Leadership Programs for Women
Helping women accelerate their development
Why leadership programs for women?
Why do we still need programs for women?
Don’t ‘Women only’ programs widen the divide?
The reality is, we SHOULDN’T need programs for women! But, the truth is we still have a gender pay gap and there are less than 50% of women CEOs, company directors, and executive leaders in most organisations.
The lived experience of professional women is they still have to navigate gender bias and stereotypes. They still experience ‘everyday sexism’ and a number of other gender-specific challenges at work. They can manifest such as the ‘double bind’ where women are often subconsciously held to confusing and contradictory standards.
Nell’s programs take an intersectional feminist lens and create forums where diverse women can discuss the kinds of key challenges they face and how to navigate them effectively.
Diverse leadership benefits all
A study by Catalyst of 353 Fortune 500 companies and found that companies with the most women in top management positions provided a total return to shareholders that was 35 percent better than in companies with more male-centric executive teams.
Leadership programs
Explore which leadership program is best for you
Not sure which program to choose?
Helping women to accelerate their development
Nell’s has specifically developed and delivers a range of coaching services and programs to support leadership development for women.
All the coaching and programs that Nell offers focus on:
- Helping women develop in an environment where they can be open
- Having their experiences as working women ‘normalised’
- Learning strategies to navigate the challenges women often face at work
- Chipping away at often very challenging workplace cultures
An investment that pays off
Are you an organisation that wants to go beyond sending women in your organisation to the old style of “annual speaker events”? Have you developed mentoring programs for women but need to invest more and differently to advance more female leaders?
If you find that NOTHING CHANGES from these events, then it’s time to invest in formal development programs from an experienced leadership trainer. Where women have the opportunity to:
- Develop themselves as leaders
- Catch up on development they may have missed if they’ve had career breaksÂ
- Build strong, cohesive networks with other women leaders
What clients say
I was lucky enough for Nell to be my professional coach over a period of a few months whilst I was working in Australia. From the outset she was insightful, accommodating, detailed and challenging in her approach and in ensuring that I was clear with her about what I wanted to achieve and what form of coaching was best to employ to ensure I achieved the highest possible results from our time. Nell’s coaching style, feedback and listening skills enabled me to uncover new avenues of approach, challenge my own natural style and develop as a leader within those immediate situations. I have since been able to continue to successfully employ many aspects of Nell’s coaching in my management and leadership duties and I think this is the key strength of my time with Nell and the aspect for which I am most grateful.
Alex Else
Group M Nexus
Head of Omnichannel Product Solutions
Nell is incredibly passionate about what she does. What impressed me most was her ability to get into our business and quickly and meaningfully understand our unique challenges and opportunities. Nell thinks and works from an informed position, with perspective and well-considered views. She was a pleasure to work with and I would welcome the opportunity again.
Jeanette Sanderson
Aurecon Group
Global Talent & Organisational Development Leader
Nell was my career coach for just over 12 months and throughout this time with her, my understanding of myself, of organisations, of leadership, engagement/management styles and effective communication grew enormously. The structure and support she provided in helping me to understand my own drivers, strengths and career goals has been very impactful in how I’ve managed my career and my team over the last 18 months. The coaching she gave me empowered my negotiation through important structural changes and role opportunities, and my mid to long-term goals (and the ‘why’ behind them) are much clearer than they’ve been before. Nell’s manner is friendly, perceptive, and encouraging and her experience means she can suggest ideas and alternatives that won’t have occurred to you – to you get outside your own view and consider different perspectives and options .
Sarah Mead
Slow Clay Pottery Centre
Studio Tech
Nell’s coaching enabled me to adjust my thinking and become much more effective in a short space of time. What I particularly valued was the practical tools she was able to provide and her ability to quickly analyse a business situation or relationship and provide insights that enabled us to make changes and progress beyond issues that had previously been blocking us.
Lindsay Mackay
Franklin Templeton Investments
General Counsel – Australia
Bold, empowering, honest and mindful – these are the words that come to mind when I think about Nell. I was most impressed by Nell’s unconventional yet effective teaching method at the workshops. Within a short space of time, I was able to acquire, consolidate and apply new knowledge/skills/behaviour in everyday life. During our coaching sessions, Nell challenged me in a way that no other mentors ever has. She asked questions that I had never thought about, guided me to see situations beyond my own and other’s assumptions, and provided me with practical tools to overcome barriers and lead changes at both personal and professional levels. I would recommend Nell without hesitation to anyone looking for effective and inspiring leadership education / executive coaching services.
