{"id":6296,"date":"2024-03-08T01:40:08","date_gmt":"2024-03-07T21:40:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.matsh.co\/en\/?post_type=course&#038;p=6296"},"modified":"2026-05-19T22:35:56","modified_gmt":"2026-05-19T18:35:56","slug":"women-in-leadership-course","status":"publish","type":"course","link":"https:\/\/matsh.co\/en\/course\/women-in-leadership-course\/","title":{"rendered":"Unlock Your Leadership Potential: Women in Leadership Course"},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"background:var(--bg);border:1.5px solid var(--border);border-radius:14px;padding:36px 40px;margin-bottom:32px\">\n  <p style=\"font-size:1rem;color:var(--text);line-height:1.85;margin:0 0 24px\">Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 has driven a dramatic increase in women's participation in the Saudi workforce and leadership pipeline, women's labour force participation has more than doubled since 2017. The UAE has produced some of the region's most prominent women leaders in government, business and civil society. Across Africa, women are leading NGOs, government ministries and multinational companies. Yet the data is consistent: women are advancing in numbers and stalling in seniority. The formal barriers are coming down. The informal ones, invisible networks, unconscious bias in promotion decisions, the double bind of authority and likability, the particular exhaustion of managing home and leadership responsibilities simultaneously, are proving more durable. This course addresses those specific challenges directly, with tools and strategies that work in the actual cultural and organisational environments where participants lead.<\/p>\n  <div style=\"display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:14px\">\n    <div style=\"background:var(--white);border:1.5px solid var(--border);border-radius:12px;padding:16px 20px;flex:1;min-width:130px;text-align:center\"><strong style=\"display:block;font-size:1.6rem;font-weight:800;color:var(--women);line-height:1\">+130%<\/strong><span style=\"font-size:.75rem;color:var(--muted);line-height:1.5;display:block;margin-top:5px\">increase in women's labour force participation in Saudi Arabia since Vision 2030 launched in 2016<\/span><\/div>\n    <div style=\"background:var(--white);border:1.5px solid var(--border);border-radius:12px;padding:16px 20px;flex:1;min-width:130px;text-align:center\"><strong style=\"display:block;font-size:1.6rem;font-weight:800;color:var(--women);line-height:1\">29%<\/strong><span style=\"font-size:.75rem;color:var(--muted);line-height:1.5;display:block;margin-top:5px\">of senior management roles across MENA held by women, up significantly, still well below parity<\/span><\/div>\n    <div style=\"background:var(--white);border:1.5px solid var(--border);border-radius:12px;padding:16px 20px;flex:1;min-width:130px;text-align:center\"><strong style=\"display:block;font-size:1.6rem;font-weight:800;color:var(--women);line-height:1\">320+<\/strong><span style=\"font-size:.75rem;color:var(--muted);line-height:1.5;display:block;margin-top:5px\">women leaders trained by Matsh across the Gulf, Africa and Asia<\/span><\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div style=\"background:rgba(160,51,110,.08);border-left:5px solid var(--women);border-radius:0 14px 14px 0;padding:30px 34px;margin-bottom:44px\">\n  <p style=\"font-weight:700;font-size:1.05rem;margin:0;color:var(--navy)\">The specific challenges women leaders across the Gulf, Africa and Asia consistently face:<\/p>\n  <ul style=\"margin:12px 0 0;padding-left:20px;line-height:2.1;color:var(--navy)\">\n    <li>You are producing excellent work but you are not being considered for promotion, your performance is visible but your leadership potential is not<\/li>\n    <li>You are managing the double bind: being seen as assertive enough to lead means being seen as unlikable, but being seen as likable means being overlooked for leadership<\/li>\n    <li>You are not in the networks where decisions about senior roles are actually made, and the informal networking that builds access to those networks is not available to you in the same way<\/li>\n    <li>You are the first or one of the first women in a leadership role in your organisation and you are navigating this without a roadmap, a mentor, or a peer who understands the specific challenges<\/li>\n    <li>You are managing the expectations of family alongside the demands of leadership and the tension is unsustainable<\/li>\n    <li>You have internalised doubts about whether you deserve the leadership role you are in, and those doubts are costing you authority, presence and opportunity<\/li>\n  <\/ul>\n  <p style=\"margin:16px 0 0;font-weight:700;color:var(--women);font-size:.97rem\">This course provides practical leadership tools, visibility strategies and cultural navigation skills, designed specifically for women leading in Gulf, African and Asian organisational contexts.