Course Overview

The Glass Labyrinth offers a fresh and uncompromising look at the state of women’s leadership in Asia today. Against a backdrop of major disruption, the programme takes as its starting point the idea that the challenges faced by women across Asia are created and driven by the system within which women and men alike are striving for fulfilment – for themselves, their families, their colleagues and their organisations – and asks: how do we change the status quo? This is why The Glass Labyrinth welcomes both women and men as participants: if change for the better is going to happen – for women and men – it is going to take a concerted effort from everyone.

Course Objectives

This Two-day programme aims to achieve the following:

• To understand what’s really happening in the area of women’s leadership – to go beyond gender stereotyping
• To identify emerging challenges – looking at the current barriers to the advancement of women leaders in Asia today
• To consider how, as individuals within a system, we can all (women and men) dial-up the rate of change to benefit everyone
• To enable women leaders in Asia to navigate the system and make meaningful career-impacting choices
• To start the process of building an inclusive future which brings together the best of all our differences

Programme Outcomes

• Gain a clear understanding of the systemic issues impacting women leaders
• Identify ways to positively influence systems and benefit in the workplace
• Obtain insights into our collective role in developing and championing women leaders, identifying what needs to change and surfacing efficient ways to effect such change
• Build personal/self-awareness around how our own beliefs, values and behaviours contribute (or not) to the current situation
• Equip each participant with strategies, tools and skills to enable future success for themselves and for their colleagues and organisations

Course Outline

The programme covers the following:

• Where are we now? The state of women’s leadership in Asia today (with inputs from research, data and learned commentary and opinions)
• What future do we want? What changes do women (and men) want to see?
• Delving deeper – the world of bias and the role of men in advancing women’s leadership
• Understanding you (in relationship to others) – via a psychometric, FIRO-B
• Exploding myths, stereotypes and certain leadership styles of both genders
• Learned panel discussion: More Women Leaders Please!
• Systemic change – what needs to happen?
• Mini-case studies in small groups/plenary – case studies from around Asia
• Invited guest speaker – the lived-experience of a successful woman leader
• Enabling change – what happens if we work as a team (women and men)?
• Stop Start Continue – Advancing Women’s Leadership in Asia – at the organisation and individual level

Learning Methodology

To anchor the learning, the workshop incorporates interactive delivery of content, plenary group discussions, psychometric tool debriefs, learned panel debates, invited guest speakers, mini-case study discussion, small group work and individual and organisational action planning.

Target Learners

• Women and men who want to get the best leadership for their teams and organisations
• HR and OD professionals, and Diversity and inclusion professionals
• Champions of systemic change, including Board members interested in systemic change
• Senior leaders/managers who want to move the needle around engaging more women and mentors of aspiring female and male leaders