Programme overview
Would you like to be promoted next year? Are you looking for a new challenge with more responsibility or a broader sphere of influence? Are you a female manager or specialist or have you been identified as a young talent?
The Aiming Higher Women’s Leadership Programme is the ideal continuing education for women in lower and middle management positions who would like to prepare for the next career step and acquire the skills necessary to take on a more senior role.
As a participant, you will
- learn about various leadership approaches
- gain personal insights into your own leadership style and development potential
- learn how to motivate your team and maintain your own energy levels as well
- improve your negotiation skills
- enhance your executive presence and effectiveness in communication
The Aiming Higher Women’s Leadership Programme is a highly personalized and interactive online learning experience with lasting impact. This includes:
- building your personal network through in-depth interactions with other female leaders,
- receiving expert guidance for mapping out a plan for your next career step,
- participating in an online mentoring programme to continue your learning journey with a senior sparring partner.
Develop your potential and prepare for your future career today!
Consultation
Learn more about the programme in a personal conversation.
Melissa Reynolds Senior Programme Manager Diversity & Leadership Programmes
Target Audience
Women in lower to middle management positions
Application Criteria
Participants should have a university degree or equivalent educational certificate and professional experience.
Your Benefits
Structure and Course Design
The Aiming Higher Women’s Leadership Programme consists of 7 modules spread over 8 weeks. Each module consists of a live half-day online session as well as self-paced learning elements. Participants should expect to spend 1-2 hours each week for individual or group learning activities in addition to the live sessions.
All lecturers utilize a variety of methods to ensure a high level of customized learning. These include:
- a personality inventory (Hogan) with individual expert feedback,
- video-based preparation assignments,
- follow-up learning activities as well as
- in-class exercises and group discussions.
After completing the 7 online sessions, participants embark on an innovative mentoring programme. Mentors and mentees meet online at regular intervals to further reflect on leadership topics and to exchange best practices.
The programme includes a reunion in Zurich or St. Gallen each summer to give participants, alumnae and mentors the opportunity to receive additional inspiration and grow their personal network.
The course language is English, but participants can opt to complete the personality inventory and the mentoring programme in German or other languages upon request.
Content and Modules
Kick-off: Meet & Greet Session
Thursday, 11 May 2023
5:00 – 6:00 p.m.
On the eve of our first course date, we will meet online for a brief and informal virtual reception. This “not to miss” event will provide you with the opportunity to meet the programme director and to get to know your course colleagues. Take this opportunity to start building your network and to establish rapport with those who will be accompanying you on the exciting journey ahead!
Module 1:
Introduction to Leadership
Friday, 12 May 2023
8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
In this kick-off session you will learn about various leadership styles based on emotional intelligence using interactive case discussions. You will discover the role of leaders in shaping organisational culture and understand the interdependence between company values and organisation design. Finally, you will discuss the importance of role model behaviour and reflect on the kind of leader you want to be.
Amanda Shantz, PhD, Professor of Management and MBA Director at the University of St. Gallen
Module 2:
Personal Leadership Styles
Friday, 26 May 2023
8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Based on your personal results of the Hogan personality inventory, which you will complete before this session, you will discover more about your own personal work and leadership style. You will identify individual strengths and development potential and receive inspiration for integrating best practices into your own leadership style. A particular focus will be on the growing need for inclusive leadership and how to effectively manage and empower diverse and remote teams.
Nicole Neubauer, CEO, metaberatung GmbH
Dr. Patricia Widmer, Founder and Managing Partner, aalto AG
Module 3:
Sustainable Self-Leadership
Friday, 2 June 2023
8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Becoming an effective leader starts with maintaining good self-leadership skills. In this session, you will reflect on your personal energy levels and discover key influencing factors and daily routines for sustainably managing your personal energy and resources. You will come away with effective tools for increasing your productivity and presence at work and for developing a growth mindset in every season of life.
Dr. Maximilian Strecker, keynote speaker and executive coach on the topics of leadership, motivation, and self-management
Module 4:
Team Leadership
Friday, 9 June 2023
8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
In this session you will engage in interactive discussions and action learning sequences around the topic of how to motivate your team. Particular focus will be given to the topic of psychological safety- why it is the number one success factor for high-performing teams and how to foster it as a team leader.
Dr.Anna-Christina Leisin, coach for top executives and teams on the topics of leadership, psychological safety, and high-performance
Module 5:
Executive Presence
Friday, 16 June 2023
8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
In this session, you will learn how to demystify the skills leaders need to inspire trust, confidence, and commitment from others. You will discover clear and compelling communication tools for different personality types and rehearse staying poised and confident even when discussing the most difficult topics.
Lisa Christen, executive leadership coach, trainer, facilitator and consultant
Module 6:
Negotiation Skills
Friday, 23 June 2023
8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Negotiating successfully in challenging situations is a skill that can help you advance both professionally and personally. In this highly interactive module, you will practice proven methods of conducting negotiations according to the Harvard principle. You will learn how to focus on the interests of your counterpart and find constructive solutions in conflict situations without losing sight of your own goals.
Catherine Mehrtens, Principal at Egger Philips and international negotiation consultant and trainer
Module 7:
Driving my Career
Friday, 30 June 2023
8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Be the author of your own career success story! In this final module, you will learn to increase your visibility and drive your own career goals. This includes identifying and communicating effectively with various key stakeholders. You will also acquire tools to help you identify your various options and map out a concrete plan for your next career step.
