In this video, Wendy Smith and two program alumnae explain their experiences with the RiseUP Women’s Leadership Forum and how it has helped over thirty percent of participants advance to a new position or role in their organization or business.
Transcript
Wendy Smith: The Women’s Leadership Forum is a three day executive forum for women in the middle of their careers looking to advance to the next step. And our goal is to help you to clarify where you want to go and help you get there. We know that organizations are more successful when there’s diversity at the top, and yet, it’s so hard for women to advance past the mid-level executive roles. The Women’s Leadership Forum was created to help advance women into those senior roles, whether it’s within your own company, whether it’s an opportunity to pivot or shift to a new role, but to really identify women’s strengths and help women to develop their next step in their leadership journey.
Elizabeth David: I’ve been involved in a lot of women’s leadership programs over the years, and I found this one to be different than the others. What I really liked about this program was, first, it was more senior women. In addition, I really liked that they focused on some of the more applicable skills that other programs didn’t.
Grace Nwokobai: It was an amazing experience. It was so good that I recommended two of my peers there, and they are here tonight. It wasn’t a traditional leadership training, which, you know, most people need. But after you’ve been a leader for a very long time this program is definitely a differentiator.
Elizabeth David: I really did a lot of searching to figure out what a good next step for me was. And since the program (so it’s been about a year) I’ve stepped into a really broad leadership role in my organization.
Wendy Smith: In just a year and a half, over thirty percent of the women who have gone through the program have already taken on new positions, new roles, and by creating the conditions in the room where women are comfortable sharing their challenges, we’ve really enabled people to identify both the big vision of where they want to go as well as the very specific next steps that will help them walk out the door and implement their opportunities tomorrow.