There is a significant lack of women, particularly women of color, in management positions. For every 100 men promoted to manager, only 81 women achieve the same, and this disparity is even greater for Black women, with only 54 promoted for every 100 men, according to the Women in the Workplace report by LeanIn.org and McKinsey & Company.

Women face the “broken rung” phenomenon, where men at entry-level are promoted to managerial roles at much higher rates than women.

This early career setback puts women at a lasting disadvantage. Rachel Thomas, co-founder and CEO of LeanIn.org, emphasizes that this “broken rung” restricts women’s career progress. Despite some progress at higher levels, these advancements often come with caveats.

The Sandberg Goldberg Bernthal Family Foundation (SGB) is a nonprofit dedicated to promoting equality and resilience through 4 initiatives: LeanIn.org, Lean In Girls, OptionB.org, and the Dave Goldberg Scholarship Program. Launched in 2013, LeanIn.org supports Lean In Circles, small groups of women who meet regularly to empower each other personally and professionally. These Circles help women build confidence, develop leadership skills, and achieve their goals. Over 100,000 women in 183 countries have started Circles, with 85% of members reporting positive changes within 6 months of joining.

To enhance the leadership skills of regional Lean In Network Leaders, SGB partnered with the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL). “We chose CCL for their exceptional reputation and expertise in leadership development,” said Nikki Pawsey, Director of the Global Network Leader Program. “Their global reach and commitment to co-creating a tailored leadership course for women aligned perfectly with our vision of empowering more women leaders in the workplace.”

Solution

CCL and SGB collaborated to create the Network Leadership Development Program (NLDP). This program is designed for mid-career women leaders, focusing on immediate and practical application to build confidence and navigate strategic leadership challenges. According to Pawsey, “Our primary goal was to offer our global network of volunteers the opportunity to develop their leadership skills in a way that would empower them both personally and professionally. We wanted to raise their level of self-awareness and provide tools for them to strengthen their ability to lead, inspire, and make a difference in their communities worldwide.”

The NLDP is a 3-month, multi-modal learning experience that includes:

• Asynchronous preparatory learning in a custom online course
• Offline peer discussions managed by participants
• Live online sessions every other week to engage on topics
• Pre-work including the WorkPlace Big Five Profile, a senior leader interview, and defining a Key Leadership Challenge

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The program elements designed to boost engagement and learning include:

• Amplifying the collective power of broad, diverse networks
• Strengthening and leveraging authenticity and credibility to gain trust
• Developing leadership skills and preparing for career acceleration
• Leveraging peer support to work through critical leadership challenges
• Driving conversations and practices promoting belonging
• Building a network of ambassadors to retain and advance women in organizations

CCL has completed 10 successful cohorts globally with more than 250 participants from diverse backgrounds and locations finding common ground in their volunteer leadership role with Lean In.

Results

Following the NLDP, participants have committed to applying their new insights and skills. They plan to:

• Share knowledge with their teams
• Foster resilient work cultures
• Engage in networking and mentoring
• Support other women in their professional journeys

By the Numbers

The program has inspired participants to enhance their leadership skills, promote inclusivity, and focus on personal and professional growth. They are also eager to expand their professional networks and become more active in the Lean In community.

Participants have reported:

• Increased assertiveness
• Improved decision-making
• Enhanced leadership presence
• Greater focus on creating inclusive and diverse environments
• Efforts toward equality

Many participants plan to use their new skills to advance their careers, start businesses, or take on new roles. Pawsey emphasized, “The impact of this partnership has been profound. Through CCL’s programs, our volunteers have not only grown as leaders but also built stronger connections within the network, fostering a sense of shared purpose and collaboration. We’ve seen enhanced confidence, creativity, and problem-solving skills amongst our community. Many of our leaders would not have the opportunity in their country to access such high-quality training.”

Participants Say

The post Sandberg Goldberg Bernthal Foundation Advances Women’s Leadership Globally appeared first on CCL.

Surry County, located in the foothills of North Carolina and part of the Piedmont Triad region, has a significant agricultural economy and a well-established, assorted industrial base. But as with similar counties in the US, attracting and retaining economic talent is a key challenge.

Surry County Schools (SCS) plays an instrumental role not just in shaping the minds of the future, but in bolstering the economic vitality of the county. The district’s strategy to attract more families and businesses is straightforward: develop a reputation of excellence and become known as the “leadership” school district of North Carolina. As stated by SCS superintendent, Dr. Travis L. Reeves, “We believe that everyone has the capacity for leadership, and making leadership development accessible to all will help us fulfill our mission of empowering youth to grow as citizen leaders and to achieve their dreams.” How could the school district stand out and drive this positive change?