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div style=\"background:rgba(160,51,110,.08);border-radius:14px;padding:36px;margin-bottom:44px\">\n  <h3 style=\"font-size:1.1rem;font-weight:800;color:var(--navy);margin:0 0 14px\">Why Women's Leadership Development in the Gulf, Africa and Asia Needs Its Own Approach<\/h3>\n  <div style=\"display:grid;grid-template-columns:repeat(auto-fit,minmax(240px,1fr));gap:16px\">\n    <div style=\"background:var(--white);border:1.5px solid var(--border);border-radius:12px;padding:18px\"><h4 style=\"margin:0 0 8px;color:var(--navy);font-size:.9rem;font-weight:700\">GCC Cultural Dynamics<\/h4><p style=\"margin:0;font-size:.82rem;color:var(--text);line-height:1.65\">Women leading in GCC organisations navigate specific dynamics, managing authority in hierarchical environments where gender norms are shifting, working with male colleagues and clients across cultural expectations, and managing family expectations in societies where the primary carer role remains significant, that generic leadership courses do not address.<\/p><\/div>\n    <div style=\"background:var(--white);border:1.5px solid var(--border);border-radius:12px;padding:18px\"><h4 style=\"margin:0 0 8px;color:var(--navy);font-size:.9rem;font-weight:700\">African Leadership Context<\/h4><p style=\"margin:0;font-size:.82rem;color:var(--text);line-height:1.65\">Women leaders in Africa navigate tribal and community expectations of gender roles alongside professional leadership demands, manage in resource-constrained environments where leadership requires both vision and operational excellence, and operate in contexts where women's leadership in some sectors is still exceptional rather than expected.<\/p><\/div>\n    <div style=\"background:var(--white);border:1.5px solid var(--border);border-radius:12px;padding:18px\"><h4 style=\"margin:0 0 8px;color:var(--navy);font-size:.9rem;font-weight:700\">The Visibility Problem<\/h4><p style=\"margin:0;font-size:.82rem;color:var(--text);line-height:1.65\">In both GCC and African organisations, the informal mechanisms that build career visibility, senior leader sponsorship, peer networks, high-profile project assignments, are less accessible to women. Building strategic visibility is a specific skill this course addresses directly.<\/p><\/div>\n    <div style=\"background:var(--white);border:1.5px solid var(--border);border-radius:12px;padding:18px\"><h4 style=\"margin:0 0 8px;color:var(--navy);font-size:.9rem;font-weight:700\">Authority and Authenticity<\/h4><p style=\"margin:0;font-size:.82rem;color:var(--text);line-height:1.65\">The double bind, that assertiveness needed to lead is read differently in women than in men, operates in GCC and African cultural contexts with additional layers. This course gives women leaders practical strategies for projecting authority authentically, without performing a version of leadership built around male norms.<\/p><\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<h2 style=\"font-size:1.45rem;font-weight:800;color:var(--navy);border-bottom:3px solid var(--women);padding-bottom:10px;margin:44px 0 24px\">Who Should Attend<\/h2>\n<div style=\"display:grid;grid-template-columns:repeat(auto-fit,minmax(230px,1fr));gap:18px;margin-bottom:44px\">\n  <div style=\"border:1.5px solid var(--border);border-radius:14px;padding:22px 20px\"><div style=\"font-size:1.8rem\">\ud83d\ude80<\/div><h4 style=\"margin:8px 0;color:var(--navy);font-size:.95rem;font-weight:700\">Emerging Women Leaders<\/h4><p style=\"margin:0;font-size:.84rem;color:var(--text);line-height:1.65\">High-potential women professionals in the two to five years before their first significant leadership role, building the foundation before they need it.<\/p><\/div>\n  <div style=\"border:1.5px solid var(--border);border-radius:14px;padding:22px 20px\"><div style=\"font-size:1.8rem\">\ud83d\udc54<\/div><h4 style=\"margin:8px 0;color:var(--navy);font-size:.95rem;font-weight:700\">Women in First Leadership Roles<\/h4><p style=\"margin:0;font-size:.84rem;color:var(--text);line-height:1.65\">Women in their first management or leadership position navigating the specific challenges of early leadership in GCC and African organisations.<\/p><\/div>\n  <div style=\"border:1.5px solid var(--border);border-radius:14px;padding:22px 20px\"><div style=\"font-size:1.8rem\">\ud83c\udfdb\ufe0f<\/div><h4 style=\"margin:8px 0;color:var(--navy);font-size:.95rem;font-weight:700\">Mid-Career Women Leaders<\/h4><p style=\"margin:0;font-size:.84rem;color:var(--text);line-height:1.65\">Experienced women leaders who are advancing in their careers and want to address the specific barriers to senior leadership.<\/p><\/div>\n  <div style=\"border:1.5px solid var(--border);border-radius:14px;padding:22px 20px\"><div style=\"font-size:1.8rem\">\ud83c\udf0d<\/div><h4 style=\"margin:8px 0;color:var(--navy);font-size:.95rem;font-weight:700\">National Women in GCC Programmes<\/h4><p style=\"margin:0;font-size:.84rem;color:var(--text);line-height:1.65\">Saudi, Emirati, Kuwaiti and other national women being fast-tracked into leadership roles through nationalisation programmes who want structured preparation.