Module 1

This module should take about 5 hours. It is organized so that participants can get to know each other and share the leadership challenges they have faced in the past and at present. It is based on a brainstorming format, but with prior preparation by participants. The idea of having the group break up into groups of 5 – 8 participants is in line with group theory that groups of this size will allow maximum participation of everyone, whilst at the same time enable the group to get to know each other and become comfortable with each other. Usually people are shy and reluctant to speak honestly and freely to strangers, so the exercise of getting to know each other and to win confidence and trust in each other is a very important part of group building, one of the known skills of leaders. Thus the participants will put into practice one of the key tenets of leadership building in the first day of their course.

The Women’s Leadership Programme is aimed at providing practising middle and higher level women leaders the theoretical and research findings on leadership as applied to the actual day-to-day leadership challenges they are facing. It also aims to provide peer review and collegial support, so that women leaders will be able to improve on their performance.

Objectives

Programme objectives include:

•   Provide women in leadership positions the opportunity to examine their leadership skills and experiences in the light of leadership theory and practice. Participants will familiarize themselves with leadership theory through practical exercises.
•   Enable women in leadership positions to strengthen and improve their leadership skills and experiences.
•   Provide a monitoring and evaluation framework for women in leadership positions to measure their own performance.
•   Provide a collegial environment in which women can critique their own performance whilst at the same time receiving critical support from their peers.

Exercise 1.1

Give 1 – 2 examples of where you were an effective leader and what you managed to achieve. What were the strategies and processes which led to success?   These should be written individually, and could be prepared the evening before, either in point form or as an essay, and then presented by each participant in groups of five to eight participants. Members of each group will enumerate and analyze each of the features that led to success in the presentations. After the group presentations each group will summarize their findings in 5 minute reports in a plenary session. The group work should take about 1 hour and the plenary session about 30 minutes.

Exercise 1.2

Give 1 – 2 examples of where you failed to be an effective leader. What led to the failure in terms of strategy and process? What were the results and how did you overcome these difficulties? These should be written individually, and could be prepared the evening before, either in point form or as an essay, and then presented by each participant in groups of five to eight participants. Members of each group will enumerate and analyze each of the features that led to failure in the presentations. After the group presentations each group will summarize their findings in 5 minute reports in a plenary session. The group work should take about 1 hour and the plenary session about 30 minutes.

Exercise 1.3

This will consist of selected reading to be done in the evening in preparation for the next day’s work

Module 1

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