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Solution

Surry County Schools (SCS) chose to partner with the Center for Creative Leadership, based on CCL’s research that investing in leadership development at all levels in K-12 education — from superintendents, principals, teachers, and staff to students — can drive transformational change.

The Edward M. Armfield, Sr. Foundation, a local foundation that typically provides scholarships to college-bound students graduating from public high schools in Surry County, granted an initial $150,000 to address this challenge, with a further commitment of $400,000 over the next 5 years.

“We are so proud to invest in the amazing leaders in Surry County through their partnership with the Center for Creative Leadership. We believe in the power of leadership development and know that our investment is creating real change in Surry County, North Carolina, and beyond,” says Mindy Oakley, executive director of the Armfield Foundation.

A design team from SCS, including administrators, teachers, staff, and students, collaborated with CCL facilitators to create the SCS Leadership Framework. This framework includes 14 leadership attributes categorized into 3 areas: Leading Self, Leading With Others, and Changing Your World. These attributes were used to develop lessons for students at each school level. To ensure teachers could authentically lead this initiative, we established a Teacher Leadership Academy, bringing together cohorts of teachers from the district’s 19 schools for leadership development.

Today, the SCS Leadership Framework is actively displayed and practiced in schools and classrooms, drives improvement efforts, and has become a core part of the SCS identity. Over the past 5 years, the Teacher Leadership Academy has seen 15 cohorts of teachers, and SCS principals and assistant principals receive regular leadership development training.

Results

By building and implementing a collective understanding of what Surry County means by “leadership,” the district has created a key differentiator that will help ensure its future growth and success. The program has reached beyond those who would typically receive leadership development, such as superintendents and principals. It has instead focused on every person in the system, all the way down to preschoolers, creating a systemic change in leadership.

By the Numbers

“The focus on developing leadership capacity throughout the district has been outstanding in Surry County. It has resulted in a system full of highly effective leaders that model and teach leadership to each other and to their students every day,” said Greg Cameron, Director of the Education Sector at CCL.

The partnership between SCS, CCL, and the Armfield Foundation highlights the transformative power of leadership development in education, setting a powerful example for other districts across the country.

Participants Say

The post Armfield Foundation Grant Supports Surry County Schools’ Groundbreaking Leadership Development Initiative appeared first on CCL.

As the designated leader of the school district, a superintendent plays a pivotal role in student achievement outcomes by fostering a conducive environment for learning and teaching. However, superintendent turnover, already high before the pandemic, has continued to rise, posing a challenge to student achievement.

Educational leaders participating in leadership development programs can stem this turnover by increasing their psychological well-being and decreasing their isolation. According to Lynn Fick-Cooper, Chief Societal Impact Officer at the Center for Creative Leadership, “All of the critical work happening in schools is happening between people. Certainly, you need to invest in technical resources, but your investment will be fully realized when you pair it with how people can work more effectively together and give them the tools to build that capacity. If you want a valuable return on technical investments, you need leadership development, too.”

Solution

The Buckeye Association of School Administrators (BASA) sought a partner to design, develop, and deliver a comprehensive leadership development institute for superintendents across Ohio. The goal was to equip these educational leaders with innovative and effective leadership strategies that would result in continuous improvement in the state’s school districts. CCL was chosen as this partner and the Ohio Superintendent Leadership Institute (OSLI) was born.

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OSLI provides a comprehensive assessment-focused leadership development program for Ohio superintendents. This cohort-based 8-day program, spread over a school year, enhances the leadership skills and knowledge for in-service superintendents, and fosters leadership networks across the state. The design includes opportunities for leaders to:

• Gain insights to their own leadership through assessments and engaging
  activities
• Develop the leadership capacity of their team members and districts
• Create an innovation mindset and learn resilience techniques
• Focus on the systemic complexities of leading school districts

Dave Axner, the Executive Director of BASA and OSLI participant, says, “As superintendents, the more proficient we become at leading the adults in our education programs, regardless of the district’s size, the more significant the impact we can make on our staff’s performance. This is the key to achieving success in education. This is exactly the opportunity and guidance that CCL and the Ohio Superintendent Leadership Institute provide us with.”

Results

CCL has facilitated over 35 cohorts of superintendents through this innovative program, positively impacting more than 1,000 superintendents in Ohio.