<\/p><\/div>\n  <div style=\"border:1.5px solid var(--border);border-radius:14px;padding:22px 20px\"><div style=\"font-size:1.8rem\">\ud83d\udd04<\/div><h4 style=\"margin:8px 0;color:var(--navy);font-size:.95rem;font-weight:700\">Women Returning to Leadership<\/h4><p style=\"margin:0;font-size:.84rem;color:var(--text);line-height:1.65\">Women returning to professional roles after career breaks who want to rebuild confidence and leadership presence.<\/p><\/div>\n  <div style=\"border:1.5px solid var(--border);border-radius:14px;padding:22px 20px\"><div style=\"font-size:1.8rem\">\ud83d\udcbc<\/div><h4 style=\"margin:8px 0;color:var(--navy);font-size:.95rem;font-weight:700\">Women Entrepreneurs Leading Organisations<\/h4><p style=\"margin:0;font-size:.84rem;color:var(--text);line-height:1.65\">Women business owners and social enterprise leaders who lead teams and organisations and want stronger leadership skills alongside their business acumen.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div style=\"background:rgba(160,51,110,.08);border-radius:14px;padding:36px;margin-bottom:44px\">\n  <h2 style=\"font-size:1.45rem;font-weight:800;color:var(--navy);margin:0 0 6px\">What You Will Leave With<\/h2>\n  <p style=\"color:var(--text);margin:0 0 24px;font-size:.95rem\">Practical leadership tools and career strategies applicable in your specific context.<\/p>\n  <div style=\"display:grid;grid-template-columns:repeat(auto-fit,minmax(240px,1fr));gap:14px\">\n    <div style=\"background:var(--white);border-radius:10px;padding:16px 20px;display:flex;gap:12px;align-items:flex-start\"><span style=\"color:var(--women);font-size:1.25rem;flex-shrink:0\">\u2713<\/span><span style=\"font-size:.88rem;line-height:1.65;color:var(--text)\"><strong>Leadership self-assessment and development plan<\/strong>, a clear picture of your strengths and the specific areas to develop<\/span><\/div>\n    <div style=\"background:var(--white);border-radius:10px;padding:16px 20px;display:flex;gap:12px;align-items:flex-start\"><span style=\"color:var(--women);font-size:1.25rem;flex-shrink:0\">\u2713<\/span><span style=\"font-size:.88rem;line-height:1.65;color:var(--text)\"><strong>Authority and presence framework<\/strong>, projecting leadership confidence in GCC and African cultural contexts without performing male leadership norms<\/span><\/div>\n    <div style=\"background:var(--white);border-radius:10px;padding:16px 20px;display:flex;gap:12px;align-items:flex-start\"><span style=\"color:var(--women);font-size:1.25rem;flex-shrink:0\">\u2713<\/span><span style=\"font-size:.88rem;line-height:1.65;color:var(--text)\"><strong>Strategic visibility plan<\/strong>, how to make your leadership contribution visible to the people who make decisions about career advancement<\/span><\/div>\n    <div style=\"background:var(--white);border-radius:10px;padding:16px 20px;display:flex;gap:12px;align-items:flex-start\"><span style=\"color:var(--women);font-size:1.25rem;flex-shrink:0\">\u2713<\/span><span style=\"font-size:.88rem;line-height:1.65;color:var(--text)\"><strong>Network building strategy<\/strong>, building access to the informal networks where career decisions are made in GCC and African organisations<\/span><\/div>\n    <div style=\"background:var(--white);border-radius:10px;padding:16px 20px;display:flex;gap:12px;align-items:flex-start\"><span style=\"color:var(--women);font-size:1.25rem;flex-shrink:0\">\u2713<\/span><span style=\"font-size:.88rem;line-height:1.65;color:var(--text)\"><strong>Sponsorship and mentoring guide<\/strong>, how to find, cultivate and leverage sponsors and mentors strategically<\/span><\/div>\n    <div style=\"background:var(--white);border-radius:10px;padding:16px 20px;display:flex;gap:12px;align-items:flex-start\"><span style=\"color:var(--women);font-size:1.25rem;flex-shrink:0\">\u2713<\/span><span style=\"font-size:.88rem;line-height:1.65;color:var(--text)\"><strong>Imposter syndrome management framework<\/strong>, practical strategies for managing self-doubt without letting it manage you<\/span><\/div>\n    <div style=\"background:var(--white);border-radius:10px;padding:16px 20px;display:flex;gap:12px;align-items:flex-start\"><span style=\"color:var(--women);font-size:1.25rem;flex-shrink:0\">\u2713<\/span><span style=\"font-size:.88rem;line-height:1.65;color:var(--text)\"><strong>Negotiation toolkit for women leaders<\/strong>, salary, resources, scope and credit, adapted for GCC and African professional contexts<\/span><\/div>\n    <div style=\"background:var(--white);border-radius:10px;padding:16px 20px;display:flex;gap:12px;align-items:flex-start\"><span style=\"color:var(--women);font-size:1.25rem;flex-shrink:0\">\u2713<\/span><span