Accelerated Leadership Growth through WiM Collaboratories
Imagine … sitting in a room with eleven other female leaders, each successful in her own right. Each one has a different career story. Each one brings different strengths, skills and experiences to the table. But all of you have something significant in common—a strong desire to grow as a leader with your faith leading the way.
There is no competition here. No comparison or judgment. Only a deep desire to grow together, to learn from one another, and to help each other excel and develop into the leaders God created you to be.
This is a WiM Collaboratory!
Leadership peer groups have been a critical and strategic means of growth and success for thousands of executives, especially C-suite, for decades. Executives prioritize that half-day or more each month because they quickly see the results in their own ability to lead and think innovatively. They recognize that the day they stop investing in their own growth is the day they hit a plateau that quicky transitions to descent.
I’ve participated in a couple of different executive peer groups. I must admit that the day I met the other leaders in one of those groups, I felt a bit out of place. They were CEOs of multimillion dollar companies with teams of about 20 to over 100 people. There was only one other woman in the group. I had no doubt I would learn—a lot! But would I have anything to contribute as they presented their challenges? To my astonishment, I did! In these peer groups, my ideas were challenged and stretched. The discussions helped me amp up my ability to think strategically. And the opportunity to contribute to others helped me articulate experiences and pull ideas out of me I didn’t know were in me!
Going through an experience like this made me realize how powerful it would be to offer this same opportunity to women aspiring to grow in their leadership. Too many women have shared the difficulty they experience of finding a mentor or coach, and how challenging it can be to access to great leadership training and stretch assignments that would provide growth opportunities.
We need more women in leadership. And to make that a reality, women need growth opportunities.
WiM Collaboratories are designed to fill that gap. We put together a team of three writers to create leadership training based on the teachings of Jesus that tie the lessons and leadership principles to work. The program is designed to encourage engagement, discussion and practical application so that growth can be experienced in real time each month and a new network of accountability partners can be developed.
We’ve experienced the growth that can happen in leadership peer groups. We can’t wait for you to experience it for yourself!
Learn more information here.
Catherine Gates is Polished’s Vice President of Business Partnerships and the author of The Confidence Cornerstone: A Woman’s Guide to Fearless Leadership. Catherine has also contributed to several faith-and-work Bible studies, numerous YouVersion reading plans, and books from other authors including the iWork4Him and sheWorks4Him publications. She is a powerful speaker and frequent podcast contributor.
Catherine has been helping people integrate their faith and work since 2013. Prior to joining the Polished team, Catherine served as Executive Director for Women in the Marketplace, co-host for the sheWorks4Him podcast, and Senior Director of Content and Partnerships for Workmatters.
Catherine has diverse experience in technology and systems development, training, non-profit management, sales coaching and training, writing and instructional design. She has worked for large corporations to small entrepreneurial endeavors, including owning a small software consulting firm.
Catherine is on the steering committee for the National Faith & Work Association (NFWA.org); the board of Ladies of Grace, a women’s prison ministry; and on the Advisory board of Keirus by KJE, a strategy consulting, leadership development and technology firm specializing in diversity, equity, and inclusion. She is passionate about helping people achieve more of their God-given potential by bringing faith into every area of life.