By the Numbers

Program evaluation data clearly demonstrates the success of this approach, showing that it:

• Fostered substantial growth in superintendents’ social networks
• Significantly improved superintendents’ psychological wellbeing
• Enhanced their confidence in fulfilling their role responsibilities

Participants Say

The post Ohio Superintendent Leadership Institute: Addressing the Challenges of Executive Educators Statewide appeared first on CCL.

The Albanian-American Development Foundation (AADF) is a nonprofit institution established as a partnership between the United States and Albania. Its mission is to facilitate the development of a sustainable private sector economy and a democratic society in Albania. AADF seeks to introduce new narratives across various sectors, including cities, schools, communities, and beyond by leveraging the best international models and practices and tailoring them to align with the needs of the Albanian environment. This approach allows AADF to introduce innovative solutions that are both globally inspired and locally relevant.

Over the past 15 years, AADF has significantly impacted the Albanian ecosphere, investing over $121 million in 78 different projects. This commitment has been further bolstered by partners who have contributed another $146 million to various programs leading to a cumulative impact exceeding $380 million. This substantial growth and influence had its roots in a seed fund of $30 million from the United States in 1995.

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AADF has an extensive reach in the education sector, impacting every elementary, middle, and high school in the region. Through the Center for School Leadership, the foundation has successfully trained all school principals, enhancing the quality of education leadership. Their projects have benefited over 500,000 students from 1st grade onwards and entrepreneurship programs have aided over 1,000 businesses, promoting development and innovation.

“As an American foundation, AADF takes care to collaborate with partners who seek to apply their expertise in an international environment with dedication, integrity, and professionalism. Our partners share our values and commitment to project execution, ensuring successful delivery,” said Aleksandër Sarapuli, Co-CEO, AADF.

To further their mission, AADF wanted to create a leadership program that would offer participants firsthand experience in the governance process of Albania through their work as advisors to the executive institutions. In addition, the foundation would incorporate professional development elements into the program and chose the Center for Creative Leadership and Harvard University as partners.

“Partnering with CCL has been instrumental in achieving our mission to promote leadership and entrepreneurship in Albania. Their global expertise in leadership development has added tremendous value to our programs,” said Martin Mata, co-CEO, AADF.

Solution and Results

Since 2013, CCL has collaborated with AADF on the LEAD program. This partnership aims to enhance the Fellows’ leadership skills and widen their perspectives. The LEAD program, inspired by the prestigious White House Fellows Program in the United States, selects individuals annually for a high-level fellowship within the Albanian government. The Fellows spend a year in key government institutions, including the Office of the President, the Office of the Prime Minister, the Tirana Municipality, and the new Justice System institutions. This experience provides them with invaluable insights and practical experience in leadership.

By the Numbers

CCL designed the LEAD program as a year-long, multi-module program to help leaders address key leadership challenges. It provides a range of development opportunities in multiple formats both domestically and internationally. The program addresses real-world issues like Albania’s challenges as a European Union candidate, reforming Albania’s primary education curriculum, and balancing increased tourism with environmental protection.

“The partnership between CCL and AADF has been a groundbreaking experience, merging our strengths in leadership development and community empowerment to drive impactful change in Albania,” said Alda Shabani, Senior Project Coordinator, LEAD Albania Program.

The objective of the LEAD journey is to provide Fellows with:

• Firsthand experience in the process of governing Albania
• Opportunities to contribute to the productivity, efficiency, and innovation efforts of host institutions

The journey includes both face-to-face and online modules including:

• Group coaching, mentoring, and real-play improvisation
• Addressing a key leadership challenge
• Developing self-awareness through the use of assessments
• Managing conflict responses
• Communication and influence skills
• Strategic thinking, influencing, and acting skills
• Resilience practices

Participants Say

The post Shaping the Future of Leadership in Albania appeared first on CCL.

Consumers and professionals around the world trust RPM International’s brands to protect and preserve homes, workplaces, and even iconic landmarks like the Statue of Liberty.

But company leaders know it’s the people behind those products who make the $7.3 billion multinational company the success it is today.

“Our CEO likes to say, ‘We don’t make anything at corporate headquarters. All the making happens at our respective companies,’” says Randy McShepard, Chief Talent Officer at RPM. “Let’s be clear about that.”

Once a small, family-owned business, today RPM’s respective companies comprise a complex network of 80 business units and 4 operating groups. And with 17,300 associates working in more than 120 global facilities and the corporate office, effective communication can be challenging.

So when communication cropped up as a top concern on employee surveys a few years ago, CEO Frank C. Sullivan took note. Sullivan, whose grandfather founded the company’s forerunner to RPM in 1947, believes success depends on valuing the worth of every associate and their combined contributions. RPM’s core values — transparency, trust, and respect — are foundational to its culture of doing business the right way for the right reasons.