style=\"font-size:.88rem;line-height:1.65;color:var(--text)\"><strong>90-day leadership action plan<\/strong> with specific, committed development actions<\/span><\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div style=\"background:var(--navy);color:var(--white);border-radius:14px;padding:36px 40px;margin:44px 0;text-align:center\">\n  <h3 style=\"font-size:1.3rem;font-weight:800;margin:0 0 6px\">What Participants Report<\/h3>\n  <p style=\"opacity:.85;margin:0 0 20px;font-size:.92rem\">From follow-up surveys 90 days after the programme<\/p>\n  <div style=\"display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;justify-content:center;gap:36px;margin:20px 0 28px\">\n    <div><strong style=\"display:block;font-size:2rem;font-weight:800;color:var(--amberl)\">93%<\/strong><span style=\"font-size:.8rem;opacity:.82;line-height:1.6;display:block;margin-top:4px\">felt significantly more confident<br>in their leadership role<\/span><\/div>\n    <div><strong style=\"display:block;font-size:2rem;font-weight:800;color:var(--amberl)\">86%<\/strong><span style=\"font-size:.8rem;opacity:.82;line-height:1.6;display:block;margin-top:4px\">took a specific action to increase<br>leadership visibility<\/span><\/div>\n    <div><strong style=\"display:block;font-size:2rem;font-weight:800;color:var(--amberl)\">320+<\/strong><span style=\"font-size:.8rem;opacity:.82;line-height:1.6;display:block;margin-top:4px\">women leaders trained across<br>Gulf, Africa and Asia<\/span><\/div>\n    <div><strong style=\"display:block;font-size:2rem;font-weight:800;color:var(--amberl)\">79%<\/strong><span style=\"font-size:.8rem;opacity:.82;line-height:1.6;display:block;margin-top:4px\">identified a sponsor or<br>mentor within 90 days<\/span><\/div>\n  <\/div>\n  <div style=\"background:rgba(255,255,255,.08);border-left:3px solid var(--amberl);border-radius:0 12px 12px 0;padding:20px 24px;max-width:600px;margin:4px auto 0;font-style:italic;color:rgba(255,255,255,.9)\">\n    \"I had been in a senior role for two years and still felt like I was performing leadership rather than doing it. This course gave me the language to understand why, imposter syndrome, the double bind, the visibility gap, and specific tools to address each one. Within three months I had my first executive sponsor, had led my first cross-division project, and had negotiated a budget increase I would previously never have asked for.\" <br><em style=\"opacity:.7;font-size:.82rem\">Finance Director, Saudi petrochemical company, Riyadh cohort 2024<\/em>\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<h2 style=\"font-size:1.45rem;font-weight:800;color:var(--navy);border-bottom:3px solid var(--women);padding-bottom:10px;margin:44px 0 24px\">Programme Outline<\/h2>\n\n<div style=\"border:1.5px solid var(--border);border-radius:14px;overflow:hidden;margin-bottom:16px\">\n  <div style=\"background:var(--navy);color:var(--white);padding:16px 24px;display:flex;align-items:center;gap:16px\"><div style=\"background:var(--women);width:38px;height:38px;border-radius:50%;display:flex;align-items:center;justify-content:center;font-weight:800;font-size:.95rem;flex-shrink:0\">1<\/div><strong>Women Leading in the Gulf, Africa and Asia: Context, Identity and Authority<\/strong><\/div>\n  <div style=\"padding:22px 26px\">\n    <p style=\"margin:0 0 14px;color:var(--muted);line-height:1.8;font-size:.93rem\"><strong style=\"color:var(--text)\">Why this module matters:<\/strong> Women who understand the specific context in which they are leading, the cultural expectations, the organisational dynamics, the systemic barriers, and their own strengths and patterns, lead more effectively than those who are navigating by instinct. Module 1 builds that contextual intelligence and the self-awareness that underpins authentic leadership.<\/p>\n    <ul style=\"margin:0;padding-left:20px;color:var(--text);line-height:2;font-size:.9rem\">\n      <li>Women's leadership in the Gulf, Africa and Asia: where things stand, where they are heading, and what is actually changing<\/li>\n      <li>Leadership self-assessment: your current strengths and the specific development priorities that will matter most for your career<\/li>\n      <li>The double bind: how the cultural expectations around gender and authority interact, and practical strategies for navigating them<\/li>\n      <li>Imposter syndrome: why it is almost universal among high-achieving women and specific management strategies<\/li>\n      <li>Authentic leadership: leading in a way that is genuinely yours, not a performance of male leadership norms<\/li>\n      <li>The specific challenges of leading in GCC and African cultural contexts: hierarchy, gender norms, family expectations, community scrutiny<\/li>\n    <\/ul>\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div style=\"border:1.5px solid var(--border);border-radius:14px;overflow:hidden;margin-bottom:16px\">\n  <div