Dr. Mike J. Widmer, founder and CEO of aalto, leadership, executive search and career consultant
Dr. Achim Wolter, Company Lead Enterprise Agility at Baloise Group
Mentoring Programme
July – December 2023
Take part in a unique virtual mentoring programme to continue your personal learning journey and discuss your next career goals with a seasoned sparring partner. You will be matched with a suitable female mentor and participate in 6 1-hour online sessions over a 6-month period.
Our partner for professional automated matching and online mentoring platform
Annual Reunion
Summer 2023
Each year, participants, alumnae and mentors of the Aiming Higher Women’s Leadership community come together for a special reunion in Zurich or St. Gallen to receive further inspiration for their careers and to continuing cultivating their network. Date and location to be announced.
Testimonials
Meet our Faculty
Amanda Shantz, PhD is a Professor of Management and MBA Director at the University of St. Gallen. Her research focuses on how organizations leverage human talent to achieve high levels of success, while at the same time, ensure that they make a positive impact in the communities in which they operate. Prior to joining St. Gallen, Amanda was the MBA Director at Trinity College Dublin, and has worked in universities in Canada, France, and the UK. She sits on the Executive Committee of the Human Resources Division of the Academy of Management and the Scientific Committee of the Chartered Association of Business Schools. Amanda publishes her research in top academic and practitioner journals, and she has won several awards for her work.
Nicole Neubauer is CEO of metaberatung GmbH, providing services in management consulting, leadership development, team building, executive coaching and career development. She has 28 years of experience working across various industries and is primarily focused on scientifically-oriented, technological operations and the development of digital business segments. She has a future-oriented, strategic approach to finding solutions, cooperating with approved international partners such as Hogan Assessment Systems, the IMD Business School Lausanne as well as clients and service providers.
Dr. Patricia Widmer is Founder and Managing Partner of aalto AG, a boutique consulting company specializing in executive search, leadership and career consulting. Before this, she was Vice Director for Open Programmes and Diversity at the Executive School of the University of St. Gallen. Patricia has a background in banking & finance and completed her doctorate on the topic of gender disparity at CEO level. Patricia is a sought-after speaker and trainer on Diversity & Inclusion and unconscious bias.
Dr. Maximilian Strecker is a keynote speaker and executive coach on the topics of leadership, motivation, and self-management. He has trained over 10,000 top managers from multinational corporations and high-performance teams in sports. He is lecturer at the Executive School of the University of St. Gallen and author in influential manager magazines such as the Harvard Business Manager. In his PhD with Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Jenewein he researched the emergence of meaningful work and developed practical strategies for creating purpose-driven workplaces. As managing director he has led and now consults the SME family business in the fifth generation.
Dr. Anna-Christina Leisin coaches top executives and teams on the topics of leadership, psychological safety, and high-performance. She has facilitated large-scale leadership and cultural development programs in over 30 multinational corporations. In her PhD with Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Jenewein she conducted five years of field research on psychological safety as part of a fast-paced, interdisciplinary team at a German automotive OEM in the US. She lectures at the Executive School of the University of St. Gallen and publishes in renowned manager magazines such as the Harvard Business Manager.
Lisa Christen is an award-winning executive leadership coach, trainer, facilitator and consultant specializing in developing the uniquely human skills leaders need to survive –and thrive –in the complex reality of the digital era. Lisa is an Official Member of the Forbes Coaches Council and a Fellow Member of the Institute of Coaching McLean / Harvard Medical School. She has been featured in news outlets such as CNN Money, Forbes, Talent Development Magazine,and Coaching World and is an international speaker at major conferences worldwide. Lisa coaches for the ETH x University of St.Gallen embaX program and has over a decade of business experience working across Fortune 100 companies, the US Government, and entrepreneurial ventures.
Catherine Mehrtens is Principal at Egger Philips, a leading provider of negotiation training, coaching and mediation, using the Harvard-Concept. She has over 10 years’ experience as an international negotiation advisor and trainer and has been a negotiation advisory for over 1,000 French-speaking executives. Catherine is also a certified Systemic Coach for executives and an expert in innovative learning journeys and blended learning solutions.
Dr. Mike J. Widmer is Founder & Managing Partner of Aalto AG – fostering organizational and professional happiness through executive search, leadership and career consulting. He began his professional career by founding an internet startup and thereafter joined the software company BSI Business Systems Integration AG as a Project Manager and Legal Counsel. After complementing his PhD in law at the University of Zurich, Switzerland with a full-time MBA at the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan he joined McKinsey & Company in the USA. Next Mike returned to BSI to set up the company’s German subsidiary in Frankfurt as Country Manager. Prior to founding Aalto in 2020 he worked for almost 10 years in two top-tier executive search companies at international and local levels.
Dr. Achim Wolter is a senior professional for consulting, leadership, learning and organizational development in multinational companies in Europe. His current role is Company Lead Enterprise Agility at Baloise Group, where he acts as a senior expert in the CEO Unit to drive the company’s strategic work package. Before this, Achim was Head of People and Organisational Development and Deputy Head of Group HR at Baloise Group, where he was responsible for talent and leadership development, learning and organisational development at Group level and for Switzerland for over 10 years.
Why University of St.Gallen
At the University of St. Gallen (HSG), you can choose from one of the largest executive education portfolios in the German speaking region – the right programme for your needs and career objectives. The renowned quality and practical relevance of the learning experience convinces more than 6000 participants per year. Profit from an Executive Degree from St.Gallen – the best business school in the German-speaking world – and get ahead in your career!
