomes their glass ceiling.

Workshop ‘Gender bias’

What this workshop covers

This workshop is about unconscious gender bias and mechanisms to fight it in organisations and personal career path.

Why it matters?

When women start to express their ambition and to climb higher on the influence ladder,  she unavoidably comes into contact with gender bias.  And it can be a practical obstacle for reaching her career goals.

What you’ll learn

During this session, participants will understand what is gender bias and why people should be aware of it. Participants will hear about work situations and processes where gender bias can appear and they will learn practical tips on how to fight it. Inspirations on how to start organisational change with respect to gender bias will be presented.

Workshop ‘Cultural bias’

This sessions shows some of the common working situations which are often refer to as cultural bias.  Participants become aware of such situations and learn reasons why cultural bias occurs. Participants also hear inspirational tips on how to react and how to prevent cultural bias.

Workshop ‘How to deal with the power’

What this workshop covers

The workshop covers  levels of power, which are the path that people take in developing their own personalities.  In fact, this is the same path they take when developing their business qualities. Anyone can step into this system at any level, but they can also get stuck at any level.

Why it matters?

Today’s successful leader needs to be able to assimilate all the levels of power and apply one or another at any given moment. Power, however, often has a negative connotation. Women in particular are often reticent about describing themselves as being powerful. They would rather think that others have power, than that themselves are powerful. But power is needed to ensure that you get things done. The ‘power to’ is the skill to start and substantiate something, but also to have the freedom and opportunity to do it.

What you’ll learn

During this workshop, the participants will get insight in the five levels of personal power. Participants learn about the strengths and weaknesses of the different levels and how to use them strategically. They will learn how to use more power in their verbal and non-verbal communication.

Session ‘Personal branding’

In this session, the participants learn how to build their personal brand in an effective way. We will discuss the mechanism of ‘disappearing acts’; relational work many women do and that becomes invisible in the work environment. Participants will develop their own branding strategy.