Women in Leadership: Inspiring Positive Change from Coursera

This course aims to inspire and empower women and men across the world to engage in purposeful career development and take on leadership for important causes---to lead change with more conviction and confidence---and improve our workplaces and communities for all. By offering more complex understandings of issues related to professional women and work, the course will help you increase self-knowledge about your own values and vision, as well as enhance your capabilities as a leader, manager, and team contributor. We will examine the opportunities, challenges, trade-offs, and organizational dynamics experienced by women in work organizations, as well as reflect on and practice effective individual behaviors.

The course aims at answering questions such as: What are the valued attributes and behaviors of women in the workplace? How does the gendered nature of organizations impact women? What derails our career advancement and what propels us upward? What are your leadership goals and aspirations? How can you best integrate your multiple family and work life commitments? How do you define career success? What can organizations do to provide women with opportunities to excel? What opportunities could our global economy harness by advancing women to leadership? How can the full talents of the workforce be tapped into and developed?

The course is about leadership and inspiring change, but at its core it is meant to inspire and empower women and men across the world to engage in purposeful career development and take on leadership for important causes, to lead change with more conviction and confidence, and improve our workplaces and communities for all. Your involvement in the course activities is essential to help you learn these concepts and develop the necessary skills to implement them. If you watch the videos and read the required articles you will be introduced to some intriguing ideas. If you do the personal reflective exercises and complete the final project you will convert those ideas into relevant experiences to enhance your life and work. Going beyond your personal relevance, your potential learning will expand to understanding and working with others more effectively through either the Discussion Forums in the course or through face-to-face discussions (some of you are taking the course in groups). Each week, we will post reminders, changes, and other relevant announcements.

What's inside

Syllabus

WEEK 1: Yourself as a Leader—Developing your Leadership Identity

This week describes the objectives, learning goals, key questions and overview of this course, “Women in Leadership: Inspiring Positive Change!” Current research on organizations in the US and globally is examined to identify women’s leadership strengths, styles and aspirations. We then focus on leading with authentic purpose. We define inspiring leadership and discuss the strategies of high achieving women. Values and leadership vision are discussed in the context of developing the identity of a leader.

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Emphasizes personal leadership development for individuals across gender identities

Provides insights into organizational dynamics that impact women in the workplace

Examines challenges and offers strategies to overcome barriers faced by women in leadership

Covers negotiation skills, self-confidence building, and navigating workplace politics

Guided by Diana Bilimoria, PhD, a recognized expert in women's leadership

Teaches concepts and strategies supported by research on women in organizations

Reviews summary

Inspiring leadership and career growth

According to learners, this course is a largely positive and inspiring experience that provides valuable insights and practical tools for women (and men) aspiring to leadership roles. Many students found the content to be empowering, helping them develop a stronger understanding of their own leadership identity and navigate challenges. The course structure and materials are often described as well-organized and highly applicable to both professional and personal life. While the vast majority of feedback is positive, some reviewers felt certain topics could benefit from more in-depth exploration or updated examples.

Course structure and materials are clear.

"The course is well structured and provides very relevant content for women in leadership."

"I found the modules to be well-organized and easy to follow. The flow of topics made sense."

"The course is very structured and the content is great. It provides you with necessary tools and frameworks to better understand yourself."

"The materials provided were insightful and the structure of the course allowed for clear progression through topics."

Concepts directly apply to professional life.

"The information presented is highly relevant and directly applicable to anyone looking to advance their career, especially women."

"This course was very helpful in giving me tools and language to use as I continue my career development."

"It helped me identify areas for growth and provided practical steps to take in my professional journey."

"The course content felt immediately applicable to challenges I face in my career."

Provides actionable strategies for leadership.

"I received many practical tools and strategies to put into practice right away in my work life and personal life."

"The course provided me with excellent practical tools and strategies to improve my skills, develop confidence, and grow as a leader."

"The content was insightful and provided practical strategies for navigating the workplace as a woman."

"I learned practical strategies for negotiation, presence, and gaining influence that I can apply immediately."

Content boosts confidence and inspires action.

"This course is highly recommended to anyone, particularly women, wanting to understand themselves better to grow as leaders. It was very inspiring."

"I highly recommend this course for women to take. It has inspired me to pursue my career aspirations more vigorously and also improve my personal life."

"I feel empowered by the concepts presented. It helped me understand my journey, and how to take ownership of my career and personal growth."

"I found this course truly inspiring and empowering. The concepts taught were highly relevant and gave me practical ways to apply them in my life and work."

Some topics could benefit from more depth.

"While good, some topics felt a bit brief. I would have loved more in-depth discussion on specific challenges."

