Session1
Leadership Development & Excellence
Sussannah Kelly, Executive Vice President, DHR International
9:00-10:00
Panel: Creating Conditions For The Next Generation
Willa Black, Vice President Corporate Affairs, Cisco Canada
Nancy Nazer, Senior Vice President Organization Development, Talent and Learning, Rogers Communications
Della Shea, Chief Privacy & Information Risk Officer, Symcor Inc.
Linday Hartley, Vice President Sales, Global Transaction Banking, CIBC
There is no denying the importance of the role that women leaders are now playing and the impact that they are having in today’s corporate world. However, the road to leadership is still not an easy path for most young women. This panel will examine the challenges being faced by up-and-coming women leaders and will provide insight into how to shape your leadership style by playing to your strengths.
Challenges in establishing authority in young female leaders
What can be done to encourage leadership positions to the younger generation
Role that technology can play in promoting female leadership
Identifying the unique challenges facing young female leaders today
Tools used in developing financial literacy and independence among young women
Responding to the demands for new working arrangements and environments for millennials
10:00-10:30
Networking Skills
Daniella E. Dimitrov, Chief Financial Officer, Orvana Minerals Corp.
Networking is an effective career-building tool that, if executed properly, can go a long way in establishing and reinforcing your personal brand. This presentation will explore methods for dramatically improving your networking skills, providing you with practical tips.
Power of personal connections and community engagement to build your personal brand
Using networking as a career and business building tool for women business leaders
Affinity networking through associations and groups
Tips for improved networking online: use of social media
Leveraging strategic business relationships through collaboration
10:30-11:00 NETWORKING BREAK
11:00-11:30
Power of Mentoring
Lynn Moen, Senior Vice President Tax, Walton Global Investments Ltd.
This discussion is designed to help you tap into the power of mentoring for women leadership development. Learn best practices to optimize the success of mentoring relations in order to maximize career and professional development potential, as well as improve performance and achieve strategic business goals.
Critical components of a successful mentoring relationship
Assessing developmental needs and objectives
Clarifying what is wanted and needed in the mentoring relationship
Selecting and matching a mentor: key considerations
Making the most of mentor interactions
Value-added of a mentor in performance management and improvement
Avoiding stumbling blocks: why some mentoring programs have faltered
11:30-12:00
Career Passion
Dessalen Wood, Vice President, Talent Development, Cineplex Entertainment
Heather Briant, Senior Vice President, Human Resources, Cineplex Entertainment
In order to achieve professional and personal success, you need to do what you love and love what you are doing. To rise to a position of leadership in today’s competitive environment, an unrelenting focus and passion for your work is paramount. This discussion will explore key factors to building a fulfilling career.
Finding your passion: a journey of discovery
Honing your personal strengths and abilities
Identifying your passion and riding it to success
Tips for overcoming obstacles in your career journey
Finding balance and fulfillment in life and career
12:00-12:30
Becoming an Exceptional Leader
Sussannah Kelly, Executive Vice President, DHR International
The world in which we live in today is ambiguous, complex, and fast-moving. Leading in this environment requires a different set of skills than those required in previous decades. The most successful organizations and executive teams are those that work collaboratively, leveraging the unique strengths of each team member. By recognizing and leveraging their unique strengths, women can have greater impact as leaders, without having to fit an unrealistic vision of the ideal leader, which is so often based on masculine traits. This session will explore the process of becoming an exceptional leader in today’s world.
Understand the difference between traditional and current leadership requirements
Recognize the power in leveraging strengths rather than focusing solely on closing skill gaps
Examine unique strengths of women and identify where they can have a greater impact as leaders
Define the contribution women want to make as leaders and the actions required to achieve that vision
Session2
Women at Their Best
Esther Zdolec, Executive Vice President, Human Resources, Infrastructure Ontario
1:30-2:00
Navigating Career Changes
Andrea Wood, Senior Vice President, Legal Services, TELUS
As women leaders, we recognize the need to be adaptable in the face of change, finding a way or blazing a new path to make the most of opportunities. Career progression is a voyage of discovery, and this presentation will share experiences and insights into navigating the twists and turns of a career change. This session will explore the practical considerations that go into career choices and changes.