style=\"background:var(--navy);color:var(--white);padding:16px 24px;display:flex;align-items:center;gap:16px\"><div style=\"background:var(--women);width:38px;height:38px;border-radius:50%;display:flex;align-items:center;justify-content:center;font-weight:800;font-size:.95rem;flex-shrink:0\">2<\/div><strong>Leadership Presence, Communication and Influence<\/strong><\/div>\n  <div style=\"padding:22px 26px\">\n    <p style=\"margin:0 0 14px;color:var(--muted);line-height:1.8;font-size:.93rem\"><strong style=\"color:var(--text)\">Why this module matters:<\/strong> Leadership presence is not a personality trait, it is a set of learnable behaviours that determine how your leadership is perceived in the room, across the table, and when you are not present. Module 2 builds those behaviours with specific attention to what works for women in GCC and African professional environments.<\/p>\n    <ul style=\"margin:0;padding-left:20px;color:var(--text);line-height:2;font-size:.9rem\">\n      <li>What leadership presence actually is, and what it is not<\/li>\n      <li>Voice, body language and communication style: projecting confidence without aggression, authority without distance<\/li>\n      <li>Communicating in meetings: making your voice heard in rooms where it is structurally less likely to be<\/li>\n      <li>Written communication as a leadership tool: how your emails and reports signal your leadership confidence<\/li>\n      <li>Influencing without formal authority: the skill that determines advancement in large, hierarchical organisations<\/li>\n      <li>Presenting to senior leadership: how to build the case and deliver it in language that resonates with decision-makers<\/li>\n      <li>Role-play: participants practice a high-stakes presentation with video feedback<\/li>\n    <\/ul>\n    <p style=\"margin:14px 0 0;color:var(--muted);font-size:.85rem;font-style:italic\">Session includes: live presentation practice with video recording and feedback<\/p>\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div style=\"border:1.5px solid var(--border);border-radius:14px;overflow:hidden;margin-bottom:16px\">\n  <div style=\"background:var(--navy);color:var(--white);padding:16px 24px;display:flex;align-items:center;gap:16px\"><div style=\"background:var(--women);width:38px;height:38px;border-radius:50%;display:flex;align-items:center;justify-content:center;font-weight:800;font-size:.95rem;flex-shrink:0\">3<\/div><strong>Visibility, Networks, Sponsors and Mentors<\/strong><\/div>\n  <div style=\"padding:22px 26px\">\n    <p style=\"margin:0 0 14px;color:var(--muted);line-height:1.8;font-size:.93rem\"><strong style=\"color:var(--text)\">Why this module matters:<\/strong> Career advancement is not primarily meritocratic, it depends on who knows your work, who champions it, and who is in the room when decisions about senior roles are made. Module 3 builds the strategic visibility and relationship capital that most women leaders build too slowly or not at all.<\/p>\n    <ul style=\"margin:0;padding-left:20px;color:var(--text);line-height:2;font-size:.9rem\">\n      <li>The visibility gap: why women's leadership contributions are systematically less visible than men's, and what to do about it<\/li>\n      <li>Strategic visibility: making your work known to the people who matter for your career without self-promotion that feels inauthentic<\/li>\n      <li>Networks: who you need to know, how to build relationships with them in GCC and African professional cultures where informal networking is gendered<\/li>\n      <li>The difference between a mentor and a sponsor, and why most women have the former when they need the latter<\/li>\n      <li>Finding and cultivating sponsors: identifying potential sponsors and building the relationship that earns their advocacy<\/li>\n      <li>Peer networks: building the community of women leaders that provides support, intelligence and collective visibility<\/li>\n    <\/ul>\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div style=\"border:1.5px solid var(--border);border-radius:14px;overflow:hidden;margin-bottom:16px\">\n  <div style=\"background:var(--navy);color:var(--white);padding:16px 24px;display:flex;align-items:center;gap:16px\"><div style=\"background:var(--women);width:38px;height:38px;border-radius:50%;display:flex;align-items:center;justify-content:center;font-weight:800;font-size:.95rem;flex-shrink:0\">4<\/div><strong>Negotiation, Feedback and Difficult Conversations for Women Leaders<\/strong><\/div>\n  <div style=\"padding:22px 26px\">\n    <p style=\"margin:0 0 14px;color:var(--muted);line-height:1.8;font-size:.93rem\"><strong style=\"color:var(--text)\">Why this module matters:<\/strong> Negotiation, feedback delivery and difficult conversations are the three leadership skills where the double bind hits hardest, assertiveness that works for men in these conversations reads differently in women. Module 4 builds the specific approaches that are effective for women leaders in GCC and African contexts.