• Published March 21, 2023

Retaining & Supporting Women Leaders

  • Published March 21, 2023
Published March 21, 2023
Retaining & Supporting Women in Leadership Roles - research report and solutions guide from the Center for Creative LEadership

Systemic Solutions for Supporting Women in Leadership

Despite decades of progress, women continue to face an uneven playing field in the workforce. Retaining and supporting women in leadership starts by looking at the larger systems in which they operate, analyzing the root causes that hold women back, and shifting the organizational culture, in addition to providing women leaders with support, development opportunities, and mentoring.

As trailblazers of women’s leadership development, we conducted some of the earliest research on breaking the glass ceiling and pioneered leadership training programs for women. We’ve produced dozens of white papers, webinars, and publications on the subject, and we’re proud that we’ve helped thousands of organizations in supporting women leaders as they navigate workplace challenges and prepare to take on systemic issues. 

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This guide explores the challenges women leaders commonly face at work, along with actionable, research-based recommendations that organizations and HR professionals can take when supporting women in leadership. It also highlights the various ways we can partner to co-create both individual and enterprise solutions that help support, develop, and retain women leaders.

Based on Research by

Kelly Simmons
Kelly Simmons, MS
Leadership Solutions Partner / Faculty

Kelly designs and delivers leadership solutions for our clients in Europe. She led the design of our women’s leadership development program that helps women in technical fields hone their leadership skills so they stay and rise to more senior roles, and she’s the co-author of Beating the Odds: Winning Strategies of Women in STEM.

Kelly designs and delivers leadership solutions for our clients in Europe. She led the design of our women’s leadership development program that helps women in technical fields hone their leadership skills so they stay and rise to more senior roles, and she’s the co-author of Beating the Odds: Winning Strategies of Women in STEM.

Diane Bergeron
Diane Bergeron, PhD
Senior Research Scientist

A social psychologist with over 20 years of experience, Diane is a researcher with expertise in executive education and consulting. At CCL, she conducts research and provides subject matter expertise in the areas of women and leadership, the gendered assessment of workplace helping behaviors, leader listening behaviors, and employee voice.   

A social psychologist with over 20 years of experience, Diane is a researcher with expertise in executive education and consulting. At CCL, she conducts research and provides subject matter expertise in the areas of women and leadership, the gendered assessment of workplace helping behaviors, leader listening behaviors, and employee voice.   

Karissa McKenna
Karissa McKenna, MA
Global Product Manager, Open Enrollment

Karissa is the product manager and a lead designer of our flagship Leadership Development Program (LDP)® and other global, core leadership programs. She designs and facilitates leadership development solutions with a focus on high-tech, biotech, and research organizations where collaboration and innovation across boundaries and expertise are critical to success.

Karissa is the product manager and a lead designer of our flagship Leadership Development Program (LDP)® and other global, core leadership programs. She designs and facilitates leadership development solutions with a focus on high-tech, biotech, and research organizations where collaboration and innovation across boundaries and expertise are critical to success.

What to Explore Next

CCL Regional Headquarters

AMERICAS

+1 336 545 2810
ccl.org

EUROPE, MIDDLE EAST, AFRICA

+32 (0) 2 679 09 10
ccl.org/emea

ASIA-PACIFIC, INDIA, CHINA

+65 6854 6000
ccl.org/apac

About CCL
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At the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL)®, we believe the most powerful force in any organization is its people. We partner with organizations worldwide to build leaders and the leadership ecosystems around them, applying our nearly 60 years of experience and research to convert leadership potential into a measurable performance advantage. CCL designs and delivers custom leadership solutions, open-enrollment programs, leadership coaching services, assessments, and enterprise leadership development subscriptions for clients across North America, Europe, India, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific.

At the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL)®, we believe the most powerful force in any organization is its people. We partner with organizations worldwide to build leaders and the leadership ecosystems around them, applying our nearly 60 years of experience and research to convert leadership potential into a measurable performance advantage. CCL designs and delivers custom leadership solutions, open-enrollment programs, leadership coaching services, assessments, and enterprise leadership development subscriptions for clients across North America, Europe, India, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific.

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