FAQ’s:
i. Where can I find a women’s leadership program?
ii. What skills do you learn from a women’s leadership course?
iii. What books should leaders read on leadership?
Exploring Leadership Development with Dattner Group’s Compass Program
There are many reasons women seek out professional development courses such as Compass Flagship. Sometimes it’s driven by a sense of knowing there is a gap between where you are and where you want to go (whether that be personally or professionally) and other times you are responding to feedback from a manager, friend, colleague, or family member that has opened up a blind spot for you on ways you could further develop to step into your fullest potential.
Whichever way you arrive, there are some crucial things you should take into consideration when looking at what you want to gain from further development.
- Outline the reason for stepping into a new leadership program
- Articulate what you hope to achieve from the course
- Ensure you are clear on what time you can commit to this program
- Look at the credentials of the program and the experience of the facilitators running the program
- How many people has the program supported? What reviews does the program get?
- Who will you be doing the program alongside?
- What people do you want in your network that can help propel your ambition?
- What post-program support is there to continue you on your leadership journey?
- What alumni network is available for you to access to expand your connections both during and after the program
Once you have answered the above, the research phase begins.
At this stage, you may be curious to know where you can find women’s leadership and coaching programs.
A good general search of the internet will bring up a plethora of providers with varying expertise and focus. When conducting your research be sure to review your answers above to help determine course fit. Look for the courses that align with what you hope to achieve and the amount of time you can invest in yourself.
Alternate avenues are professional networking forums, sector forums, NFP organisations and educational institutions. The best program is the one that feels right for you.
Compass has been designed and is facilitated by women for women.
It is built on significant expertise in helping leaders at all levels (early, mid, and senior career) to feel greater agency in their choices. We have worked with literally thousands of women globally on transformational change. We have done this for over 30 years, and the program is changing and evolving constantly as new insights and methodologies emerge.
Who this course is not for?
Compass is not a transactional leadership course that will provide you with a cookie-cutter approach to leadership using a few frameworks. This approach, whilst useful in some contexts, is limiting as it is theory-based and the situations and people you will connect and collaborate with in all domains are unique. Having an agile leadership toolkit underpinned by a deep understanding of self, others, and context is key to being effective. If you are looking for a theory to learn and apply without self-enquiry, Compass is not for you.
So, what is Compass?
Compass is an experiential learning program in which you will come to understand yourself, what you value, what your triggers are, and then what you can do to change the story you tell yourself when your response isn’t useful. You will learn a great deal about other people and what drives their behaviour. The more you know about yourself and others, the more resilient and adaptable you become.
You will feel encouraged to lead courageously from a place of authenticity. You will build leadership influence. In turn, your impact becomes magnetic. You get better outcomes that are more authentic.
This approach is more effective and, as a result, has far greater longevity. Whilst every person you interact with is unique – what remains consistent, is the skill you build to adapt. You will feel better equipped to work constructively with a variety of people irrespective of the context you find yourself in.
What is transformational change?
A journey of discovering the power and importance of ‘why’ I do what I do, more than ‘how’. It focuses on deep insight scaffolded by expert processes and knowledge.
The Compass Flagship program is specifically designed to empower women from diverse backgrounds, helping them achieve clarity and lead with purpose. This 3-month intensive program is accessible online, ensuring women worldwide can benefit from its offerings.
Participants in Compass engage in immersive modules that explore their core values, self-talk, emotional agility, and effective communication. There are quite a few imitators in the market. How do you know you have the real deal? Because of the significant depth of expertise that informs every piece of exploration in the program, every piece of content, and every conversation. That’s why people who have done the program talk about the program.
There is a global community of over 2000 women who have benefited from this women in leadership program. This community, small and large, provides you with the opportunity to foster lifelong connections and support, essential for sustained leadership growth
What skills do you learn from women leadership courses?
The Compass Program is renowned for its comprehensive approach to skill development in leadership. Here are some key skills you will develop:
- Strategic Thinking and Decision Making for yourself: Through exercises that deep dive into what you want and why, in partnership with other participants, you will build a personal map of what truly matters to you and why. When you know this, you make better decisions about life, work, relationships, well-being, and learning.
- Deep and data-driven sense of self, building emotional resilience: The program emphasises understanding and managing the story you tell yourself and the emotions that inform that story. Understanding that emotions and reason work together is the cornerstone of effective leadership.
- Building true presence, and communication skills to bring the best of you into the world: You learn how to communicate purposefully, aligned to your values, clearly and persuasively, and to do this over and over in varying contexts.
You will understand what it means to be constructive, how powerful networks are, and how able you are to help others.
You do a program, but we stand with you from here on in. Compass participants gain ongoing support and guidance from each other and participate in regular leadership forums to discuss what matters together.
These skills are cultivated through interactive modules, including values elicitation, Life Styles Inventory (LSI) diagnostics, and practical techniques for effective communication. The program ensures that participants not only learn these skills but also apply them effectively in their whole-of-life ambitions.
Some light reading?
Reading is integral to leadership development, offering deep insights and varied perspectives. The Compass Program integrates essential readings into its curriculum, providing participants with a rich resource base. In the meantime, here are some recommended books:
- Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead by Sheryl Sandberg. This book is critical for understanding the dynamics of women in leadership roles.
- Dare to Lead by Brené Brown. Brené Brown’s exploration of vulnerability and courage in leadership aligns with the core principles taught in Compass.
- The Confidence Code by Katty Kay and Claire Shipman. This book delves into the science of confidence, an essential trait for effective leadership.
- How women rise: Break the 12 habits holding you back by Sally Helgeson and Marshall Goldsmith
- Presence: Bringing your boldest self to your biggest challenges by Amy Cuddy
- Radical Candor: be a kick-ass boss without losing your humanity by Kim Scott
- Nice girls don’t get the corner office: unconscious mistakes women make that sabotage their careers by Dr. Louis Frankel
- Lean out: the truth about women, power, and the workplace by Marissa Orr
- Women and leadership: Real Lives, Real Lessons by Julia Gillard and Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
Find out more
By engaging with these books, Compass participants deepen their understanding of leadership principles and perspectives that enhance their leadership practice. The Dattner Group’s Compass Programs offer a comprehensive solution to your leadership development needs. It provides a structured and supportive environment tailored for women leaders to equip you with essential leadership skills to further your ambition at work, home, and everywhere in between. By participating in Compass, you join a community dedicated to empowering women and fostering exceptional leadership. So whether you’re just starting your leadership journey or looking to refine your skills, contact us today to learn why Compass is the perfect program to guide you toward success.
