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April 16, 2012 - April 20, 2012
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June 18, 2012 - June 21, 2012
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Why Gender Diversity Matters
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.
Featured Publication
“Transforming the Landscape of Leadership in Microfinance: Maintaining the Focus on Women” introduces WWB’s new methodology for helping MFIs support gender diversity at all levels of their institution. WWB has expanded its Women’s Leadership Development Program, which works with individuals, to include a tool that focuses on the challenges and opportunities microfinance institutions face in the attraction, retention, and promotion of qualified women staff members - the Organizational Gender Assessment. Now available in English and Spanish.
WWB and Wharton Bring Together Microfinance Leaders for Advanced Leadership Program
The third Advanced Leadership Program co-hosted by Women’s World Banking and Wharton’s Aresty Institute of Executive Education’s has brought together senior leaders from 15 institutions in 14 countries. The Advanced Leadership Program challenges leaders to think strategically in complex and changing environment, learn from industry peers and enhance their negotiation, critical thinking and scenario planning skills. A theme of the program is innovation in the products and services offered by their microfinance institutions as well as the leadership skills and internal process upgrades required to support the introduction of these innovations.
Over the course of the program, leaders told Wharton and WWB Program organizers that the course had challenged and shifted their thinking in terms of maintaining a broader vision for their leadership, their ability to make tough decisions and step up to the challenges they face as leaders and remembering the vital role that recognizing and connecting on a human level with their team members plays on being an authentic and effective leader.
WWB’s Center for Microfinance Leadership promotes world-class leadership and supports the development of the next generation of diverse leaders in the sector. The Center’s work builds on WWB’s expertise in microfinance and diversity, and has partnered with the Wharton Business School’s Aresty Institute of Executive Education and with the UK based organizational development consulting company Creative Metier Limited. It is evident from data collected from the Center’s graduates to-date and external evaluations that the Center is addressing an unmet demand in the microfinance sector and effectively offering transformational solutions to the sector’s leadership.
To read the press release issued by Wharton, click here