The document discusses how companies can optimize the benefits of women in leadership. It notes that research has found companies with gender diverse boards and female leadership deliver better financial performance. However, many organizations are struggling to develop women leaders and see results from their diversity efforts. The document recommends that organizations implement leadership development programs for women, support for their career progression, and work to develop an inclusive culture. It describes Viventé, a consulting firm that designs customized programs to help companies strengthen women's leadership and realize the performance benefits of diversity.

1. How to Optimise the Benefits of Women in Leadership
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How to Optimise the Benefits of Women in Leadership
As our world becomes more volatile, uncertain,
complex and ambiguous companies need more
diverse voices and opinions around the table to
meet the challenges that face them now and
into the future.
The case for gender equality has never been
stronger.
Research by La Trobe University1
over a seven period
found companies with greater board diversity deliver
better performance. Further, a 2015 report2
looking
at 4,000 companies globally found those who had
strong female leadership3
generate a return on equity
of 10.1% p.a. verses 7.4% p.a. for those who don’t.
Alarmingly, an ABS Gender Equality Report4
shows
that the current pay gap between men and women in
Australia is 17.9% and if we continue at the current
rate of progress it will be 2096 before pay equality is
achieved,
Your organisation may be actively pursuing gender
equity goals and not achieving the positive results
you anticipated. If you haven’t seen enough benefit
arising from your investment, you may need a more
diversified strategy.
As more of your competitors apply resources to
address the issue, they become more attractive to
women, reducing your ability to retain talented
women and hence your organisational results.
The solution is to take effective action now. But how
do you do it? What can your organisation do to
create the kind of results that the research promises?
Viventé Australia knows how. With our
contemporary experience and evidence‐based
1
http://www.latrobe.edu.au/news/articles/2016/release/more‐
women‐on‐the‐board,‐more‐profits
2 https://www.msci.com/documents/10199/04b6f646‐d638‐
4878‐9c61‐4eb91748a82b
3 The research designated a company as having strong female
leadership if the company’s board had three or more women, if
its percentage of women on the board is above its country
average, or if it has a female CEO and at least one woman on the
board.
4
https://www.wgea.gov.au/addressing‐pay‐equity/what‐gender‐
pay‐gap
knowledge, we are able to help organisations assist
women to achieve their full potential as leaders in
today’s results‐oriented business environment.
Why is it so difficult to develop women in
leadership?
Time and again we’ve seen limiting factors placed
around women in leadership positions; preventing
them from realising their full leadership potential and
their organisations from achieving optimal
performance.
The solution starts with executive accountability
and active sponsorship of strategies to attract, retain
and develop women, while developing a broader
leadership and cultural context. How?
 Support women to develop resilience and
personal strategies.
 Determine which constructive cultural drivers
are at play to develop explicit messages
about expected behaviour.
 Implement programs across the organisation
to manage and leverage diversity effectively.
 Serve as an outstanding role model, and
encourage other senior leaders to model
appropriate behaviours.
All of these strategies must work together effectively
to create the desired result.
Viventé Puts the Pieces Together
Viventé excels at working closely with you to
develop an approach that’s specific to the strengths
and challenges already present in your organisation.
We do not offer “silver bullets” or off‐the‐shelf
solutions.
An example: Viventé was approached by a large
financial services organisation to assist with the
development of women in support of their diversity
strategy.
There was committed sponsorship of diversity
initiatives by the CEO and executive team’s. The
organisation was already a leader in the areas of
parental leave and flexible work practices and yet
women at the middle‐management level were not
achieving their potential, constricting the pipeline to
senior roles.

2. How to Optimise the Benefits of Women in Leadership
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How to Optimise the Benefits of Women in Leadership
The Viventé team researched, developed and
implemented programs to enable women at the
middle‐management level to strengthen their
insights and skills in developing their careers and
seeking organisational support.
As a result, these women quickly increased the value
they added to the organisation, and a significant
percentage realised their potential in more senior
levels.
These programs, refreshed in 2016, are now in their
twelfth year and have been measured to provide a
return on investment of 150%.
How Viventé develops women in leadership
If your organisation is struggling to “get traction”
with gender equity, let Viventé help you strengthen
your slippery toehold into solid footing.
Viventé’s development initiatives for Women in
Leadership include:
 Executive Leadership Coaching for Senior
Women
 Mentoring Programs for Women
 Pathways2Leadership™ for Women Program
Modules
To build readiness and develop the cultural support
needed to allow women’s leadership to thrive,
Viventé offers:
 Support for incorporating diversity into
measures of culture
 Executive Round‐tables, where clients learn
from clients
You can be confident in the success of these
programs because Viventé’s Women in Leadership
team:
 Has deep, practical experience in assisting
organisations to develop women’s leadership
capabilities;
 Can advise organisations on meeting the dual
challenges of developing women to realise
their potential, and the leadership and
culture needed to foster their success;
 Leverages the strengths of its team members:
women who have successful careers in
achieving and filling senior leadership roles;
and
 Has a proven ‘track record’ in designing and
implementing programs that finally get
traction on this vital diversity issue.
You’ll discover our commitment to and expertise in
growing Women in Leadership with your first call. We
can arrange for one of our Senior Associates to meet
with you to understand the nature and scope of what
is required, so that we can guide you to the best
solution. The key is to start the dialogue now and get
recommendations so you can start taking Women in
Leadership—and consequently your business—to the
level you desire.
The Viventé Difference
Developing Women in Leadership is one way Viventé develops high performance leadership to dramatically
boost success by raising individual, group and organisational capabilities. Our highly successful organisational
development methodologies and tools assist you strengthen the bond between people and performance.
Viventé Australia
Level 33, Australia Square
264 George St
Sydney, NSW 2000
For assessment and recommendations, please call:
Peter Ivett, Managing Director, Viventé Australia, on +612 8211 2771
Copyright © 2016 by Viventé Australia.
Pathways2Leadership is a trademark of Viventé Australia.