Women's Leadership and Underrepresented Talent
Leadership development that helps women and colleagues from underrepresented groups grow their confidence, visibility and influence, while your organisation removes the barriers that hold talent back.
Why it matters
Many organisations hire diverse talent but lose it on the way up. People leave, or stall, because of unequal access to sponsors and senior leaders, bias in appraisal and promotion, and cultures where some colleagues have to work harder to be seen.
Our work does two things together. It helps individuals grow as leaders, and it helps the organisation fix what holds them back. Developing people without changing the system around them rarely lasts.
What a programme can include
Self-insight and leadership identity
Reflection, career inventories and 360 feedback help participants understand their strengths, their leadership style and the barriers and boosters in their careers.
Visibility and influence
Practical work on communication and impact, strategic influence, executive presence and personal brand, so participants are seen and heard by the people who shape their careers.
Sponsorship and senior engagement
Sponsorship relationships and senior leaders involved throughout, including business projects that participants present to senior leaders.
Career ownership
Individual development plans, career visioning and a peer cohort that offers support and accountability long after the sessions end.
Changing the system, not just the people
Development programmes work best when the organisation changes too. Alongside programmes for individuals, we can help you:
- Use data on career paths, appraisal and promotion to find where underrepresented talent is held back.
- Build fairer, bias-proofed talent and succession planning.
- Develop inclusive leaders who sponsor, appraise and promote talent fairly.
- Support women’s and employee networks that give people a voice and a community.
Our experience
These examples come from our published case studies.
Lenovo
Advancing Women Leaders, a leadership journey for high-potential women leaders across EMEA, with a workshop in Bratislava, four virtual modules, 360 feedback, sponsorship and business projects presented to senior leaders. Participants rated the chance to gain visibility 4.77 out of 5.
Walmart & Asda
Gender equity events, inclusive leadership and unconscious bias training, and the launch of the Walmart Global Women’s Symposium, informed by an audit of career paths, appraisal and promotions for underrepresented groups.
Unilever
Board training and executive coaching linked to Unilever’s gender equity goals, and the design of the launch event and conference for the Unilever Women’s Network.
Standard Chartered
Bias-proofed talent and succession planning across markets in Asia and Africa, where representation of diverse talent at senior level increased.
A free guide to unlocking diverse talent
Our free guide sets out how to spot a blocked or leaking talent pipeline, and how to design career development programmes that help underrepresented talent stay and progress.
How we can deliver it
We shape every programme around your people, your goals and your timings. Depending on your needs, options can include:
- In-person workshops that bring a cohort together.
- Virtual training for participants across locations.
- Executive coaching for individual leaders.
- Employee networks support, including women’s networks.
- DEI audits to find where your talent pipeline leaks.
We draw on a network of consultants and trainers whose work has reached 180+ countries. Scope, format and fees are confirmed in a proposal after an initial conversation.
Case studies
All case studies
Lenovo: Building Visibility, Influence and Confidence for Women Leaders Across EMEAHow GDP designed and delivered a bespoke leadership journey for Lenovo's high-potential women leaders across EMEA, rated 4.85/5 for networking.
Walmart & AsdaWalmart commissioned GDP to deliver a programme of D&I interventions, including gender equity events, inclusive leadership and unconscious bias training to…
UnileverUnilever is one of the world’s leading suppliers of fast moving consumer goods with strong operations in more than 100 countries and sales in 180.
Talk to us about your talent
- Tell us about the people you want to develop and the barriers you see.
- We suggest an approach and confirm it in a tailored proposal.
- We design and deliver the programme with you.