Although progress has been made in the advancement of women’s equality in education, a wide gap still exists in leadership and gender disparity.

There is no absence of women in the education field, however, research shows that the higher up the academic ladder, the wider the gender gap.  Thankfully, many educational institutions are making strides to address this problem, and in the past decade we have seen more women assume leadership roles. However, females are still in the minority at the top. According to a study by the American Council on Education, only 30 percent of college leaders are female.  Women are better represented in the C-suite than in the presidency, but still make up far less than half of senior academic positions. This inequality influences how students interpret gender roles and fosters inequality. 

Leadership is a personal power that comes from within.

Female leadership is needed now, more than ever. 

Dr. Nancy Coleman, Program Director of Wellesley Executive Education, illustrates that although progress has been made in the advancement of women’s equality in the workplace, a wide gap in leadership and gender disparity still exists. According to Catalyst (2019), women hold 51.5% of all management, professional, and related occupations. However, in S&P 500 companies, women are less represented the higher up they go.

How do you cultivate more inspired leaders who act boldly, speak powerfully, and lead holistically? 

Impact. Connection. Courage. As women leaders, we seek them because we know these are some of the most important elements needed to drive engagement, job satisfaction, and results. Yet, in a 24/7 hyper-connected world, it’s often difficult to step outside yourself, pause the ever-growing to-do list, and cultivate behaviors that lead to impact, connection, and courage.

We’ve all heard advice such as ‘bring your whole self to work’ and ‘be fully present in the moment.’ In fact, research shows that practices such as mindfulness can not only increase productivity at work, but also increase creativity and employee engagement. We know leadership behaviors which embody the whole leader can drive better business interactions, problem solving ability, and productivity, all leading to enhanced corporate performance. How do you develop a holistic leader? Where do you start?

During a recent Wellesley College Leadership for Impact program, participants discovered the answer. Our executive education model, designed exclusively for women, shows how leaders can become more effective by tapping into the power that already exists within them. Our new, holistic, three-pronged approach curates a data-driven, practitioner-focused, mindful practice like no other. Participants discover their power by learning about critical leadership skills and behaviors, but also by reflection, mindfulness and connection building.