Creating a Safe Environment for Women's Leadership Transformation.

Taking Gender Into Account: Theory and Design for Women's Leadership Development Programs

“…In our WLPs, that group comprises similarly positioned women, who can offer feedback, serve as references for social comparison, and become "emotional anchors" for each other's personal learning (Higgins & Kram, 2001: 278). Because women attending WLPs occupy relatively senior positions-positions in which women tend to be scarce-limiting enrollment to women gives participants a rare opportunity to spend time with women peers, who are able to identify and empathize with each other (Debebe, 2011). Identification and empathy increase participants' willingness to talk openly, take risks, and be vulnerable without fearing that others will misunderstand or judge them (Ibarra & Petriglieri, 2010;.…”

“…Participants become more open and less defensive as they learn that other women share experiences they thought were unique. In short, women-only programs give participants the opportunity to interact with similar others who are uniquely fit to give the support, validation, and social comparison they need as they figure out who they are and want to be in their next leadership role (Debebe, 2011).…”

Unconscious Gender Bias: Implications for Women's Leadership Development

“…Such programs should not be deficiency‐based, focusing on topics such as personal branding and assertiveness, but should provide a safe place for women to engage with each other, unpack bias issues, and create networks of support (Ely et al, ; Kassotakis, ). Indeed, creating a safe environment for women to explore their potential, share successes and failures, and receive feedback, mentoring, and coaching is a critical element in women's leadership development (Debebe, ; Ely et al, ; Sugiyama, Cavanagh, van Esch, Bilimoria, & Brown, ; Vinnicombe, Moore, & Anderson, ). Women in mixed‐gender training programs do not feel free to share concerns that are unique to them (Ngunjiri & Gardiner, ).…”

The value and rationale of gender‐specific intervention with at‐risk adolescent girls

“…Researchers found that in GNI, males tend to dominate the discussions and frequently interrupt and put down participating females (Hodgins, El-Guebaly, & Addington, 1997;Parker & Rennie, 2002), whereas, in FOI, more so than in GNI, females tend to participate, report feeling comfortable and confident, and feel supported and understood by their peers when sharing similar experiences (including experiences of sexual victimization) and discussing the influence of patriarchy on their lives (Debebe, 2011;Hodgins et al, 1997;Parker & Rennie, 2002).…”