June 12-16, 2017

Berkeley, California, USA

Women’s 21^st Century Leadership

Growing scientific consensus has emerged to understand why women’s and men’s career paths continue to diverge in the modern workplace in both predictable and surprising ways. This module will examine the state of gender equality, identify the unique approaches that women use to solve pressing social problems, and equip women with the leadership tools needed to achieve their highest potential.

Pre-work: Students will be required to complete an online assessment one month prior to the commencement of the course. Customized feedback will be distributed during the module.

Content Outline: While women have made substantial gains in the business world, today’s workplace has yet to fully embrace female forms of power and leadership, nor leverage the unique perspective and strengths that women can bring to the table.

With more women in the workforce than ever before –- and even more joining top leadership ranks -– the need for women’s voices to be heard has never been greater. This course is specifically designed to support your development so that you can reach your leadership potential.

This course is designed by women for women. Taking learning beyond the usual stereotypes, our program strikes the ideal balance between evidence-based learning and reality-based knowledge regarding women and their leadership potential. You will learn to over-write outdated scripts about power that have historically produced deep ambivalence in high-potential, rising star women. You will also learn to recognize common (and stubborn) barriers to women’s advancement and, perhaps most importantly, you will be equipped with new tools to combat these obstacles.

Course topics include:

• Power and Leadership in the 21st Century

• Gender Differences and Similarities: Separating Fact from Fiction

• Bringing Your Authentic Self to Work

• Strengthening Your Voice

• Win-Win Negotiation

• Navigating Your Social Network

• Designing Optimal Workplaces for a Gender Diverse Workforce

• Setting Off on a Path to Success

  You will gain a new level of confidence and greater sense of ownership over your own leadership potential. They will hear firsthand from high-ranking female guest speakers from top Silicon Valley companies, and learn to identify your own individual leadership style, better diagnose tricky workplace situations that women commonly face, master powerful negotiation tactics, and set a path for professional success.

  The course is based on cutting-edge behavioral science and validated by leading practitioners. It is comprised of a series of daily experiential exercises that is designed to foster both self-insight and peer feedback. Finally, it is focused on results—you will walk away having developed a new set of diagnostic skills to measure the value that you create around you as a leader.

  Module format and assessment:

• Students will participate in a group project that will gain deeper insights into how women can best tackle the unique challenges that they face in the workplace as we work towards the greater good and solve the most pressing global and local problems facing our societies.

• The project will be assessed based on professionalism, and depth of insights. Groups will be assigned in advance of the module and will be required to begin collaboration on their project before the week commences.

• Groups will be required to present their project at the end of the week.

• At least 50% of the week will be based in the classroom with the remainder consisting of company visits and teamwork on the assigned projects.

Lead Faculty:

Laura Kray

Laura Kray is the Warren E. and Carol Spieker Professor of Leadership at the Walter A. Haas School of Business, University of California at Berkeley, where she has been on the faculty since 2002. Kray has published over 60 articles examining how gender, stereotypes, power, and status intersect to affect life experiences, including how women and men approach conflict resolution, morality, meaning making, and problem solving. Kray’s research has been featured in a wide range of media outlets, including Washington Post, National Public Radio, Harvard Business Review, New York Times, Financial Times, Slate, Forbes, Huffington Post, Daily Beast, Scientific American, Business Week, and Time.com. She is the founding director of the Women’s Executive Leadership Program of the Center for Executive Education at UC Berkeley. She provides leadership training based on cutting-edge research to organizations across the globe. She teaches Negotiations to Full-time, Part-time, and Executive MBAs. This course teaches managers to appreciate how negotiating with others with whom we are interdependent is a frequent life activity and a key leadership skill; this course teaches managers how to be more effective and strategic in their decisions to compromise, compete, and collaborate with others.