How Leaders Tackle Today’s Business Challenges
Tackling the challenges of today’s business environment demands that leaders bring every tool and resource they have to the table. Human capital is critical, and no organization can succeed in an ever-changing business climate without its best talent at-the-ready. And yet recent events have heightened the already daunting challenge of developing and retaining our best leaders. Women Who Mean Business is designed specifically to arm already successful leaders with the tools and perspectives they need to not only stay and thrive in the workplace but to achieve their full potential.
Cohort 5 Session Dates
Session 1: September 18-19 | Session 2: November 21-22 | Session 3: January 23-24 | Session 4: April 3-4
Our Strongest Applicants Are:
“Do it and take it seriously. Think about what’s possible instead of what is. This program is 100% worth the time and investment.”
“WWMB was impactful in my career, specifically, how I engage and advocate for what I want. I really enjoyed getting to meet other female professionals to discuss wins and challenges.”
“You will come out of this program inspired and ready to make an impact.”
Overview
The Course is taught in-person at the University of Texas AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center in Austin, Texas, and participants will be expected to arrive in time for dinner Thursday evening and will depart after each session ends mid-Friday afternoon. Participants will be expected to stay on-site, with one overnight stay each session, and will have homework exercises to complete between sessions.
Harness Your Superpowers
Increase self-awareness and confidence, and instill personal accountability for your professional growth.
Topics
- Self-Awareness and Personality Types
- Building Your Personal Brand: What Makes You Unique and Authentic?
- Team Dynamics – Diversity and Shoring up Blind Spots
- Networking (Beyond the Cocktail Party; Currency and Coinage)
- Cultivating Your Personal Board of Directors
- Goal Setting (Again, and Again)
Create Value
Elevate your understanding of what it means to create value in a professional context.
Topics
- Value Creation
- Big Changes to Big Things
- Adaptability and Innovation
- Negotiation
- Professional Risk Taking and Ambition
- Decision Making
- Power: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
- Building Your Team: Courage and Compassion
Control Your Destiny
Build your personal development plan and a process for self-renewal.
Topics
- Build Trust
- Building a Kick Ass Culture
- Mentors, Sponsors, and Circles
- Know Thyself (Personal Values)
- Personal Risk Taking
- Having It All: Designing Your Life
Build Your Executive Presence
Probe the opportunity to build and leverage your executive presence in a modern context embracing diversity and inclusion.
Topics
- Executive Presence
- Understanding Bias
- Walking away from F.U.D. (fear, uncertainty and doubt)
- Grit and Perseverance
- Opting In (-or- the Cost of Opting Out)
Session Dates & Program Cost
Join forces with McCombs School of Business to prepare for a successful transition to senior leadership.
Program Dates
The program consists of four, two-day hands-on sessions conducted over a six-month timeframe.
Session Dates for Cohort 5:
Session 1: September 18-19
Session 2: November 21-22
Session 3: January 23-24
Session 4: April 3-4 (reunion on April 3rd)
Cost
Course Completion
CEU/CPE Credit
Participants earn 1.4 CEUs and/or 14 CPEs for this course. A certificate of completion will be presented from Texas Executive Education.
Certificate Course Credits
1.00
100% Participation Policy
One of the cornerstones of the Women Who Mean Business program is the network we build within each Cohort offering support throughout and beyond our time together. Every session includes time to reflect, discuss and build trust with a Circle of participants within your Cohort. When a participant is not present, their Circle and Cohort suffers. Therefore, to be respectful of your fellow participates, we require 100% participation in every session to graduate and receive a certificate. Session materials can be found on Canvas following each session, but sessions cannot be made up at a later date.
Reunion
All WWMB participants will be invited to register for a Reunion after program completion. This 1-day, immersive experience offers a chance to continue learning and reconnect with past WWMB graduates.
Employer Reimbursement
Courses offered by Texas Executive Education often qualify for employer reimbursement.
Sample Justification Email/Letter
Dear [Your Manager’s Name],
I would like your approval to attend Women Who Mean Business, an immersive program for rising leaders. The program consists of four, two-day hands-on sessions over a six-month timeframe (Sep 6-7, 2023; Nov 30-Dec 1, 2023; Jan 25-26, 2024; and Apr 4-5, 2024). Taught by two CEOs and University of Texas McCombs School of Business Hall of Fame winners, Gay Gaddis and Lynn Utter, the program brings entrepreneurial skills and corporate experiences together for a comprehensive leadership program for rapid career advancement. This program will offer me real-world experiences and the tools needed to dramatically improve the [Add your products/services] we deliver and how we work internally.
This class is in-person and interactive at the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas, Austin. It will include lectures, small group exercises, key speakers, and networking events as well as a McCombs School of Business certificate of completion.