"It gave a good overview, but I was hoping for deeper dives into certain areas like advanced negotiation techniques."

"Some content felt slightly introductory. More advanced perspectives or case studies would enhance it."

"Could use more specific, real-world examples in certain modules to illustrate points more clearly."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Women in Leadership: Inspiring Positive Change with these activities:

Review key leadership theories

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Strengthen your knowledge of the theoretical underpinnings of leadership and its impact on organizational dynamics.

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Review course materials on leadership theories.
Read articles and books on key leadership theories.
Apply these theories to real-world leadership examples.

Create a study guide

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Organize and summarize key concepts and materials from the course to enhance your understanding and retention.

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Review lecture notes, readings, and other course materials.
Identify key concepts and topics.
Create a structured study guide that outlines these concepts and their relationships.

Brush up on public speaking skills

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Enhance your ability to communicate effectively in public settings, a crucial skill for inspiring and influencing others.

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Review basic public speaking techniques.
Practice delivering a short speech or presentation.
Seek feedback on your public speaking skills.

Ten other activities

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Review 'Herminia Ibarra's Working Identity'

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This books discusses the attitudes, behaviors, and routines that foster a resilient career identity, and it will help you assess your own career identity and adjust where needed to be more resilient.

View Working Identity, Updated Edition, With a New... on Amazon

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Read the book, making highlights of key points.
Summarize the book in your own words.
Apply the concepts from the book to your own career.

Set up Leadership journal

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Writing can help you develop your perspective, learn from your experiences, and make better decisions. It can also help you explore your thoughts and feelings about leadership, and identify areas where you need to grow.

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Find a journal that you like and that is easy to carry around.
Set aside some time each day to write in your journal.
Write about your experiences, thoughts, and feelings about leadership.

Explore online tutorials on leadership styles

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Gain a deeper understanding of different leadership styles and their implications for effective leadership.

Browse courses on Leadership Styles

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Identify reputable online platforms offering tutorials on leadership styles.
Choose tutorials that align with your learning objectives.
Complete the tutorials and reflect on the insights gained.

'Leadership Case Study' Assignment

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Working on a case study will allow you to apply the concepts you are learning in class to a real-world situation.

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Read the case study.
Analyze the case study and identify the key issues.
Develop a solution to the case study.
Write a report on your findings.

Write a personal leadership reflection

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Engage in self-reflection to identify your leadership strengths, areas for growth, and how you can contribute to positive change.

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Reflect on your leadership experiences and identify key moments.
Analyze your actions and decisions, considering your values, motivations, and impact.
Document your insights in a personal leadership reflection.

Practice interpreting quantitative data

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Improve your ability to draw meaningful insights from quantitative data, a key skill for effective decision-making in leadership roles.

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Review lecture materials on quantitative data analysis.
Complete practice problems involving data analysis.
Apply data analysis techniques to real-world leadership scenarios.

Write a blog post about a leadership challenge

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Writing a blog post can help you clarify your thinking about a particular leadership challenge, and it can also help you share your insights with others. It can help you connect with other leaders and learn from their experiences.

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Identify a leadership challenge that you have faced.
Write a blog post about the challenge, sharing your insights and lessons learned.
Share your blog post with others and ask for feedback.

Develop a leadership vision statement

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Craft a clear and compelling vision statement that articulates your leadership values, aspirations, and desired impact.

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Reflect on your personal values and career goals.
Research different leadership styles and models.
Draft a vision statement that incorporates your insights.
Seek feedback on your vision statement from peers or mentors.
Refine and finalize your vision statement.

Attend industry conferences

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Connect with other professionals in your field, expand your network, and learn about current trends in leadership.

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Identify relevant industry conferences.
Attend sessions and engage with speakers.
Network with attendees and exchange ideas.

Participate in a leadership development workshop

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Gain practical experience and enhance your leadership skills by participating in a structured workshop.

Browse courses on Leadership Development

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Research and identify leadership development workshops that align with your interests.
Attend the workshop and actively participate in discussions and activities.
Apply the knowledge and skills you acquired in your leadership roles.

Career center

Learners who complete Women in Leadership: Inspiring Positive Change will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Business Consultant

As a Business Consultant, you will provide advice to organizations on how to improve their performance. This course may be useful for you because it will help you develop the leadership skills necessary to be successful in this role. You will learn how to motivate and inspire others, how to build relationships, and how to manage change. You will also learn about the challenges and opportunities that women face in the workplace.

See salaries and explore the career path for Business Consultant

Human Resources Manager

As a Human Resources Manager, you will be responsible for managing the human resources department and overseeing all aspects of employee relations. This course may be useful for you because it will help you develop the leadership skills necessary to be successful in this role. You will learn how to motivate and inspire others, how to build relationships, and how to manage change. You will also learn about the challenges and opportunities that women face in the workplace.