Bonnie Tai
Nell Wilson is an outstanding executive coach and an exemplary facilitator of leadership training. I not only experienced her skills as a program participant of a 1yr Advanced Leadership Program, but recommended her skills to my business to bring a leadership training in-house, which was developed and led by Nell. The staff concurred that her highly professional, research-led, robust and creative program was the single most significant professional development that had experienced
Heather Whitely Robertson
National Gallery of Australia
Assistant Director, Learning and Digital
Nell was my coach throughout the Advanced Leadership Program. Nell provided me with a supportive yet challenging coaching environment, encouraging me to identify, try out and strengthen new behaviours that were initially outside my comfort zone. As a result, I have not only learned to consciously step into leadership roles when the opportunity arises, I have also learned to coach myself.
Paula Phillips
Transport for NSW
Director Systems Safety and Assurance
Precise, intuitive, practical and fun. Nell has the theoretical knowledge and on-the-job experience to lead you in the direction you want (or need) to go. A wise guide on all matters relating to leadership and workplace dynamics, Nell won’t fail to impress you.
Carleen F
Financial Services | Superannuation | Governance | Risk | Strategy
Nell was the coach/facilitator on the 12 month Women in Leadership program I participated in, from which I gained profound insights and an enduring network. A true professional, Nell’s commitment to our learning was relentless, challenging us constantly to shift from our set ways and responses, to view the world and indeed behave in the world, both personally and professionally in a more evolved way.
Nikki Kemp
Board Advisor, Sustainable Finance and Investment Consultant
Over a period of 12 months, I was fortunate to have Nell as my career coach. I found her coaching skills extremely valuable to both my personal and professional development. I would not hesitate in recommending Nell as a coach for your career development.
Nicole Hogan ESM
NSW State Emergency Service
Assistant Commissioner Emergency Management
Nell is a great facilitator and highly effective coach. I highly recommend Nell as a coach.
Cynthia Lui
Non-Executive Director | Social Impact Student
I was privileged to have Nell as my executive coach as part of a Women’s Executive Leadership Program. Nell is not only a highly competent practitioner and educator she is a wonderful person and someone I am proud to recommend for her skills.
Lucy Cuddihy
Non-Executive Board Director | Management Consultant
Nell is an extremely professional, well-organised and talented coach, facilitator and convenor. She is also a delight to work with. I would recommend her highly.
Tracey Spicer AM GAICD
Author o f MAN-MADE. Global keynote speaker, emcee. TV presenter and multiple Walkley Award winning journalist
I worked with Nell for a year in a mentee/mentor relationship. Nell was a wonderful mentor, gently enabling and leading so that I grew under her guidance. Nell enabled me to experiment with creative solutions to problems within a safe and supportive environment, which challenged me, and then allowed me to be stronger and more confident in my professional practice. Nell suggested a number of resources which could be helpful to me, and which I still use now.
Nicola Rosenthal
Community and Residential Aged Care Professional
I had the pleasure of working with Nell during my leadership program with Women in Leadership Australia. Nell was an amazing coach, with a wonderful ability to ask the questions that allowed me to better understand myself and identify how I could be more effective. I highly recommend her to anyone looking to improve their leadership capability.
Alana Parker
Royal Freemasons’ Benevolent Institituion
Chief Marketing Officer
Nell is an extremely skilled executive coach and accomplished facilitator. She has a unique aptitude for asking the right questions, which in turn enable you to progress with the confidence required for key decision making (from a business and personal career perspective). She provides tools that you can take forward long into your career. I highly recommend Nell for one to one coaching and group / companywide leadership and change management programmes.
Victoria Bond
Ricardo Energy & Environment
Technical Director
I credit Nell with the best learning outcomes that I’ve experienced; her insight and support was an critical part of my growth over the 12 months that she coached me. Not only did her coaching provide significant support at the time, I have now internalised her words, and I find myself drawing on them, time and time again. Nell’s coaching has continued to influence how I approach my own career, and I’m more than grateful for her wise words and useful insights.
Christina Stothard
Defence Science and Technology
Computational Behavioural Scientist, NAVIGATE program
Nell is an insightful, intuitive and purposeful leader. Nell brings people together with an adaptive and fluid coaching style. She has the knack of guiding her students through a curriculum without showing them the way, allowing them to coerce, discover and unravel the components of a bigger picture for themselves. Nell’s authenticity helps you discover and brand your own. She is committed, driven, reliable and resilient. I highly recommend Nell as a coach, trainer, confidant and leader.