Topics will include:
● Value Creation
● Difficult Decisions
● Risk-Taking
● Adaptability and Innovation
● Negotiation
● Power Dynamics
● Team Building
● Understanding Bias and Intentional Inclusion
● Executive Presence
● Grit and Perseverance
● Self-awareness and Personal Development Planning
After each session, I will be able to share tangible takeaways and learnings with our whole team. Additionally, I will be able to use these sessions to focus on strategies to grow our business and/or contribute to the profitability of the company.
Additionally, Women Who Mean Business isn’t just for emerging corporate executives. The program is also designed for entrepreneurs to offer a cross-pollination of ideas while networking on future innovations. I’m excited to apply our principles of [Add your current corporate initiative]
The total cost to attend this six-month program is detailed below:
● Program Registration: $8,350
● Travel: [insert amount]
● Hotel: [insert amount]
● Meals: [insert estimate **Lunches & dinners during sessions included in Registration Fee]
● Total: [sum of above]
Learn more about the program [insert link].
Thanks for taking the time to review this request. I look forward to talking to you about it.
Regards,
[Your Name]
Curriculum
4 Sessions, One Goal: Rise with Confidence
Harness Your Superpowers
Objective: Increase self-awareness and confidence, and instill personal accountability for your professional growth.
Topics
- Self-Awareness and Personality Types
- Building Your Personal Brand: What Makes You Unique and Authentic?
- Team Dynamics – Diversity and Shoring up Blind Spots
- Networking (Beyond the Cocktail Party; Currency and Coinage)
- Cultivating Your Personal Board of Directors
- Goal Setting (Again, and Again)
Deliver the Goods
Objective: Elevate your understanding of what it means to create value in a professional context.
Topics
- Value Creation
- Big Changes to Big Things
- Adaptability and Innovation
- Negotiation
- Professional Risk Taking and Ambition
- Decision Making
- Power: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
- Building Your Team: Courage and Compassion
Build Your Executive Presence
Objective: Probe the opportunity to build and leverage your executive presence in a modern context embracing diversity and inclusion.
Topics
- Executive Presence
- Understanding Bias
- Walking away from F.U.D. (fear, uncertainty and doubt)
- Grit and Perseverance
- Opting In (or the Cost of Opting Out)
Channel Your Ambition
Objective: Build your personal development plan and a process for self-renewal.
Topics
- Build Trust
- Building a Kick-Ass Culture
- Mentors, Sponsors, and Circles
- Know Thyself (Personal Values)
- Personal Risk-Taking
- Having It All: Designing Your Life
Sample Session Schedule
View a sample of the session schedules and see what is covered during the program. The schedule is subject to change.
Schedule is subject to change.
Session 1
Day 1
5:30 pm: Registration
6:00 pm: Networking Social Hour
7:00 pm: Dinner with Keynote Speaker
9:00 pm: Cohort Check-Ins
Day 2
8:30 am: Breakfast
9:00 am: Classroom discussions on a specific topic:
- Frameworks, Experiences, and Discussions
- Small Group Exercises
- Breakout Sessions
Lunch: Speed Networking with McCombs Hall of Fame Recipients
2:00 pm: “Off the Record” | Closed-Door Conversations with Notable Keynote Speaker
3:00 pm: Departure
Session 2
Day 1
5:30 pm: Registration
6:00 pm: Networking Social Hour
7:00 pm: Dinner with Keynote Speaker
9:00 pm: Cohort Check-Ins
Day 2
8:30 am: Breakfast
9:00 am: Classroom discussions on a specific topic:
- Frameworks, Experiences, and Discussions
- Small Group Exercises
- Breakout Sessions
Lunch: Speed Networking with McCombs Hall of Fame Recipients
2:00 pm: “Off the Record” | Closed-Door Conversations with Notable Keynote Speaker
3:00 pm: Departure
Session 3
Day 1
5:30 pm: Registration
6:00 pm: Networking Social Hour
7:00 pm: Dinner with Keynote Speaker
9:00 pm: Cohort Check-Ins
Day 2
8:30 am: Breakfast
9:00 am: Classroom discussions on a specific topic:
- Frameworks, Experiences, and Discussions
- Small Group Exercises
- Breakout Sessions
Lunch: Speed Networking with McCombs Hall of Fame Recipients
2:00 pm: “Off the Record” | Closed-Door Conversations with Notable Keynote Speaker
3:00 pm: Departure
Session 4
Day 1
5:30 pm: Registration
6:00 pm: Networking Social Hour
7:00 pm: Dinner with Keynote Speaker
9:00 pm: Cohort Check-Ins
Day 2
8:30 am: Breakfast
9:00 am: Classroom discussions on a specific topic:
- Frameworks, Experiences, and Discussions
- Small Group Exercises
- Breakout Sessions
Lunch: Speed Networking with McCombs Hall of Fame Recipients
2:00 pm: “Off the Record” | Closed-Door Conversations with Notable Keynote Speaker
3:00 pm: Departure
CEU/CPE Credits
Download Reimbursement Kit
3 Ways to Grow Leadership Skills
Hear key insights from Women Who Mean Business instructors in this short video.