New EmBe Women’s Leadership Program will elevate established leaders with C-suite confidence

This paid piece is sponsored by EmBe.

If you’re a woman who feels like you’re too far along in your career to participate in a leadership development program, prepare to consider changing your mind.

The newest offering from EmBe’s Women’s Leadership Program is aimed at those looking to elevate their executive presence and make a lasting impact on their organization.

“The opportunities for experienced women in leadership to learn and grow in our community is limited,” said Rana DeBoer, an executive and organizational coach who will facilitate the cohort.

“This is a first step toward closing that gap for our community while also addressing a critical topic for women in leadership that is not covered in most development programs.”

The four-session course begins March 20. 

According to the Women in the Workplace 2024 Report by McKinsey & Company, women make up 29 percent of C-suite positions, compared with just 17 percent in 2015. In the past decade, women’s representation has increased at every level of corporate management.

Accordingly, “we’ve had women ask us for programming geared toward female executives, and the business community is looking for this type of learning for more experienced leaders,” DeBoer said. “We’re creating that opportunity here versus needing to send leaders to resources outside our community.”

The new leadership cohort is part of EmBe’s multi-tiered approach to women’s leadership led by Melissa Hiatt.

“I had been recognizing a need for tactical leadership skills that could help move women up in their careers. Rana, in her work, recognized the same need,” Hiatt said.

“She created Elevate Your Leadership Excellence to give people skills and develop their acumen, especially in the C-suite. Rana has a proven track record, but when working together, Rana and EmBe lend one another credibility and impact.”

Consider this: Do you sometimes walk into a room filled with influential people and feel unsure about how to most effectively participate?

Would you benefit from advanced leadership skills while building your resilience?

There’s a tool kit for that.

“Skills in presence and acumen are essential for women in leadership. In this cohort, we’re helping women gain confidence in their personal leadership style and developing effective communication and decision-making skills to navigate today’s challenging business landscape,” DeBoer said.

“We’re creating an incredible environment where women with leadership experience can show up authentically and be truly supported by other professional women to step into their next best level.”

Who’s a good fit

If you’re a women in your mid- to upper-career stage with at least five years of leadership experience who wants to take your skills and mindset to the next level, this is a program to consider.

“We know that diversity in the leadership ranks is proven to produce healthier, more profitable business – female leaders are one important part of that diversity. Our ideal candidate for this cohort is someone who wants to gain another edge in their effectiveness and ability to influence,” DeBoer said.

“They want to be challenged and at the same time be supported as they grow in their leadership maturity and impact. These women are looking to make a difference in their organization, with their teams and in our community. And EmBe is committed to continuing to provide a place for this to happen. I couldn’t be more excited to help grow the programming.”

What you can expect

Get ready for a wide range of exercises to help you further develop your leadership presence and acumen, from reflective to adaptive exercises to guided learning discussions and opportunities to hear and learn from local women in leadership.

“We’ve designed a highly experiential, social-learning environment with space to practice skills and gain supportive feedback from peers in the room,” DeBoer said.

“Be ready to participate and practice skills in a group setting,” Hiatt said.

“You will be challenged to step out of your comfort zone, problem-solve current leadership challenges and share learning with your group,” she said.

“You will be required to participate, engage, try, fail and try again, all while being surrounded by people who will support you and cheer you on.”

The women who participate in the first cohort also will be asked to help develop future EmBe women’s programming.

What you’ll take away

At the conclusion of the program, prepare to walk out a more confident leader with greater belief in yourself, DeBoer said.

You’ll leave with a deeper sense of personal leadership style, how to clearly articulate what you bring as a leader to an organization and how to step into that power for a more fulfilling career and ability to influence healthy change.

“We believe you’ll gain a greater ability to command a room, inspire your team and maximize your leadership style for strategic impact,” DeBoer said.

“Plus, you’ll leave with healthy, challenging, yet supportive relationships with other women in our business community – think of it as a new set of friends as you continue to step into your best.”

The deadline to apply for Elevate Your Leadership is March 17. To get started, click here.

This program is part of EmBe’s broader Women’s Leadership Program, which also includes “Leading Me” and “Leading With” to address personal and professional development at multiple career stages.

“Leading Wise” will continue to provide programming by resourcing the wisdom of regional experts to support ongoing leadership development that impacts our community.

To learn more about all leadership programs, click here.