Women Leadership Development

We hear from women that “It’s hard to be what you can’t see”, and so we are committed to increasing the representation of women in leadership roles at all levels, so that women’s unique lived experiences continue to bring new ways to innovate in organisations.

At Inkling, we recognise the problem with women’s leadership isn’t women – it’s the structures and narratives around them creating barriers on their path to leadership. While we know that cultural and gender diverse leadership boosts performance, organisations are struggling to unlock the potential of their women leaders

We have 10+ years of extensive experience in gender equity and women’s leadership development and have worked with all levels of women leaders to develop tailored learnings experiences that support women to navigate barriers and challenges in the workplace. We take an evidence-based approach to tackle this challenge from all angles.

We have success delivering women’s leadership development in 17+ countries across Asia, US and Europe and understand the importance of intersectionality in our approach. By partnering with your organisation, we cultivate inclusive leadership and the structures needed to see women flourish.

What you can expect when you partner with Inkling on women's leadership development

Create real, tangible change

50% of women who attend our leadership and coaching programs for women leaders achieve a promotion within 6 months. The program will be tailored to your participants, cultural context and current business needs to achieve this.
Avoid a focus on ‘fixing women’

We recognise the problem with women’s development isn’t women – it’s the cultural structures and narratives around them creating barriers along their career paths.

We equip women with the skills and courage to navigate the barriers, challenge the status quo, uncover strengths, lift self-awareness, and unlock influence.
Drive an inclusive culture

Our approach connects participants’ Line Leaders and senior level Sponsors to the organisational outcomes. It increases commitment to build an inclusive culture where everyone can thrive, through advocacy and allyship.
Practical

Our learning experiences draw on evidence-based psychology and behavioural science.

We translate complex theory and research into practical tools and techniques that are easy to implement immediately.

What Inkling's women's leadership programs can do for your organisation

Across the globe, participants in our women’s leadership programs tell us that they feel more confident, capable, and focused on their career plan. Our female leadership programs are not about “fixing” women, instead, we address intersectionality, gender identity and unconscious bias.

Our women’s leadership development experiences develop leaders at all levels who can effectively manage their personal and career challenges, resulting in increased performance, productivity, and enjoyment.

We work with you to define the specific program components, roll-out duration and learning modules. We have expanses of evidence-based learning content, tools and approaches, informed by the latest research. You choose what will work for you, based on your organisational culture, your aspirations, and any constraints you need to work within.

Connect with Inkling's D&I Practice today

Inkling's Women’s Leadership Development services

Individual female career development

We understand that women (and other under-represented groups) who face barriers in the workplace and in life, benefit from tailored learning experiences to assist them to better navigate the barriers.

Women who work with us tell us that the experience not only transformed their success, impact and energy at work, but also changed the way they approach life in general. Participants tell us that they are more comfortable in their own skin, better equipped to manage obstacles in their career and are more effective leaders and contributors.

We can work with you to deliver learning experiences tailored to a small group or to be delivered at scale to 500+ participants at the same time, utilising technology.

Accelerate High Potential Women

With most organisations tracking gender diversity statistics, they are aware of where women disproportionally drop off in terms of promotion rates or talent ‘readiness’ ratings, leaving gender imbalances in the talent pipeline. This might be across the business or just in certain functions (potentially in male dominated industries like Technology or Supply Chain). Research supports that the development of tailored talent programs aimed to accelerate and prepare women for more senior roles contributes to supporting gender diversity and the retention and engagement of your high potential female talent.

We will partner with you to help you identify, select and design and deliver a high impact development experience for your high potential women. The program should be designed to the level of leader, their previous development exposure and the specific capability gaps that need to be addressed.

An inclusive culture where women thrive

Bain (2017) research found that one of the top 3 barriers to women’s career confidence and ambition was a lack of supervisory support. We understand that direct leaders, along with the broader culture they are embedded in, can contribute to unlocking success and potential (and can also hinder it).

We can partner with you to consider how your leaders are developed as part of a women’s leadership development experience, or as a specific initiative of its own, to lead gender diversity and understand how to adapt and tailor to women and other under-represented groups. Leaders tell us they have a greater sense of clarity and improved capability and confidence after working with us

Executive engagement and alignment

Having executive level sponsorship, engagement and alignment around what you are trying to achieve in the gender diversity space is critical to success. We can work with you to lead your organisation and executive team through the right conversations and thinking to create alignment around the core factors of an effective strategy around gender diversity.

This could cover the role of executive and leaders, the expected behaviours, the right initiatives to have in place, the right way to measure success, managing and hold people accountable, systems and processes, talent management and communications.