“With a company our size, he was becoming more concerned about whether he really understood the pulse of our employees. Did he really know what they care about?” McShepard notes. “Are they loving coming to work every day, or are they flight risks just waiting for the next opportunity because they don’t necessarily have strong connections or communication with their leaders, their peers, and the corporate office? While this type of assessment had been done at the group level, it had not been done across the entire company in comprehensive fashion.”

Solution

RPM International turned to a trusted partner, the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL)®, to meet its communication challenges head-on. The 2 had worked together before with positive results.

And CCL had just the right fit: a highly immersive and practical program called Better Conversations Every Day that is designed to build a coaching culture of feedback within all levels of an organization. Participants learn core behaviors and practice the types of candid conversations that build stronger relationships, fuel collaboration, and enable better business outcomes.

“When we were introduced to the Better Conversations Every Day model, we thought, if CCL is offering it, it’s probably worth taking a close look at. And that ended up being exactly the case,” McShepard recalls. “CCL gave us all the support that we needed to be bold enough to try to build a program from the ground up.”

RPM launched the program in 2020, starting with senior officers at corporate headquarters and the 4 operating groups. Their enthusiasm for the BCE experience quickly cascaded throughout the company, McShepard said.

“All of the leaders got excited about it. So it wasn’t a tough sell to then go to our operating companies to say, ‘OK, this is what we now want you to do.’ “

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Early on, RPM worked with CCL to get its own people trained as facilitators so the program could be scaled company-wide. These associates participated in CCL’s train-the-trainer certification process consisting of a series of asynchronous study lessons and 3 group sessions — including practice sessions delivering program content, followed by coaching and feedback. The training is designed to help internal trainers improve their facilitation skills, become intimately familiar with the program content, and gain confidence to deliver it by hands-on practice.

Shelly Wilson served on the company’s Global Organizational Leadership Development (GOLD) Team at the time and volunteered to be the in-house coordinator of the initiative.

The 8-hour workshop, offered in person or live online, takes place several times a year, with 24 to 36 employees taking part in each session. Participants are broken into groups of 4 that each work with an assigned coach. They are grouped with associates they do not work for or with to encourage openness and vulnerability. Everyone is asked to bring real-life work issues to the table for the practice sessions.

Associates learn the skills necessary to grapple with difficult issues candidly. One such tool is CCL’s research-backed Situation – Behavior – Impact (SBI) model, which is proven to reduce both the anxiety of delivering feedback during challenging conversations and the defensiveness of the recipient. The method is simple and direct: capture and clarify the situation, describe the specific behaviors observed, and explain the impact of those behaviors.

“SBI is such a powerful tool, and it ties so well with listening to understand and asking powerful questions. All three of those are just so important,” Wilson says. “We really push the vulnerability and trust aspect of it, and that has made a big difference because people share more. The model really works.”

Results

The Better Conversations Every Day training has become so popular at RPM that new hires are lining up to participate in the next workshops. And RPM now is offering a 2-hour, virtual “refresher” course for associates who want to brush up on the skills they learned in the original workshop.

By the Numbers

“We have trained 1,267 people to date and I have surveys for every single one of those,” Wilson notes. “And not one — not one — thought it wasn’t impactful and that it should not be scaled throughout the company.”

Indeed, 99% of participants report they can apply the knowledge and skills learned in BCE sessions to their jobs.

“Educational and paradigm shifting,” one associate wrote.

“Empowering” and “Eye-opening,” wrote others.

Participants Say

The post RPM International Builds a Culture of Feedback appeared first on CCL.

When Securitas North America set out to become the modern security services leader in its industry, the company’s C-suite executives knew they couldn’t conduct business as usual.

They had to think big. Do something bold.

They also knew the most important factor to drive this transformation would be the strength of their mid-level managers, individually and collectively.

So, in a high-stakes move, the executive team decided to double down on investments to build the most exceptional leadership team capable of launching the company to the next level.

“We knew that to meet the business priorities that we’ve outlined over the next two years, it was a business imperative to strengthen the capabilities of our leaders,” said Antonia Elliott, Vice President of Talent Development at Securitas.

Solution

In partnership with the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL)®, Securitas created Accelerate, a 6-month leadership development journey divided into 3 cohorts of 24 area vice presidents (AVPs). During months of meticulous planning, every element of the customized, highly immersive initiative was designed to equip participants with the self-awareness and skills required to be high-performing leaders.

