International Women’s Day is a powerful reminder of the progress made and the work still to be done in advancing women’s leadership. For over 25 years, Dattner Group has been at the forefront of women’s leadership development, working with organisations to ensure that women are seen, heard, and empowered. Through the Compass Women in Leadership programs, thousands of women have unlocked their potential – finding the courage to step up, lead with impact, and drive meaningful change.
The power of Compass extends beyond individual transformation. When women unlock their courage, they elevate those around them, advocate for opportunities, and become catalysts for change within their workplaces and communities.
One such woman is Compass Alumni Yvonne Sinanovic.
Yvonne entered the Compass Flagship program when she was leading a team within a large Sydney-based organisation, eager to develop herself further but, like many women, hesitant to prioritise her own growth. After many conversations, Yvonne joined our Compass Flagship program in 2018.
At first, she was reserved, reluctant to speak up, unsure of her own power. She had never travelled independently before and relied on a colleague as she made her way from Sydney to Melbourne for the program. But as the weeks passed, something remarkable happened. Yvonne started taking small but significant risks – speaking up in group discussions, challenging ideas, asking deeper questions. She even started traveling alone, navigating Ubers and airports with a newfound confidence. She also set the audacious goal of spending three months in India to visit family, travel solo and attempt new adventures like aerial yoga – without knowing exactly how she would achieve it, she wrote it down and shared it with the group.
Then, something even more powerful emerged. Having experienced the transformation that Compass offered, Yvonne became determined to ensure more women in her organisation had access to the same opportunity. She initiated conversations with managers and executives – conversations she once would have considered “not her place” to have. She championed the case for dozens of women to attend Compass, advocating for their leadership development and future growth.
But Yvonne didn’t stop there. She tracked down an old work colleague who had progressed to an executive position – someone she had only briefly worked with before he moved on. She arranged a meeting and shared her story. She spoke about how Compass had changed her – how it had unlocked something within her that she didn’t even realise was there. He was so moved by her conviction that he committed to sending women from his organisation through Compass as well. Today, that organisation has supported dozens of women into the program, extending the ripple effect of Yvonne’s courage. And yes, that big audacious goal of traveling to India solo – that happened!
This is what IWD is truly about – ordinary people stepping into their power and becoming game changers. The truth is, we didn’t give Yvonne a magic formula for leadership. The courage, the passion, the ability to drive change – it was always inside her. She just needed the right support, space, and people to help unlock it.
Imagine what a dose of courage could do for you. For the people you love. For the generations yet to navigate their own paths.
This International Women’s Day, we celebrate the courage of women who refuse to stay unseen. Who choose to use their voices. Who create change, not just for themselves, but for those who will come after them.
Who’s next?
Our signature leadership program for women, Compass, has supported hundreds of women to choose courage over confidence and increase their leadership visibility and impact. To find out more visit Compass.