<\/p>\n    <ul style=\"margin:0;padding-left:20px;color:var(--text);line-height:2;font-size:.9rem\">\n      <li>Negotiation for women: salary, resources, scope, credit and opportunity, how the dynamics differ and what works<\/li>\n      <li>The gender penalty in negotiation: why women who negotiate assertively are penalised and what strategies reduce it<\/li>\n      <li>Negotiation in GCC and African professional contexts: specific cultural dynamics women leaders navigate<\/li>\n      <li>Giving feedback as a woman leader: authority, consistency, and managing the likability trap<\/li>\n      <li>Receiving feedback: distinguishing useful criticism from bias-based pushback<\/li>\n      <li>Difficult conversations: managing conflict, addressing underperformance, holding boundaries, with specific attention to GCC cultural dynamics<\/li>\n      <li>Role-play: participants practice a salary negotiation and a difficult performance conversation<\/li>\n    <\/ul>\n    <p style=\"margin:14px 0 0;color:var(--muted);font-size:.85rem;font-style:italic\">Session includes: negotiation and difficult conversation role-play with peer feedback<\/p>\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div style=\"border:1.5px solid var(--border);border-radius:14px;overflow:hidden;margin-bottom:16px\">\n  <div style=\"background:var(--navy);color:var(--white);padding:16px 24px;display:flex;align-items:center;gap:16px\"><div style=\"background:var(--women);width:38px;height:38px;border-radius:50%;display:flex;align-items:center;justify-content:center;font-weight:800;font-size:.95rem;flex-shrink:0\">5<\/div><strong>Resilience, Wellbeing and Leadership Action Planning<\/strong><\/div>\n  <div style=\"padding:22px 26px\">\n    <p style=\"margin:0 0 14px;color:var(--muted);line-height:1.8;font-size:.93rem\"><strong style=\"color:var(--text)\">Why this module matters:<\/strong> Women leaders in GCC and African contexts carry a specific load, professional leadership, family expectations, community scrutiny, and often the invisible tax of navigating gender bias daily. Building sustainable resilience is not a wellbeing nice-to-have; it is a leadership requirement. Module 5 addresses this honestly and closes with each participant's committed 90-day action plan.<\/p>\n    <ul style=\"margin:0;padding-left:20px;color:var(--text);line-height:2;font-size:.9rem\">\n      <li>Resilience for women leaders: what it actually means and what builds it versus what drains it<\/li>\n      <li>Managing the dual load: professional leadership and family and community responsibilities in GCC and African contexts<\/li>\n      <li>Setting and maintaining boundaries: professional boundaries in cultures where availability is equated with commitment<\/li>\n      <li>Building your support ecosystem: professional and personal, what you need around you to lead sustainably<\/li>\n      <li>Managing the emotional labour of being a gender minority in leadership: the specific energy cost and how to manage it<\/li>\n      <li>90-day leadership action plan: three specific, committed changes each participant will make in the 90 days after this course<\/li>\n    <\/ul>\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div style=\"background:rgba(160,51,110,.08);border-radius:14px;padding:36px;margin-bottom:44px\">\n  <h3 style=\"font-size:1.15rem;font-weight:800;color:var(--navy);margin:0 0 10px\">\ud83d\udccb For L&amp;D Directors and HR Leaders<\/h3>\n  <p style=\"color:var(--text);font-size:.92rem;line-height:1.75;margin:0 0 16px\">Organisations that invest in women's leadership development produce measurable returns beyond diversity compliance:<\/p>\n  <div style=\"display:grid;grid-template-columns:repeat(auto-fit,minmax(240px,1fr));gap:12px\">\n    <div style=\"display:flex;gap:10px;font-size:.88rem;color:var(--navy);line-height:1.65\"><span style=\"color:var(--women);font-weight:700;flex-shrink:0\">\u2192<\/span>Stronger leadership pipeline: women leaders who are developed early build deeper capability by the time they reach senior roles<\/div>\n    <div style=\"display:flex;gap:10px;font-size:.88rem;color:var(--navy);line-height:1.65\"><span style=\"color:var(--women);font-weight:700;flex-shrink:0\">\u2192<\/span>Better retention: women who feel supported in their development are significantly more likely to stay<\/div>\n    <div style=\"display:flex;gap:10px;font-size:.88rem;color:var(--navy);line-height:1.65\"><span style=\"color:var(--women);font-weight:700;flex-shrink:0\">\u2192<\/span>Nationalisation success: investing in Saudi and Emirati women leaders produces stronger outcomes from nationalisation programmes<\/div>\n    <div style=\"display:flex;gap:10px;font-size:.88rem;color:var(--navy);line-height:1.65\"><span style=\"color:var(--women);font-weight:700;flex-shrink:0\">\u2192<\/span>Organisational performance: the evidence on diverse leadership teams producing stronger decisions is robust and consistent<\/div>\n  <\/div>\n  <div style=\"margin-top:24px;padding-top:20px;border-top:1px solid var(--border)\">\n    <strong style=\"color:var(--navy)\">In-House for Your Women's Leadership Cohort<\/strong>\n    <p style=\"margin:8px 0 16px;font-size:.9rem;color:var(--text)\">Most effective when delivered to a cohort of high-potential women together, building peer networks and shared language. We can align the content with your competency framework and talent development strategy. Contact us to discuss.