Cathy Galli
Environment & Sustainable Development, NFP Board Member
Nell Wilson is one of those rare people with a true talent for mentoring. Nell stepped in part way through my advanced women’s leadership program and worked with me to support my personal journal. She has laser sharp insight which she balanced with immense compassion to ensure that the program was tailored to my needs and development. Nell is a superb executive coach and facilitator with a true passion for ensuring others’ success.
Dr. Susan Neuhaus AM CSC
Non-Executive Director, Surgeon, Academic, Author
Working with Nell has been a game changer for my professional life. With Nell as a strong, supportive and compassionate coach, I was able to identify my limitations and set goals to overcome them. Since working together I have a fresh and bright perspective on the future.
Brydie Fitz-Gerald
The Royal Children’s Hospital and Centre for Health Analytics
Improvement Manager
From our first meeting I was instantly impressed by Nell’s experience, knowledge and passion for leadership development. When creating a panel of coaches it was an easy decision to include her and the feedback from the coachees and their line managers was always exceptional. Nell has a professional and pragmatic approach. She was focused on building excellent relationships and business outcomes and as such openly shared ideas to help improve our program, provided a wealth of guidance to build capability and attended to all things in a timely manner. Feedback from coachees included her ability to easily connect and build trust , help them to identify clear goals and be comfortable with vulnerability and areas of development, She had a manner and a persistent way of holding people to account – ensuring they were committed to action and sustainable behavioural change. I would have no problems recommending Nell.
Mardi Wyndham
Moose Toys
Learning and Organisational Development Director
Nell has provided both my teams and myself great support understanding how we best work as a unit and refining our individual needs and goals, it is always great fun working with Nell
Peter Franzman
Portfolio Management, Delivery, Operations and Product Specialist
I had the pleasure of meeting Nell through one my colleagues who was was able to recommend Nell after attending a Woman in Leadership program. After discussing the needs of the management team at the MCA, Nell has a natural ability to engage and challenge the status quo. The feedback following the 2-day leadership development program was so impressive, she was described as thought provoking, insightful and incredibly inspiring.
Dee Brown
Senior Human Resources Leader
As a leader within my organisation and with some significant changes to my group looming, I recognised that a coach would really assist me in preparing to navigate my way through the changes ahead and ensure I was prepared both personally and as a leader. After meeting with Nell, I knew immediately that I wanted to work with her – Nell told me up front that she was keen to work with me but would hold me to account every step of the way, and she did. With Nell’s broad experience and wisdom, we were able to tackle a number of long standing issues that i didnt recognise were holding me back as a leader – I have never looked back. I would highly recommend Nell Wilson to anyone looking for a high performance coach.
Eddie Jager FIEAust, EngExec
Hydro Tasmania
Delivery Mangaer, Electrical Design
I had the pleasure of working with Nell through the Accelerate program and coaching sessions across the course of 2017. I found her to be a motivating and supportive coach, who has the brilliant ability to ask the right questions to get you to be where you need to be, while also challenging you in a positive way. I found Nell’s knowledge, advice and support invaluable as I made a transition in my career.
Caitlin Stonehouse-Penny
Sportsbet
Internal Communications Expert
As a General Manager navigating a broad range of activities in a busy industry, I benefitted from Nell’s coaching. She worked with me to gain insights from my CEO, peers and team about what was helping me and what was holding me back as a leader, and worked with us to support my development plan. She helped me understand tools, skills and techniques and strategies to improve my leadership. She also held me to account to the actions I committed to. I continue to build on the tools and skills from Nell’s coaching and highly recommend her as a coach.
Bess Clark
Senior executive enabling clean energy outcomes
I found Nell to be an excellent coach, she recognised when I was avoiding something and both tactfully and skillfully helped me to face issues and determine resolutions. Nell has great insight and comes across as very non-judgemental. She’s great at the art of debate, willing to be challenged and challenged me when I needed to be. I strongly recommend Nell as a coach!
Diane Hood
It was a pleasure to work with Nell. She is a very humanistic, encouraging and a dynamic coach who always gave me a different perspective on matters and great tools to build me up into the leader I am today. Nell always gave me her time and attention when I needed it most and I always felt safe to discuss any of my challenges, opportunities and success with her. She is a rare gem in many of the leadership coaches I have worked with and highly recommend Nell if you want a genuine, caring, intuitive and passionate leadership coach.