The first cohort began by taking a battery of leadership assessments, including a 360-degree Securitas tool that systematically collects perspectives about an individual’s performance from peers, direct reports, and superiors — and provides a complete view of a leader’s strengths and opportunities for growth. The exercise proved eye-opening for the AVPs.

With this vital feedback in hand, the AVPs embarked on a 2-day experience during which they met face-to-face with the company’s executive leadership team to discuss the most pressing challenges and opportunities for Securitas. They began to make connections between the company’s larger strategy and their own leadership development, setting the tone, foundation, and expectations for their individual and collective growth as leaders. Participants then explored leadership as a social process and engaged in activities that demonstrate how trust and psychological safety are key to effective collaboration. Challenged to take a hard look at their own leadership practices, the AVPs prepared to deepen their learning through the live online modules, peer team sessions, and coaching that followed during the next few months. Each AVP was teamed with an executive coach throughout the initiative.

Just as their journey began, it culminated with a second 2-day retreat focused on developing and retaining talent through effective communication. Through hands-on practice and working in small groups, the AVPs began to develop a communication style of their own — learning how to coach, give feedback, and ignite better conversations with team members. Finally, they explored how they can drive and sustain impact as Securitas leaders when equipped with such tools as our Direction – Alignment – Commitment (DAC) Model for Leadership and 4 core skills for coaching conversations.

After the second gathering, the AVPs met with their executive coaches to create action plans with next steps.

What initially started as a leadership program for a select group of mid-level managers quickly expanded to become an integral development program across all leadership ranks.

“We quickly realized, if we’re really going to bring about the cultural transformation that would go hand-in-hand with the digital transformation, that we had to go really big with this program and make it mandatory for the majority of our field-facing leadership teams. CCL helped us with that,” Elliott said.

Finding the right partner to build just the right program for Securitas proved to be a critical decision, making for a smooth and meaningful experience for those involved.

“CCL’s programs are steeped in research and have very strong facilitators who truly know how to engage business leaders in pragmatic ways and share easy-to-use, practical tools that the leaders can start using right away,” Elliott noted.

“We have very high expectations of our partners — and working with CCL’s implementation team exceeded those expectations.”

“Rarely do we find partners who are willing to walk the talk as powerfully as Securitas and its senior leadership,” said Ren Washington, Lead Solutions Partner for Securitas. “One of the most inspiring things the senior leadership attitude helped create was how ready the AVPs were to be trusted and how excited they were to demonstrate they were worth the investment.”

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Results

It’s too soon to measure the precise impact of Accelerate — only one of 3 cohorts has completed the entirety of its work. Securitas plans to collect data on each cohort 6 months out using the Kirkpatrick Model, which analyzes and evaluates training programs based on reaction, learning, behavior, and results.

Success will be measured by concrete actions and behaviors related to collaborating across boundaries, leading high-performing teams, developing and retaining talent, and leading with an innovation mindset.

That said, informal feedback thus far shows the initiative has created a palpable — and unprecedented — level of excitement about learning among managers at Securitas. While the first cohort of AVPs came into Accelerate a bit skeptical of what they would learn, that quickly changed when they experienced what the program had to offer in the very first immersion.

“They were coming in not really knowing what to expect and they left extremely inspired,” Elliott said. “That’s one word that we’re hearing over and over again from our leaders after the first in-person immersion is that they’re inspired — they feel valued, they feel listened to, they feel vulnerable, and they feel like they have a lot to learn.

“Their passion and enthusiasm showed so much that the second cohort came in really excited. That was a beautiful shift, especially with leaders who have been with the business for 20-plus years.”

And the shifting did not stop there: Accelerate has ignited an awakening about leadership development among the company’s highest ranks.

“While our senior executives know that we need to build the capabilities of our leaders to meet our business priorities, they are also holding a mirror to themselves,” Elliott said.

“They are thinking about leadership development holistically and they are asking themselves what they might need to change to be able to lead more effectively and move the company forward.”

Program Impact

Participants Say

The post A Game-Changer: Securitas Elevates Leadership to Achieve Its Most Ambitious Business Goals Yet appeared first on CCL.

Singapore Exchange (SGX Group) is Asia’s leading and trusted securities and derivatives market infrastructure, operating equity, fixed income, currency, and commodity markets to the highest regulatory standards. SGX is committed to facilitating economic growth in a sustainable manner, leveraging its roles as a key player in the ecosystem, a business, a regulator, and a listed company.