<\/p>\n    <a href=\"\/en\/contact-us\/?type=inhouse&amp;course=Women+in+Leadership\" style=\"background:var(--navy);color:var(--white);padding:12px 26px;border-radius:8px;text-decoration:none;font-weight:700;font-size:.9rem;display:inline-block\">Request In-House Delivery<\/a>\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div style=\"border:1.5px solid var(--border);border-radius:14px;overflow:hidden;margin-bottom:44px\">\n  <div style=\"background:var(--light);padding:18px 24px;border-bottom:1px solid var(--border)\"><strong style=\"color:var(--navy)\">Course At a Glance<\/strong><\/div>\n  <table style=\"width:100%;border-collapse:collapse;font-size:.9rem\">\n    <tr style=\"border-bottom:1px solid var(--border)\"><td style=\"padding:14px 24px;font-weight:600;color:var(--navy);width:35%\">Locations<\/td><td style=\"padding:14px 24px;color:var(--text)\">Riyadh, Dubai, Nairobi, Lagos, Online<\/td><\/tr>\n    <tr style=\"border-bottom:1px solid var(--border);background:var(--bg)\"><td style=\"padding:14px 24px;font-weight:600;color:var(--navy)\">Methodology<\/td><td style=\"padding:14px 24px;color:var(--text)\">60% applied, self-assessments, presentation practice, negotiation role-play, visibility and network planning workshops<\/td><\/tr>\n    <tr style=\"border-bottom:1px solid var(--border)\"><td style=\"padding:14px 24px;font-weight:600;color:var(--navy)\">Investment<\/td><td style=\"padding:14px 24px;color:var(--text)\">Group rates available \u00b7 In-house pricing on request<\/td><\/tr>\n    <tr><td style=\"padding:14px 24px;font-weight:600;color:var(--navy)\">What's Included<\/td><td style=\"padding:14px 24px;color:var(--text)\">Workbook, leadership self-assessment, visibility planning template, network mapping tool, negotiation toolkit, 90-day action plan, certificate<\/td><\/tr>\n  <\/table>\n<\/div>\n\n<h2 style=\"font-size:1.45rem;font-weight:800;color:var(--navy);border-bottom:3px solid var(--women);padding-bottom:10px;margin:44px 0 24px\">Common Questions<\/h2>\n<div style=\"margin-bottom:44px\">\n  <div style=\"border-bottom:1px solid var(--border);padding:18px 0\"><p style=\"font-weight:700;color:var(--navy);margin:0 0 8px;font-size:.95rem\">Is this course only for senior women leaders?<\/p><p style=\"color:var(--text);font-size:.88rem;line-height:1.75;margin:0\">No. The course is designed for women at all career stages who are either in leadership roles or preparing for them. Emerging leaders build the foundations early. Mid-career leaders address the specific barriers to advancement. Experienced leaders deepen their practice and address the challenges of senior leadership. The self-assessment on day one ensures each participant knows where to focus.<\/p><\/div>\n  <div style=\"border-bottom:1px solid var(--border);padding:18px 0\"><p style=\"font-weight:700;color:var(--navy);margin:0 0 8px;font-size:.95rem\">Is this relevant in conservative cultural contexts where women's leadership is still contested?<\/p><p style=\"color:var(--text);font-size:.88rem;line-height:1.75;margin:0\">Yes, and often more so. The course does not assume a liberal professional environment where gender equality is already established. It addresses specifically how to lead effectively in environments where women's leadership is new, contested, or subject to constraints that do not apply to male colleagues, including Saudi Arabia, where participants in Riyadh cohorts consistently rate the cultural navigation content as the most practically valuable.<\/p><\/div>\n  <div style=\"padding:18px 0\"><p style=\"font-weight:700;color:var(--navy);margin:0 0 8px;font-size:.95rem\">Can our organisation run this as a women's leadership cohort programme?<\/p><p style=\"color:var(--text);font-size:.88rem;line-height:1.75;margin:0\">Yes. This is one of the most common in-house delivery formats for this course. Running a cohort of high-potential women through the programme together builds the peer network that is often one of the most lasting outcomes, women who have done this programme together have a shared language, a mutual support system, and visibility with each other's senior leaders. Contact us to discuss how to structure this for your organisation.