See salaries and explore the career path for Human Resources Manager

Management Consultant

As a Management Consultant, you will provide advice to organizations on how to improve their performance. This course may be useful for you because it will help you develop the leadership skills necessary to be successful in this role. You will learn how to motivate and inspire others, how to build relationships, and how to manage change. You will also learn about the challenges and opportunities that women face in the workplace.

See salaries and explore the career path for Management Consultant

Marketing Manager

As a Marketing Manager, you will be responsible for developing and implementing marketing campaigns. This course may be useful for you because it will help you develop the leadership skills necessary to be successful in this role. You will learn how to motivate and inspire others, how to build relationships, and how to manage change. You will also learn about the challenges and opportunities that women face in the workplace.

See salaries and explore the career path for Marketing Manager

Nonprofit Manager

As a Nonprofit Manager, you will be responsible for managing a nonprofit organization. This course may be useful for you because it will help you develop the leadership skills necessary to be successful in this role. You will learn how to motivate and inspire others, how to build relationships, and how to manage change. You will also learn about the challenges and opportunities that women face in the workplace.

See salaries and explore the career path for Nonprofit Manager

Operations Manager

As an Operations Manager, you will be responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of a business. This course may be useful for you because it will help you develop the leadership skills necessary to be successful in this role. You will learn how to motivate and inspire others, how to build relationships, and how to manage change. You will also learn about the challenges and opportunities that women face in the workplace.

See salaries and explore the career path for Operations Manager

Policy Analyst

As a Policy Analyst, you will be responsible for analyzing policies and making recommendations on how to improve them. This course may be useful for you because it will help you develop the leadership skills necessary to be successful in this role. You will learn how to motivate and inspire others, how to build relationships, and how to manage change. You will also learn about the challenges and opportunities that women face in the workplace.

See salaries and explore the career path for Policy Analyst

Project Manager

As a Project Manager, you will be responsible for managing projects from start to finish. This course may be useful for you because it will help you develop the leadership skills necessary to be successful in this role. You will learn how to motivate and inspire others, how to build relationships, and how to manage change. You will also learn about the challenges and opportunities that women face in the workplace.

See salaries and explore the career path for Project Manager

Public relations manager

As a Public Relations Manager, you will be responsible for managing the public relations of an organization. This course may be useful for you because it will help you develop the leadership skills necessary to be successful in this role. You will learn how to motivate and inspire others, how to build relationships, and how to manage change. You will also learn about the challenges and opportunities that women face in the workplace.

See salaries and explore the career path for Public relations manager

Sales Manager

As a Sales Manager, you will be responsible for managing a sales team and overseeing the sales process. This course may be useful for you because it will help you develop the leadership skills necessary to be successful in this role. You will learn how to motivate and inspire others, how to build relationships, and how to manage change. You will also learn about the challenges and opportunities that women face in the workplace.

See salaries and explore the career path for Sales Manager

Social Worker

As a Social Worker, you will provide support to individuals and families who are facing challenges. This course may be useful for you because it will help you develop the leadership skills necessary to be successful in this role. You will learn how to motivate and inspire others, how to build relationships, and how to manage change. You will also learn about the challenges and opportunities that women face in the workplace.

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Teacher

As a Teacher, you will be responsible for educating students in a classroom setting. This course may be useful for you because it will help you develop the leadership skills necessary to be successful in this role. You will learn how to motivate and inspire others, how to build relationships, and how to manage change. You will also learn about the challenges and opportunities that women face in the workplace.

See salaries and explore the career path for Teacher

Training and Development Manager

As a Training and Development Manager, you will be responsible for developing and implementing training and development programs. This course may be useful for you because it will help you develop the leadership skills necessary to be successful in this role. You will learn how to motivate and inspire others, how to build relationships, and how to manage change. You will also learn about the challenges and opportunities that women face in the workplace.

See salaries and explore the career path for Training and Development Manager

Wedding Planner

As a Wedding Planner, you will be responsible for planning and coordinating weddings. This course may be useful for you because it will help you develop the leadership skills necessary to be successful in this role. You will learn how to motivate and inspire others, how to build relationships, and how to manage change. You will also learn about the challenges and opportunities that women face in the workplace.

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Writer

As a Writer, you will create written content for a variety of purposes. This course may be useful for you because it will help you develop the leadership skills necessary to be successful in this role. You will learn how to motivate and inspire others, how to build relationships, and how to manage change. You will also learn about the challenges and opportunities that women face in the workplace.

See salaries and explore the career path for Writer