Julie Son
Senior People & Culture Professional
It is with great enthusiasm that I recommend Nell Wilson as a Coach and Leadership Developer. Nell’s knowledge of leading teams, becoming an effective leader, inspiring teams, change management, self-motivation, learning and development is a benefit to all leaders wanting to improve and be their best. I have been coached by Nell and only through her knowledge, skills and leadership qualities was I able to identify my own strengths and weaknesses and with this put in place strategies to monitor and improve.
Michael Buttigieg
V/Line
Head of Fleet
Nell has helped me enormously through my coaching sessions with her. From the first session, she helped me nail key objectives with practical applications which I was able to put into practice immediately which has helped me achieve my goals and grow my confidence. She also challenges me to think differently and offers a different perspective. Thank you Nell!
Louise Eckel
Visy
GM – Talent and HR Business Partnering
I have had the pleasure of working with Nell as an executive coach and as a leadership facilitator. Nell is very professional and a master of her domain. She ensures the message is received and always offers expertise gaining on her experience and wisdom. As a facilitator Nell always kept the group engaged and learning. Her delivery, content and course materials were always of high standard. As a coach, Nell is able to offer great wisdom and direction which provokes thought leadership. I have no hesitation in recommending Nell based on my experience with her over a period which spans 18 months.
Unal Altay
CIO | Strategic Leadership
Nell is an experienced and professional leadership coach. She quickly got the heart of how I operated as a leader and manager, offering solid advice on how to improve, as well as feedback on the journey. In addition, Nell helped me to better understand my value to a business and develop goals and strategies to support my career development. I will continue to recommend Nell as Executive and Leadership Coach.
Michael Mowat
Strategic Asset Management | Leadership | Management
I cannot recommend Nell and her Executive Coaching enough. Nell has helped me learn how to manage and in many cases overcome my workplace obstacles to improve my professional relationships and leadership value. Nell’s personalised approach and positive yet firm direction and support has been invaluable to me and I would recommend her as a coach to anyone.
Louise Young (PhD)
Merck Healthcare
Global Insights Development Lead & Country Support APAC
Nell is a fantastic coach. She is extremely pragmatic and was able to provide me with tools I could use both straight away and for many years to come, in order to become a more effective leader and HR practitioner. I couldn’t recommend her enough. Both my Manager and myself noticed a positive difference in my behaviour and approach at the end of our coaching sessions.
Radhika Peri
Arnold Bloch Leibler
Human Resources Manager
Nell, is a valued member of our Executive Coaching Panel. As an Exec Coach she is highly skilled at gaining trust and credibility quickly. With this, she is incredibly efficient at enabling positive change or encouraging action that drives higher performance. With Nell’s vast experience coaching executives globally, I would highly recommend her across all market segments and at the highest C-Suite level. You will be in great hands.
Robyn Creed ICF PCC, Dip.Pos.Psych
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
Snr. Talent Manager APAC & Coaching Lead
I started working with Nell at the beginning of 2019 when I took on a new and challenging role as a turn-around executive. Nell provided exceptional executive coaching and guidance that helped me become a more in-tune and capable leader. One of the things I liked most about working with Nell is the objective perspective she would provide during high stakes scenarios. I highly recommend Nell for any executive considering a coach or mentor to support and guide them on their (often uncertain) journey. At the end of my coaching engagement with Nell, I summarized my key learnings in a blog post (link included below). Thank you again Nell, this has been such an informative and insightful experience and I hope to work with you again in the future.
Athena Koutsonikolas
VP of Marketing, North America
Nell is a great coach who both challenges and guides. I enjoyed working with her and definitely improved both my resilience and my performance.
Jennifer Gray
Zoos Victoria
CEO
I recently engaged Nell to facilitate a series of focus groups with staff and our senior leadership team to further understand the necessary changes required for gender equality in our organisation. Nell is a brilliant facilitator- I couldn’t recommend her highly enough!
Zoe Quinn
Leadership. Community. Impact. Excellence
It is my pleasure to recommend Nell as a career coach and mentor. I returned from maternity leave in early 2020 with low confidence and I struggled to reconnect with my colleagues. With Nell’s calming, focused, reassuring and thoughtful guidance, I was able to re-gain my confidence in just a few short months, and pushed myself to consider new opportunities completely outside my comfort zone. Nell is wise, kind and generous with her time. The world would be a better place with more humans like Nell in it.
Clare Robertson
Infrastructure communications
Nell helped me greatly through my coaching sessions with her. She helped me identify key areas of focus and practical tools to be implemented immediately which helped me grow my confidence and progress my career. She is pragmatic, honest and encourages you to think differently and hold yourself to account. I have no hesitation in recommending Nell.