Based in Singapore, SGX is Asia’s most international multi-asset exchange, providing listing, trading, clearing, settlement, depository, and data services. The organization is globally recognized for its risk management and clearing capabilities.

When the COVID-19 pandemic sent SGX’s workers home, it transformed how the company operated day-to-day and raised new opportunities and challenges for senior executives and managers.

In an environment where the person-to-person connections were only virtual, company leaders sought guidance on how to better engage employees. Based on feedback from employee surveys, members of the company’s executive management team saw a need to be more accessible and inspiring in the difficult period of the pandemic. Frontline managers, in turn, needed to establish a sense of community and connection with their teams working from home to better engage employees.

SGX scaled up digital learning at work and sought to amplify employees’ ability to transfer that learning to business applications. For deeper learning to occur, employees need to feel psychologically safe and highly connected. For SGX, it was people managers who had the most potential to create a space where employees were engaged and felt safe to better learn and apply those learnings to the business.

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SGX partnered with The Center for Creative Leadership (CCL)® to develop a coaching mindset and skills that would increase the leadership impact of managers and executives. The initiative had 2 main goals:

1. Create a cadre of internal coaches who would provide ongoing coaching to employees.
2. Develop an impactful coaching experience for senior leaders and high potentials embedded in intensive development programs.

SGX viewed coaching as a transformative leadership tool because of how its benefits could ripple through the organization and reach all groups the company was concerned about: senior leaders, people managers, and frontline workers.

CCL drew on its Better Conversations and Coaching curriculum to train about 40 senior leaders as internal coaches. The SGX and CCL teams worked closely to handpick and identify senior leaders with a developmental focus.

Across 2 levels of Better Conversations and Coaching, each with about 30 hours of training time, participant coaches learned 4 foundational skills:

• Listen to understand.
• Ask powerful questions.
• Challenge and support.
• Establish next steps and accountability.

Participants learned to use these skills in their day-to-day interactions, as well as in formal coaching sessions. Participants also received small group coaching from more experienced coaches.

Program Impact

CCL and SGX partnered to foster an internal community of coaches at SGX who support each other. Coaches met every quarter to share success stories and learnings. These high-impact sessions deepened reflection and advanced the learning among the leader coaches.

This program has created significant coaching capacity among the senior leaders of the organization and generated valuable opportunities for mid-level and frontline leaders to receive coaching. The leader coaches started by coaching their direct teams; some leaders also coach cross-functionally.

The prestigious Management Associate program at SGX was another opportunity to leverage senior leaders’ coaching capacity. A set of leaders from the group of 40 were assigned as mentors to the Management Associates through a structured six-month program. The goal was to provide every management associate with an internal coaching and mentoring opportunity.

SGX has successfully cultivated a comprehensive learning environment that prioritizes coaching and development, thereby fostering a robust learning culture. This strategic approach has led to a significant increase in employee engagement survey results on learning & development, surpassing industry norms. The company’s commitment to learning and development has resulted in employees feeling more engaged at work.

As SGX strengthens its culture and implements new business initiatives, senior leaders are better prepared to act as change coaches and culture ambassadors to continue the SGX growth story.

Participants Say

The post SGX Group Partners With CCL to Boost Remote Worker Engagement by Building Internal Coaching Skills & Capacity appeared first on CCL.

Founded over 50 years ago, the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) seeks to improve the quality of life, promote pluralism, and enhance self-reliance in marginalised communities across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. As an agency of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) — one of the world’s leading international development organisations — AKF works in partnership with communities, governments, and others to deliver a long-term, community-based approach to development. In addition, AKF often plays a convening, partnership development, policy dialogue, and resource mobilisation role for AKDN and its agencies.

Each year, AKF invests approximately US $220 million in the potential of people of all faiths and backgrounds, especially women and girls, using a holistic approach that is locally rooted, but globally informed. AKF draws on the expertise of highly skilled local staff in each of the countries where it operates, as well as colleagues across the wider AKDN, to deliver sustainable, innovative, and locally led programmes.

As part of its commitment to gender equality, AKF invested in a Women in Leadership (WiL) programme to elevate its emerging female leaders. Their intention was to focus on self-development and to provide coaching, sponsorship, and peer support on a sustained basis, while engaging key stakeholders before, during, and after the engagement.

AKF also focused on the importance of creating a supportive, inclusive environment to enable the women in the programme to succeed. AKF’s inclusive approach involved bringing together line managers, male allies, and the participants themselves into joint sessions to create the space needed to discuss the challenges they would face in their leadership journeys.

AKF received more than 100 applications from women leaders in a variety of fields and roles, and 25 were selected for the programme using a multi-layered evaluation and interview process.