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<h2 style=\"font-size:1.45rem;font-weight:800;color:var(--navy);border-bottom:3px solid var(--women);padding-bottom:10px;margin:44px 0 24px\">Related Courses<\/h2>\n<div style=\"display:grid;grid-template-columns:repeat(auto-fit,minmax(220px,1fr));gap:14px;margin-bottom:44px\">\n  <a href=\"\/en\/course\/leadership-fundamentals-for-young-leaders\/\" style=\"border:1.5px solid var(--border);border-radius:10px;padding:16px 18px;text-decoration:none;color:var(--navy);font-weight:600;font-size:.88rem;display:flex;align-items:center;gap:8px\">Leadership Fundamentals<\/a>\n  <a href=\"\/en\/course\/negotiation-skills-training\/\" style=\"border:1.5px solid var(--border);border-radius:10px;padding:16px 18px;text-decoration:none;color:var(--navy);font-weight:600;font-size:.88rem;display:flex;align-items:center;gap:8px\">Negotiation Skills<\/a>\n  <a href=\"\/en\/course\/essential-business-management-skills-for-female-entrepreneurs\/\" style=\"border:1.5px solid var(--border);border-radius:10px;padding:16px 18px;text-decoration:none;color:var(--navy);font-weight:600;font-size:.88rem;display:flex;align-items:center;gap:8px\">Business Management for Women Entrepreneurs<\/a>\n  <a href=\"\/en\/course\/communication-skills-for-teams-training-course\/\" style=\"border:1.5px solid var(--border);border-radius:10px;padding:16px 18px;text-decoration:none;color:var(--navy);font-weight:600;font-size:.88rem;display:flex;align-items:center;gap:8px\">Communication Skills for Teams<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n<div style=\"background:linear-gradient(135deg,var(--women),var(--navy));border-radius:14px;padding:44px;text-align:center;color:var(--white);margin-top:44px\">\n  <h3 style=\"font-size:1.5rem;font-weight:800;margin:0 0 12px\";color:var(--white)\">Leadership Is Not a Personality Trait. It Is a Set of Skills. Build Yours, on Your Own Terms.<\/h3>\n  <p style=\"opacity:.9;margin:0 0 28px;font-size:.97rem;line-height:1.7\">Join women leaders from across the Gulf, Africa and Asia who have built the leadership presence, visibility, networks and strategies to advance, in the actual cultural and organisational environments where they work.<\/p>\n  <div style=\"display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:14px;justify-content:center\">\n    <a href=\"\/en\/register\/?course=Women+in+Leadership\" style=\"background:var(--women);color:var(--white);padding:14px 32px;border-radius:8px;font-weight:700;text-decoration:none;font-size:1rem\">Register Now<\/a>\n    <a href=\"\/en\/upcoming-courses\/?course=women-in-leadership-course\" style=\"background:transparent;color:var(--white);border:2px solid rgba(255,255,255,.6);padding:14px 32px;border-radius:8px;font-weight:700;text-decoration:none;font-size:1rem\">View All Dates<\/a>\n    <a href=\"\/en\/contact-us\/?type=inhouse&amp;course=Women+in+Leadership\" style=\"background:transparent;color:var(--white);border:2px solid rgba(255,255,255,.6);padding:14px 32px;border-radius:8px;font-weight:700;text-decoration:none;font-size:1rem\">In-House for My Organisation<\/a>\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div style=\"background:var(--light);border-radius:var(--r2);padding:20px;text-align:center;color:var(--muted)\">\n            <p>\ud83d\udcc5 No upcoming schedules at the moment.<\/p>\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/matsh.co\/en\/upcoming-courses\/\" class=\"btn btn-o sm\">View All Schedules<\/a>\n        <\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Saudi Arabia&#8217;s Vision 2030 has driven a dramatic increase in women&#8217;s participation in the Saudi workforce and leadership pipeline, women&#8217;s labour force participation has more than doubled since 2017. The UAE has produced some of the region&#8217;s most prominent women leaders in government, business and civil society. Across Africa, women are leading NGOs, government ministries&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":6297,"template":"","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":""},"course_pillar":[393],"class_list":["post-6296","course","type-course","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","course_pillar-women"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/matsh.co\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/course\/6296","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/matsh.co\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/course"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/matsh.co\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/course"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/matsh.co\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6297"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/matsh.co\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6296"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"course_pillar","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/matsh.co\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/course_pillar?post=6296"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}