Research Brief
A recording for this session isn't published. Below is the BPI editorial brief — key takeaways, an in-depth summary, and FAQs drawn from the original session materials and the presenter's body of work.
Presenter
Sally Helgesen
Description
Sally Helgesen is the bestselling author of seven books including her latest book, "How Women Rise," co-authored with Marshall Goldsmith. In this session, Sally will draw on decades of stories and insights to identify the twelve most common habits that undermine women in their quest to become more successful and create careers that are satisfying and rewarding. Sally will touch on work she has done with organizations such as Chevron, Microsoft, IBM, Johnson & Johnson, Morgan Stanley, Prudential Financial, PIMCO, Textron, Hewlett Packard, The World Bank Group, The United Way, The West Point Military Academy, The Office of Public Management UK; The Global Forum on Women, Society and the Economy, Paris; Roschier LLP Helsinki; ING Amsterdam; BHP Billiton Melbourne and The Distributed Education Network, Oslo. Don't miss this exclusive opportunity to meet with one of world's leading authority on women's leadership and coaching.
Who Will Participate
Each Senior Executive Board member may bring 1 direct report.
Key Takeaways
- 1.Women face unique challenges and opportunities in leadership that require specific strategies.
- 2.To expand influence, leaders must effectively engage stakeholders and decision-makers.
- 3.Building strong networks and alliances is a key technique for leading change.
- 4.Overcoming common obstacles for women in leadership involves enhancing one's presence and impact.
- 5.Assertive communication ensures a leader's ideas and contributions are heard and valued.
- 6.Empowering women in leadership strengthens an organization's resilience, innovation, and success.
- 7.Leaders can apply these principles by championing initiatives that support other women's professional development.
Leveraging Strengths and Navigating Dynamics
This session with Sally Helgesen addresses the unique challenges and opportunities women encounter in leadership roles. It offers actionable strategies designed to help women expand their influence and effectively lead change within their organizations. The core focus is on how women can leverage their inherent strengths, successfully navigate workplace dynamics, and cultivate environments that foster innovation and growth.
Key Strategies for Influence and Impact
The webinar provides insights into several key areas, including:
- Techniques for enhancing leadership presence and overall impact.
- Methods for effectively influencing key stakeholders and decision-makers.
- Structured approaches for leading organizational change initiatives.
- Best practices for building robust professional networks and alliances.
- Guidance on overcoming common obstacles that women face in leadership positions.
The Importance of Diverse Leadership Today
In a rapidly evolving global business environment, diverse leadership perspectives are essential for navigating complexity and achieving sustainable success. Empowering women in leadership to expand their influence and competently guide change not only accelerates individual careers but also fortifies organizational resilience and innovative capacity. The principles discussed are geared toward creating more inclusive, effective, and successful workplaces.
How Leaders Can Apply This
Leaders can put these insights into practice through several deliberate actions:
- Proactively seek opportunities to demonstrate leadership capabilities beyond their defined role.
- Develop a clear strategy for building and nurturing a strong professional network.
- Practice assertive communication to ensure their ideas are heard, valued, and acted upon.
- Champion initiatives aimed at supporting the professional development of other women.
- Implement structured approaches to guide teams through periods of significant organizational change.
This session addresses the unique challenges and opportunities women face in leadership roles, providing actionable strategies to expand their influence and effectively lead change within their organizations. It explores how women can leverage their strengths, navigate workplace dynamics, and foster environments that promote innovation and growth. The insights shared remain highly relevant for today's dynamic professional landscape.
What you'll learn
- Strategies for enhancing one's leadership presence and impact.
- Methods for effectively influencing stakeholders and decision-makers.
- Techniques for leading organizational change initiatives.
- Ways to build strong networks and alliances.
- Insights into overcoming common obstacles women encounter in leadership.
Who this webinar is for
- Women aspiring to or currently in leadership positions.
- Leaders looking to enhance their change management skills.
- HR professionals and organizational development specialists.
- Anyone interested in promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in leadership.
Why it matters now
In a rapidly evolving global environment, diverse leadership perspectives are crucial for navigating complexity and driving sustainable success. Empowering women in leadership to expand their influence and competently lead change not only benefits individual careers but also strengthens organizational resilience and innovation. The principles discussed help create more inclusive and effective workplaces.
How leaders can apply this
- Actively seek opportunities to demonstrate leadership capabilities beyond their immediate roles.
- Develop a deliberate strategy for building and nurturing their professional network.
- Practice assertive communication to ensure their ideas and contributions are heard and valued.
- Champion initiatives that support other women's professional development.
- Implement structured approaches to guide teams through periods of significant organizational change.
About this session
Key takeaways
Watching this webinar gives you grounded, practical perspective on workplace culture. Expect ideas you can use in leadership conversations, not abstract theory, drawn from Sally Helgesen's direct experience.
Who this is for
CHROs, HR business partners, talent leaders, executive coaches, organizational development practitioners, and senior leaders who are responsible for workplace culture inside their organization.
Why it matters now
Workforce expectations, hybrid work patterns, and AI-driven change keep raising the bar on culture and leadership. Sessions like this help leaders make smarter, more evidence-informed decisions about workplace culture.
How to apply it
Use the ideas here to challenge a current assumption on your team, design a single concrete experiment in the next 30 days, and bring one finding back to your leadership group for discussion.