fbpx Women and Power | Harvard Kennedy School
Upcoming Sessions
  • On Campus
    Session Date
    -
    Application Deadline
    Program Fee
    $10,200
    Program Director

    We are still accepting applications for this program. Please contact the Program Director for additional information.

    For information about requirements to participate in an executive program on the Harvard Kennedy School campus, please visit this page.

    Program Fee: The program fee includes tuition, housing, curricular materials and most meals.

    Executive Certificate: This program is a core program in the Public  Leadership concentration. This program can also be used as a third program for any concentration in the Executive Certificate series.

    Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs): This program aligns with one or more Executive Core Qualifications.

Program Overview

The rise of women into society's most powerful leadership roles—across sectors and around the globe—ranks among the most profound social transformations in recent decades.

Women and Power is a one-week executive program designed to help women advance to top positions of influence. You will also strengthen your negotiation, coalition-building, and communication capabilities. The curriculum builds upon the extraordinary experience of Faculty Co-Chairs Hannah Riley Bowles and Farayi Chipungu, fellow program participants, and other leadership experts.

This intensive, on-campus program examines recent research on women and leadership and its application in the workplace. Together with your cohort of leaders from diverse professional backgrounds and similar levels of career achievement, you will gain new skills and frameworks for analyzing political and strategic management issues.

PROGRAM CURRICULUM

During the program, you will be immersed in an inspiring and highly interactive classroom setting that provides the opportunity to discuss strategies for enhancing your influence and authority in organizational and political contexts, as well as examine today’s most pressing leadership challenges. In-class exercises, case studies, simulations, and small-group discussions create an engaging learning environment. This format gives you and your peers the opportunity to work through real-life challenges while honing your analysis, communications, and negotiations skills. You will return home equipped to apply what you have learned to your current professional situation.

A focal point for sharing in the program are the morning consultation groups. Through this daily discussion, you will gain insight and guidance from your classmates on an array of leadership and management issues. The relationships you make in these groups will continue to be valuable sources of guidance after you return to your organizational role.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

The Women and Power curriculum explores the multi-dimensional issues faced by women executives, focusing on:

  • New conceptual frameworks for thinking about leadership across public, nonprofit, and corporate sectors
  • Challenging political and strategic management issues
  • Communication and negotiation skills
  • How the political process can be influenced
  • The comparison of lessons learned with women from diverse professional backgrounds and similar levels of career achievement
  • The latest research on women and leadership

Application Information

WHAT PARTICIPANTS ARE SAYING

“It was a special week and the pinnacle of any training I have received over the last 25 years. I feel privileged to have been part of something so special.”

HELEN LENTLE, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, WELSH GOVERNMENT, LEGAL DEPT
Arrow Down

Hear From the Faculty Chair

Learn more about Women and Power from Professor Hannah Riley Bowles and past participants of the program.

Faculty & Research

Faculty Chairs
Hannah Riley Bowles Photo

Hannah Riley Bowles

Appointment
Co-Director, Center for Public Leadership
Co-Director, Women and Public Policy Program
Roy E. Larsen Senior Lecturer in Public Policy and Management

Farayi Chipungu Photo

Farayi Chipungu

Appointment
Adjunct Lecturer in Public Policy

Harvard Faculty and Guest Speakers
Julie Battilana Photo

Julie Battilana

Appointment
Alan L. Gleitsman Professor of Social Innovation, HKS; Joseph C. Wilson Professor of Business Administration, HBS
617-495-4204
 Rosabeth M. Kanter

Rosabeth M. Kanter

Appointment
Ernest L. Arbuckle Professor of Business Administration, Harvard Business School

Timothy O'Brien Photo

Timothy O'Brien

Appointment
Lecturer in Public Policy
617-496-9264
Request More Information
Access brochure and receive more information about the program
Apply
Start your application and take the next step in your learning journey.