Heath Dillon
Finance | Projects | Systems | Commercial
I was fortunate enough to work with Nell for 12 months as my leadership coach. In that time Nell came to the table with some great questions and opened my mind to some new leadership philosophies. With Nell’s insight and guidance I have benefited by becoming a more effective leader.
James Knight
Moose Toys
GM of Design
First class leadership coach
Lisa Kruesi
Researcher and Director
Nell is an amazing Coach, with a wealth of insights and experience. I strongly believe in always continuing your development, and Nell was able to provide me great support and suggestions. If you are looking for an experienced executive coach, then I would highly recommend Nell.
Catherine Baxter
Experienced C-Suite Executive Leader
I cannot rave enough about Nell as an executive coach – she’s warm, inviting, and a joy to engage with, yet challenges her clients with actionable feedback that inevitably accelerates their growth as leaders. I’ll be seeking Nell’s mentorship many times over in the years to come!
Mark Frego
Moose Toys
VP of Sales
Working with Nell was fabulous. She had incredible insights into any areas that I raised that I would like coaching in. She was understanding and in-touch with what my opportunities were and was a lighthouse in areas that seemed foggy to me. With a broad knowledge base and great resources to follow up with, I cannot recommend her higher to anyone looking to expand themselves in any industry.
Craig Stevenson
Moose Toys
Creative Director (Design)
Nell has supported me with Executive coaching at pivotal moments over the past 5 years. There are many reasons why I choose to come back to Nell when I need that extra support. Nell took the time to understand my specific and personal needs from the outset, meaning she is able to get to the root cause of the support I need. I implicitly trust her guidance. I never feel judged, but welcome and relish the challenge she provides. Nell is a coach in the truest sense – she helps me find my own solutions which inevitably means I actually act on them. With Nell’s support I have been able to recognise and realise my ambitions. Thank you Nell!
Kate Ireland FCA
Yorkshire Building Society
Chief Internal Audit Officer (SMF5)
I was fortunate to receive leadership training from Nell this past year. One of the best traits a coach can have is to listen. Our leadership strategies and situational management discussions were more robust because Nell took the time to listen and understand my experiences and how they related. Nell and I spent many hours together discussing various topics and approaches, but I spent even more time working and embracing these strategies into my day to day because I could see the impact Nell’s coaching had on me and my team. In my day to day management I find myself smiling because I hear Nell’s voice and her coaching continually making me a better leader. I highly recommend Nell to anyone looking to expand their leadership skill set.
Brian Weiss
Goliath Group North America
President
Nell is an absolute pleasure to work with. Seeking first to listen and understand, her vast experience in the executive coaching space allows her to effortlessly draw from previous situations and publications to offer relevant and actionable guidance in real time. Nell genuinely cares for her clients and is as invested in achieving their goals as they are. I most appreciated Nell’s willingness to keep conversations candid and call it how she sees it. I would recommend Nell to anyone who asked for my endorsement, I think she can spur positive growth at any level.
Andy Grill
Just Play Products
VP of Sales
An experienced coach for women leaders
Many professional women have worked with Nell to progress their careers in a world where there are many gender-specific challenges.
Whether you are an emerging leader, an experienced leader or a C-Suite Executive, Nell has the personal experience and qualifications to help you to achieve your goals.
Nell’s clients have had great success in taking on more significant roles after having individual coaching with Nell or after completing Nell’s women in leadership programs.
Experienced Leader
Qualified Coach
Pragmatic Approach
Activating women in leadership
The Activate Leadership for Women was developed by Nell as in introductory program for women wanting to step into leadership roles or for those who are a new leader.
This program focuses on the foundational skills for developing skills and knowledge to be effective leaders. At the core of the Activate Program are four key areas of development. They are:
- Directing your career forward
- Developing greater confidence and presence
- Increasing impact and influence
- Developing and maintaining professional resilience
Women completing this program find it provides them with the essential skills to support them at the start of their leadership journey.
Women accelerating their careers
The Accelerate Leadership Program for Women has been created by Nell to empower women to advance in their careers. it is a comprehensive program containing a series of specific workshops relevant to women in leadership.
The workshops cover various aspects of leadership development. They help women to:
- understand their strengths
- plan their career paths
- improve communication skills
- develop a strong leadership presence
- build resilience in themselves and others
Many women who have completed this program have seen significant career growth. This makes the Accelerate Program a valuable tool for women looking to advance their careers as well as for organisations aiming to promote gender diversity in leadership positions. This program has been facilitated for hundreds of women worldwide with graduates in the US, UK and Australia.