Women in Leadership: Inspiring Positive Change from Coursera

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.

WEEK 2: The Current State of Women's Leadership at the Top!

This module focuses on the representation and status of women in senior leadership positions in organizations and governments across the world. We focus especially on statistics depicting the representation of women executives and directors on corporate boards, and address why women at the top matter, the nature of the glass ceiling phenomenon, and what countries are doing to address and remedy the glass ceiling effect. We then examine organizational, interpersonal and individual level barriers and challenges that constrain the advancement of women. We define and provide examples of important concepts such as second generation gender bias and the accumulation of disadvantage. Strategies to overcome barriers and challenges that are known to work for women are discussed next.

WEEK 3: Women's Leadership Presence

This week we discuss the so-called “gender confidence gap” where women are seen to have lower self-confidence for leadership than men, and then redefine and reframe self-confidence as a combination of authenticity, self-efficacy, adaptability and resourcefulness, and persistence and grit. The module brings in one of Dr. Bilimoria’s doctoral students to talk about her own self-confidence journey. Finally we provide some tips about demonstrating self-confidence through voice and effective non-verbal communication. Next we focus on navigating politics and gaining influence in organizations. We define organizational politics and power, and discuss strategies to respond positively to political situation in organizations and deploy power and influence. We discuss the role of unwritten rules in organizations, how to develop social capital to build relationships and form alliances necessary for effective performance and career development.

WEEK 4: Leadership Tools for Women

This week we focus on building the skills of negotiating effectively. We start with understanding the gender gap in negotiating, and the consequences of not negotiating for women. The skills of win-win negotiating are discussed in terms of employing a collaborative approach to negotiating. Key concepts such as interest based negotiation, BATNA, and emotions in negotiating are examined.

WEEK 5: Purposeful Career Development for Women

In the course’s final module, we first discuss two key issues of purpose-driven career development: defining one’s own success and gaining enhanced clarity about career planning and work-life integration issues. This segment concludes with two exercises, “Life Roles” and “Defining Own Success”, followed by a reflection about insights gleaned. Finally, a closure to the course, “Women in Leadership: Inspiring Positive Change!” is offered, recapping the sessions completed and offering encouragement for participant’s future leadership that makes a positive difference to the world.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, 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 change with female leaders

Students say course materials including lectures, discussion forums, assignments, and quizzes are excellent. The course discusses inspiring positive change in the world. Professor Diana Billimoria's lectures are passionate and engaging.

Course inspires positive change in world.

"It helps to teach inspire and better the person one was before for the good of the community and the world as a whole."

"Its a course worth taking on by any person with passion to transform the world."

Excellent course materials.

"Starting with the lecture notes, videos, materials, quizzes, assignments, and discussion forums, you will certainly desire to participate."

"All who involved in developing this course have indeed done extremely great service to humanity."

"I doubt there will be a single soul who has already taken this course will ever describe and see this course with a different lens that will portray lack of insight, interest, and excitement."

Excellent, engaging professor.

"Dr. Diana Billimoria is an exceptional professor endowed with excellent qualities that will keep both your eyes and ears highly attentive and focus."

"The extent of her passion for all the presentations is absolutely non-comparable."

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:

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

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

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

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

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

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.

See salaries and explore the career path for Social Worker

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

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

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

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

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.

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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.

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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.

See salaries and explore the career path for Wedding Planner