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Gender diversity matters in microfinance. WWB champions gender diversity because we believe that diverse perspectives lead to stronger decisions and healthier, more vibrant organizations. Incorporating women’s voices when designing and delivering microfinance products is particularly important when a majority of clients are women. Equally as important, microfinance clients often speak of the inspiration they derive from seeing powerful women leaders in the organizations that serve them. How best to achieve diversity? The answer lies in leadership and technical skill development of individual, high-potential leaders as well as in organizational transformations to ensure that all women and men work in environments where they can perform, excel and lead.

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WWB’s Center for Microfinance Leadership Launches Inaugural Coaching Program

Submitted by sbuitoni on Tue, 06/15/2010 - 09:32
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WWB’s Center for Microfinance Leadership co-hosted a workshop to launch its inaugural Coaching Program from June 15 to 17 in Oxford, England. The six month program offers coaching support to a select group of microfinance leaders as they implement their development plans and build their own coaching and communication skills to support the development of their organizations. The program includes a three-day workshop supplemented by six months of coaching delivered by a professional coach. WWB’s partner in the Coaching Program is the organization and leadership development company Creative Metier, which has strong microfinance industry experience.

The June workshop brought together 15 senior leaders and managers in microfinance from 11 institutions in 10 countries across the Middle East, Asia, Africa and Latin America.  The curriculum was designed based on an extensive needs analysis conducted by Creative Metier with CEOs in leading microfinance institutions worldwide.  The curriculum focuses on helping leaders address critical challenges, including implementing core business objectives, developing future leaders, and succession planning.

Leaders left the program committed to asking better questions, taking more risks, taking a non-directive approach to leadership, building a circle of collaborative peers and helping others in their organizations by coaching them and sharing their learning. The visit to Oxford included a reception with the Rt. Hon. Lord Patten of Barnes', Chancellor of Oxford University. Lord Patten was the last British Governor of Hong Kong, serving from 1992 to 1997, and has been Chancellor of Oxford since 2003.