In a recent survey by Ernst &Young, 100% of business leaders agreed with the statement

‘Inclusive environment is vital for business performance’

Yet, in the same survey, just 68% agreed that their organisation is diverse and inclusive enough to attract and engage millennial and young talent.

The Central Bank has stated:

There is strong evidence to show that diversity at senior levels of regulated entities can help to reduce the likelihood of groupthink, increase the level of challenge, improve decision-making and improve risk management.

There is also a clear connection between levels of diversity in an organisation and its culture. These are all attributes that as a regulator, the Central Bank should and does care about.

Groupthink, in particular, was identified in the Nyberg Report as a contributing factor to the financial crisis in Ireland. 

The Central Bank sees a lack of diversity at senior management and board level in organisations as a leading indicator of elevated behaviour and culture risks and consequently prudential and conduct risks.

The government has committed to introduce gender pay reporting and PIEs are now obliged to provide a diversity report with regard to the Board of Directors.

However, despite such strong business and regulatory imperatives, progress towards greater diversity in general and gender equality in particular has been slow. An analysis published by the Central Bank in 2017 showed that of PCF applications submitted under the Fitness and Probity regime, just 22% of applicants were female.

One of the most effective ways to accelerate progress towards gender balance in leadership, is to offer development programmes specifically for women.

While some believe that such training undermines the argument that men and women are equal, it is important not to confuse equal with same. While women are equally capable, their leadership journey is very different to that of men.

Therefore, it follows that their developmental needs will also differ; there is a shortage of strong female role models and successful women are held to a different standard than their male counterparts – the ‘double-bind’.

Women-only development allows women to explore their leadership identity and discuss issues unique to them such, as barriers to advancement. It allows women to build skills in areas where they often feel uncomfortable and at a disadvantage, such as self- promotion.

Advancing Women – 1 day

In Ireland, women fall behind early and continue to lose ground with every step. A study commissioned by the 30% Club Ireland, revealed that even at the most junior level of management, women only occupy 34% of positions with their representation falling significantly at each subsequent stage of the career ladder with just 14% of Irish companies having women leaders.

While many organisations are committed to improving gender balance, the pace of change can be frustrating. However, for women who wish to take control of their own journey, there are some key strategies and skills they can employ.

Course objectives

This course is designed for ambitious women, from all sectors, who seek to improve their leadership skills.

It explores key leadership competencies from the female perspective. A practical focus ensures that participants can apply the learnings to their individual situation.

Key topics

• What is leadership? Ensuring a shared understanding of what leadership is (and isn’t), the leader/follower relationship, leadership styles and leading through values and vision.
• How does the female leadership journey differ? A brief overview of research and recent developments in gender equality at work.
• Your personal brand – Creating a personal brand that is true to who you are and impactful enough to get you noticed and remembered.
• Navigating power and politics in business - Recognising and understanding power plays; when you might encounter them and how to respond with confidence.
• Influencing and negotiating - Managing relationships, developing influencing and negotiating strategies to complement your leadership style.
• Building your coalition - Building valuable connections and networking strategically

Learning Outcomes

• On conclusion of the workshop, participants should have an enhanced appreciation of:
• The fundamental differences between the male and female leadership journey
• Their own personal strengths and how to address the unique challenges faced by women in the workplace
• The components of individual leadership styles and how to be authentic yet effective

Speaker:

Passionate about the need for greater diversity at senior levels, Dawn Leane established Leane Leaders to support individuals and organisations on their diversity journey. She has a particular interest in contemporary women’s leadership issues and contribute to professional journals on the topic.

Her work as an Executive Coach is almost exclusively with women, affords her a greater insight to the issues women experience when advancing their careers and she have coached many women to success.

Key Event Details:

Location: Crowne Plaza Blanchardstown, Dublin
Time: 9am -5pm 
CPD Credit: 8 hours

**By booking and attending our CPA Ireland Skillnet courses & webinars, you consent to your information being shared to the Skillnet Ireland reporting programme.

Make sure that you input your CPA member ID as the attendee when booking, as the CPD credit will not be automatically allocated to your account otherwise.