Programs
Programs and Workshops
Jen’s programs are underpinned by the ‘bifocal approach’ – linking individual development to organizational change.
A focus on women
When are women only initiatives a good thing? Too often gender equality becomes women’s problem and women’s work to fix. Women can even be situated as the problem. Go to my page on men to see more ways of engaging men.
But there are some situations where women only space is incredibly valuable.
Women’s leadership development programs
Maggie Leavitt and I recently facilitated our final women’s leadership program after 25 years of working together. Retirement beckoned for Maggie! We took some time to reflect on our experiences of design, effectiveness and facilitation. You can view our reflections on the Australian Human Resource Institute (AHRI) website soon.
I can help you design a customised program using the bifocal approach that can deliver on two fronts - the short-term goal of assisting women to thrive in the current workplace, and the long-term goal of building an organisation where all can thrive.
I design programs where men can engage with the women and the program, and with feedback loops back to the organisation, both essential aspects of building a more gender equitable workplace.
Workshops for Women
Don’t send your women to endless Forum’s, Breakfasts and one-off Leadership events.
Invest in tailored workshops where women in your organisation can build relationships with each other, learn together, understand their workplace culture and support each other's development.
Identity, Power and Culture are often the missing ingredients in leadership development for women and men. They form the underpinning leadership model for all my workshops, and have proven highly effective in assisting women to step forward.
Women’s Networks, Women’s Professional Bodies
Ensure that any women’s networks are a good use of your women’s time and effort. They can be a ‘nice to have’, but to move the dial on gender in your organisation or profession they need to be strategically harnessed. If they have no connection to the Executive, no formal voice, and no ways for men to connect, you’re probably wasting your time.
Let me help you re-position your women only networks to make a strategic difference.
Recent workshop example
Women exercising leadership: An exploration of culture and power
This workshop will examine two of the pillars of leadership – understanding cultures and context, and power.
This is a highly engaging and fun workshop that deepens participants understandings of the enablers and often gendered barriers to exercising leadership that they experience within their organisational context. Being able to recognise and name these opens up possibilities and choices, ultimately assisting women to more fully ‘step up’ into leadership.
Power is not routinely discussed in workplaces, and exercising power is often seen by women as negative rather than enabling. Yet power is essential to effective influencing and exercising leadership in both small and large ways. Drawing on Amanda Sinclair’s work on power, participants will examine their bases of power and explore resources and strategies for more fully owning and exercising power.
Participant feedback
The session was excellent and a real highlight of my week. Thankyou
Really good to step back form the treadmill and think about structures and strategy. Big ideas
Well organised. Learnt absolutely heaps
I need to think about what I want to be powerful about, why, what it is etc.
Learnt so much. Hugely valuable
Services
Testimonial
“Dr de Vries led a very successful program Leadership Development for Women (LDW) ...I observed the transformative effects of the program on the participants and subsequently the institution. The success of the program was largely due to the intellect, enthusiasm and insight of Dr de Vries”
Alan Robson,
former Vice-Chancellor, UWA
Contact Jen
jen.devries@me.com
+61 (0) 412 806 377