Understanding your maturity in the gender diversity space is something we will assess with you upfront and tailor our approach based on this.

The women's leadership impact we've delivered

A world-leading Australian University engaged Inkling to perform a strategic design review of their Women in Leadership program

Inkling was engaged by a top-ranking Australian University to conduct a comprehensive advisory review of their Women in Leadership program. The objective was to align the program with industry best practices, enhance its credibility, and ensure its relevance and effectiveness.

Through an in-depth analysis that incorporated participant feedback and drew upon thought leadership, Inkling provided a detailed report containing key recommendations. These recommendations served as valuable insights for optimising the University's Women in Leadership program, ensuring its continued effectiveness and impact.
Helping a large government department and a global engineering firm drive greater gender equity and inclusion

Since 2020, Inkling has partnered with a large government department and a global engineering firm on the co-design and delivery of a women's leadership program. With an objective of fostering greater gender equity and inclusion across both industries, the program empowers women across both organisations, involving senior leaders to drive positive change and break down cultural and structural barriers for under-represented groups.

As a testament to the program's success, 98% of participants now express confidence in steering their own career paths, a substantial increase of +43%.

The program has since received the Australian Institute of Project Management (AIPM) award for Best Transformational Projects.
We developed a global leadership development program to transform careers with a multinational food and support service company

Inkling partnered with a leading food and support service company to deliver a global leadership development initiative for their women in culinary and front-of-house roles across 7 countries and 4 languages.

Grounded in best practices from performance psychology and behavioural science, the objectives of the program were to elevate self-awareness, cultivate resilience, provide clarity, and propel participants toward enhanced performance.

Following the program, an impressive 71% of participants have sought out promotions, new roles, or significant stretch opportunities. Furthermore, 85% of participants have established relationships with senior leaders within the organisation, with whom they can seek mentorship or sponsorship—a notable increase of +30%.

Women's leadership client story

Australia Post ProjectME Program

Explore our 8+ year collaboration with Australia Post on the Project Me program – a frontline leaders initiative that has yielded remarkable results, with 4-5 times higher retention rates for women who participate compared to those at the same level who have not engaged in the program.

Read Australia Post client story

Drive a culture of high-impact female leadership across your organisation.

Connect directly with our Diversity & Inclusion Practice today to learn more about our women’s leadership training.

Connect with Inkling's D&I Practice

Women's Leadership Development FAQ's

How does Inkling address the barriers faced by women in leadership?

We address the barriers faced by women in leadership through tailored leadership development programs designed to empower women with the skills and capabilities needed to advance in their careers. We actively work to address intersectionality and systemic issues, promote inclusivity, and provide women with the tools and confidence needed to navigate the challenges in their leadership journey. Our programs draw on performance psychology and behavioral science to equip women leaders with the skills and courage to challenge the status quo, uncover strengths, lift self-awareness, and identify and explore their authentic leadership style

Can you share some outcomes of your Women’s Leadership Programs?

Inkling’s Women’s Leadership Programs yield remarkable outcomes, including the development of leaders who can effectively manage their personal and career resulting in increased performance, productivity, and enjoyment. These programs also contribute to increased innovation, profitability, inclusivity, and employee talent and retention. Our programs contribute to creating a diverse and empowered leadership landscape, fostering positive organisational change and long-lasting career growth for women. You can learn more about the outcomes we have helped our clients achieve by reading our client success stories.

How does Inkling tailor programs to individual and organisational needs?

We are dedicated to understanding your unique context, listening attentively, and leveraging our expertise to collaboratively achieve the best outcomes together. Our programs are designed with flexibility in mind, allowing us to adapt to the unique requirements of both individuals and organisations. Through tailored learning and a collaborative approach, we ensure that our programs align closely with the specific goals, challenges, and culture of each participant and their organisation.

How do your programs accelerate the development of high-potential women?

Inkling’s women’s leadership programs are strategically designed to accelerate the development of high-potential women. We provide targeted leadership training that may include one-on-one coaching, immersive learning experiences, and sponsorship opportunities with senior executives, helping women grow their influence and network in the workplace. By combining skill-building with personalised coaching, we empower high-potential women to overcome obstacles, cultivate leadership competencies, and fast-track their career growth.

What role does executive engagement play in the success of gender diversity initiatives?

Executive engagement is pivotal to the success of gender diversity initiatives. Leaders set the tone for an inclusive culture. We actively involve executives in our programs, fostering a top-down commitment to gender diversity. Through mentorship, sponsorship, and participation in discussions, executives play a crucial role in driving change. Their commitment ensures a more inclusive workplace and reinforces the value of diverse leadership at every level.