DURHAM, N.H. - Women leaders dealing with "glass ceiling" and "sticky floor" barriers to the success will have the chance to learn about the latest strategies to address these issues as the University of New Hampshire Peter T. Paul College of Business and Economics kicks off its fall Women's Leadership Development Program Sept. 16, 2013. The intensive, three-day program focuses on the critical capacities of women leaders, cultural and institutional challenges they may face, and strategies and techniques for driving career transitions.

UNH Women's Leadership Development Program will be held Sept. 16-18, 2013. The program will be held on campus in Durham in the new Peter T. Paul College of Business and Economics. It is part of a broad range of executive development programs offered by Paul College that provide intensive study for business leaders who want to strengthen their management skills and leadership capabilities.

"Women face unique challenges on their journeys to senior positions.  A women-only program can be effective because it may create an environment where women will focus on issues that are unique to women and be more comfortable taking risks.  It's also an opportunity to network with peers and form lifelong bonds," said Dan McCarthy, director of executive development programs at Paul College. 

The UNH Women's Leadership Development Program provides an executive development experience for mid and senior-level women leaders in the corporate and nonprofit sectors who are at pivotal moments in their careers. Participants gain valuable skills to take their leadership to a higher level, and develop lifelong networking and mentoring connections. The experience focuses on the critical capacities of women leaders, cultural and institutional challenges they may face, and strategies and techniques for driving career transitions.

According to McCarthy, the program is designed to address critical differentiators for senior women leaders based on extensive research and input from a high-level advisory committee. These critical differentiators for senior women leaders include 360-degree assessment, leadership identity, negotiations, career strategies, presence, and leading change.

"These are the topics that we believe will give women leaders the tools to address both 'glass ceiling' and 'sticky floor' barriers to success. Although many of the challenges facing women are common, the program also offers opportunities for women to work on their own unique challenges. We'll be doing this though individual assessment, peer coaching, and follow-up coaching," McCarthy said.

The instructors and coaches for the program include:

• Vanessa Druskat, faculty director for the Women's Leadership Development Program and associate professor of organizational behavior and management at UNH.
• Carole Barnett, associate professor of management at UNH.
• Sheila McNamee, professor of communication at UNH and vice president of the Taos Institute.
• Deborah Kolb, professor emerita of Simmons College and an authority on gender issues in negotiation and leadership.
• Anne Perschel, a leadership and organizational psychologist, president of Germane Consulting and co-founder of 3Plus International, a career incubator for high potential women leaders.

The program costs $3,500 and includes program materials and most meals. Local overnight accommodations are available to participants who do not want to commute each day. UNH alumni are eligible for a 10 percent discount. Individuals interested in participating in the Paul College executive development programs should contact Patricia Walsh, executive development program coordinator, at 603-862-5203 or email patricia.walsh@unh.edu. For more information and to register, visit http://execed.unh.edu/Womens-Leadership-Development-Program-NH.

The UNH Peter T. Paul College of Business and Economics offers a full complement of high-quality programs in business, economics, accounting, finance, information systems management, entrepreneurship, marketing, and hospitality management. Programs are offered at the undergraduate, graduate, and executive development levels. The college is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, the premier accrediting agency for business schools worldwide. For more information, visit paulcollege.unh.edu.

The University of New Hampshire, founded in 1866, is a world-class public research university with the feel of a New England liberal arts college. A land, sea, and space-grant university, UNH is the state's flagship public institution, enrolling 12,200 undergraduate and 2,300 graduate students.

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