Those selected represented 13 different countries (including 3 leaders from AKF’s sister agencies, Aga Khan Agency for Habitat (AKAH) and Aga Khan Health Services (AKHS).

Solution

AKF partnered with The Center for Creative Leadership (CCL)® to design and deliver the WiL programme. It kicked off with a co-led meeting with opening remarks from the AKF General Manager and an inspiring keynote speech by an Afghani executive from Roshan Telecom, who shared insights from her journey to become a female leader in a complex environment.

The WiL programme design engaged a multi-module and multi-modal format over a 6-month period to create safe spaces for honest discussions and active exercises leading to heightened experiences.

The 4 core modules, which were presented in live online sessions, focused on the following themes:

• Women’s leadership identity and self-awareness
• High-stakes communication
• Building networks and partnerships
• Power and influence

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CCL infused WiL’s learning journey with a thoughtful variety of lessons, experiences, and conversations which were each tied to the participants’ personal leadership challenges. In addition to the live online core modules, the programme elements designed to boost engagement and learning included:

• 3 assessments, debriefed by an International Coaching Federation (ICF)-certified CCL executive coach
• 6 hours of executive coaching across the 6-month training period
• A conversation with each participant’s line manager to understand the AKF leadership landscape
• 3 intermodular sessions focused on effective leadership from a belonging perspective for participants, allies, sponsors, and line managers
• A capstone event to celebrate achievements and share stories
• Informal “Learning Circles” hosted by AKF to build relationships between core modules
• A Reflection Journal jointly developed by CCL and AKF for participants to record their learning experiences, insights, and thoughts

An action-oriented 6-month AKF mentorship component connected to a Collaborative Learning Project to ensure sustainable impact post-programme.

Results

“AKF’s global Women in Leadership (WiL) progamme not only brought greater awareness overall to the importance of investing in female leadership, but also created the demand for more leadership, coaching, and developmental opportunities for both women and men across the organisation,” said Staci Frost, Director, Organisational Effectiveness.

Following AKF’s 6-month Women in Leadership programme, participants committed to share the knowledge gained with their teams, build more resilient work cultures, engage in more networking and mentoring, and find ways to support other women. For example, alumni from 3 different countries worked together to grow the Learning Circle component of the WiL (informal, facilitated conversations with female leaders) into a standalone programme, which is now being implemented in their respective countries.

Program Impact

Participants Say

The post Aga Khan Foundation Partners With CCL to Design and Deliver WiL Programme appeared first on CCL.

Cognizant is a leading global business and technology consultancy serving many Global 2000 clients. In a rapidly accelerating digital landscape, the company is executing a bold agenda and helping clients use technology to improve everyday lives.

The organization recognizes that people are its most important asset, and as a result, strives to cultivate an inclusive work environment in which all employees are engaged, feel valued, and have the opportunity to develop and succeed.

“Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) is essential to every organization that needs to deeply understand and serve its customers,” says Brian Humphries, Chief Executive Officer at Cognizant.

“Inclusion and diversity are key components to creating conditions for everyone to thrive. Our Propel program does just that by accelerating gender diversity globally in the leadership pipeline,” adds Shameka Young, Chief Diversity Officer at Cognizant, on the key driver to initiate the Propel program. “One focus area is supporting gender diversity, and leveling the playing field for women in tech careers around the world. The company has made significant progress in setting and committing to gender goals that invest in women through training, mentorship, and professional development.”

Solution

In partnership with the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL)®, Cognizant’s Leadership Development Academy designed its signature women’s leadership development program, “Propel,” for mid- and senior-level women leaders across the globe. The program was collaboratively designed to accelerate a diverse leadership pipeline and enable women business leaders to thrive and succeed in a digital era.

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Women’s Leadership Development

We've helped pioneer women's leadership development for nearly 50 years. Explore our research-based leadership training programs for women.

Leadership in Technology Fields

Drive growth and change with leadership in tech by focusing on market disruptions and creating a pipeline of talent to compete, grow, and innovate.

“It has been an exhilarating experience to have over 1,000 of our trailblazing women leaders go through the Propel program. We partnered with the Center for Creative Leadership to create this development journey that has helped us build a community of women leaders which supports and celebrates one another,” shares Sreedevi Palit, Solution Architect and Program Manager of Propel.

The 3-month Propel experience includes:

• Expert sessions with CCL faculty, aligned to themes enabling women leaders to amplify their leadership brand, enhance executive presence, and expanding their strategic networks;
• Mentoring support, peer networking, and access to internal and external leaders and thought leaders; and
• Building a community of women that supports and celebrates one another.

With a sharpened focus on global gender diversity in their leadership pipeline, Cognizant pledged to MAKERS — a global organization dedicated to inspiring change-makers of tomorrow — to put 1,000 high-performing women in leadership levels through Propel in its first few years.

Results

Much ahead of its pledged timeline, Cognizant achieved the target of sending 1,000+ high-performing women leaders through the Propel initiative. The company’s targeted approach around D&I ensures diverse employees not only feel welcome, but also have the support and opportunities they need to advance in the company.

Propel has fostered a community of over 1,000 women to fuel even stronger careers and collectively uplift the performance of Cognizant. Propel graduates often experience career advancement at a significantly higher pace compared to others in a similar talent pool, and the program creates a growing community of women who support and celebrate one another.

By the Numbers

Participants Say

The post Cognizant Bolsters Women Leaders & Strengthens Gender Diversity in Its Leadership Pipeline appeared first on CCL.

Effective principals are a key element for successful schools. Their influence motivates teachers and staff, strengthens school cultures, and improves student outcomes. Creating a successful school takes time and requires continuity of strong leadership.

However, principal turnover is a chronic issue across the country.

Even before the global Covid-19 pandemic, studies show nearly 20% of U.S. principals left their positions each year. And principal churn not only impacts student achievement, but is also financially costly for schools. According to the nonprofit School Leaders Network, the costs to develop, hire, and onboard a new principal range between $36,850 and $303,000; with conservative estimates placing the average cost at about $75,000.

A brief from the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) and the Learning Policy Institute (LPI) suggests that district and school leaders and federal and state policymakers should implement a number of strategies to increase principal retention — one of which is offering high-quality, ongoing professional leadership development for educators.

Solution

The Center for Creative Leadership (CCL)® is committed to supporting our work to strengthen leadership for social change — creating leaders who can embrace change, build strong teams, and successfully overcome challenges they face, particularly in educational communities.

A sizable endowment from alumna Dr. Margaret Waddington has enabled CCL, in partnership with the Vermont Principals’ Association, to provide a leadership development program for K-12 leaders across the state. The Dr. Margaret Waddington Institute for School Leadership flagship program launched in 2017, and has served almost half of Vermont’s principals to date.

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Education Leadership (K-12)

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“The Vermont Principals’ Association is committed to developing and growing leadership skills in Vermont School Leaders. Our partnership with CCL through the Dr. Margaret Waddington Institute for School Leadership has been an immense blessing. Evaluations at the end of the program clearly demonstrate the strong positive effect on school leaders. The networking, skill training, and understanding of self as a leader is instrumental in successful outcomes for participants. It is our hope that every single educational leader in Vermont will have the opportunity to participate in the program; it is simply outstanding,” said Jay Nichols, Executive Director of the Vermont Principals’ Association and Vermont 2018 Superintendent of the Year.

The goals of this cohort-based multi-session program are to:

• Develop principal capacity to create a positive school culture;
• Increase psychological capital of principal participants;
• Improve principal ability to build trust with their teachers and staff; and
• Help principals feel supported through a collaboration network of school leaders across the state.

This year-long, innovative leadership development program for K-12 principals features a mix of learning applications, including:

• Face-to-face and virtual classroom sessions
• Curated leadership tools, books, and video content
• Personalized executive coaching (both in-person and virtual follow-up calls)

Results

Program evaluation findings from the first 4 years of the program clearly demonstrate that the Waddington principals had significantly less turnover than non-participant principals in Vermont. Participating principals noted significant increases in their psychological wellbeing (feelings of efficacy, hope, and resiliency) and their support network of other teachers, both important indicators linked to reducing principal turnover.

Program Impact

In 81% of schools, teachers reported noticing positive change in their principal. With more than 750 teachers reporting pre- and post-program, the teachers cited these specific positive changes in their principals:

• Ability to empower teachers: The principals are more supportive, get more input, and distribute work and leadership equitably
• Increased confidence: The principals are more willing to make decisions and act
• Better communication skills: The principals are more transparent and respond more regularly
• Enhanced focus on positive school climate: The principals focus more on social-emotional outcomes and equity

Approximately 40% of public-school principals in Vermont chose to participate at the beginning of the Waddington program, and it’s clear that program participation has significantly reduced principal turnover, which translates to a cost savings of $1.4M for the state of Vermont.

Participants Say

The post Waddington Endowment Funds Leadership Development & Drastically Increases Principal Retention appeared first on CCL.