Capitalizing on opportunities to broaden experience
How to transfer experience and skills to different sectors
Continuous development: demonstrating acumen and competence in a new realm
Deepening your networks and support systems
Adaptability, flexibility, expansion: asking the “what if” question
2:00-2:30
Negotiation Skills
Susan Kelly, Senior Director Business & Rights, CBC English Services
The extent to which we are able to achieve success - at work, at home, or anywhere else, while nurturing positive and productive relationships - rests on our skills and confidence in negotiating. This session will explore approaches and perspectives on negotiating, with a focus on demystifying and de-stressing this much maligned capability.
What negotiating is – and isn’t
Why most of us hate negotiating
Why we need to be good negotiators
How to become an effective negotiator
Having fun negotiating
2:30-2:45 NETWORKING BREAK
2:45-3:15
Community Leadership
Eve Adams, Member of Parliament Mississauga Brampton South and Parliamentary Secretary (Health), Parliament of Canada
Critical skills needed for career advancement and success in your professional life can be developed and honed through volunteerism. As well, volunteerism is consistent with the goals of corporate social responsibility. This session examines the benefits of volunteerism for women and how it can contribute to overall personal development and growth.
Benefits of volunteerism for women
Personal development, growth and contribution as one aspect of a balanced career
Role volunteerism can play in your organization’s CSR efforts
Volunteerism as a cost-effective tool for career development and training
Power skills gained from volunteer activities
3:15-3:45
Influential Leadership
Esther Zdolec, Executive Vice President, Human Resources, Infrastructure Ontario
The concept of leadership is evolving towards a style that depends on influencing, rather than commanding. An influential leadership style is suited to the dispersed, networked nature of many businesses today, where informal leadership through influence develops relationships that shape thinking and gather support. This session will focus on the principles and characteristics of effective influential leadership.
Developing your abilities to influence
Influential leadership practices for best results
Gaining commitment and building partnerships
Influencing strategies
Establishing and leading successful teams and building strategic working relationships
3:45-4:15
Qualities To Lead, Qualities That Hinder
Amy Stephenson, Chief Financial Officer, Goldeye Explorations Ltd.
While it is impossible to establish a set of qualities that can be attributed to all women, certain leadership qualities are critical to the long-range success of organizations. This session will focus on the leadership qualities to be nurtured and developed for high potential women candidates, while addressing some qualities that can hinder success.
Uncovering the qualities needed to become tomorrow’s leaders
Developing emotional intelligence and interpersonal skills
Developing your natural skills and working at using them as effectively as possible
Fostering the leadership qualities that women possess
Qualities perceived to be career-limiting: the need for diagnosis and remedy
4:15-5:00
PANEL: Enhancing Emotional Intelligence
Lynn McNeil, Vice President Manufacturing Operations, Sandvine Corporation
Marni Johnson, President, Workplace Communication & Diversity Inc.
Melanie Laflamme, Senior Vice President Human Resources and Organizational Development, YMCA of Greater Toronto
The most effective leaders are those that are aware of their own emotions and who have the ability to understand the emotions of others. This panel discussion explores key issues and considerations in the development of a higher level of emotional intelligence for effective leadership.
Understanding how the way you manage your emotions affects your job performance and career success
Managing your own emotions and remaining in control even in the most challenging workplace situations
Identifying your emotional triggers and changing how you react to high-stress situations
Session3
Strategies and Skills for Successful Leaders
Claire Silvester, Vice President Human Resources, Vector Aerospace
9:00-10:00
PANEL: Leading In Man’s World
Fariba Rawhani, Senior Vice President, Chief Information Officer, Home Capital Group Inc.
Sarah Padfield, Vice-President, Chief Operating Officer, Chatham-Kent Health Alliance
Sophia L. Levy-Presner, Vice President, Human Resources, Motion Specialties
Wendy Cukier, Vice President, Research and Innovation, Ryerson University
Though merit-based objectivity should be the determining factor for climbing the corporate ladder, women still face unique challenges that can impede their rise through corporate ranks. This session will draw on the panelists’ experiences to provide insight into how to not only survive, but flourish as a woman in today’s business world.
Essential qualities for women in leadership
Obstacles encountered on the road to success
Keys to achieving your professional and personal goals
Are opportunities increasing for women executives in today’s business world?
10:00- 10:30
Effective Leadership Communications
Nicole Foster Woollatt, Vice President, Global Public Affairs
One of the most effective ways for women to project confident leadership is through clear and impactful communications. This presentation will share insights and learnings on how we can assess and enhance communication in a variety of contexts and achieve positive leadership results.
Reassessing your assumptions about how you communicate
Identifying strategies for projecting clarity and inspiring confidence
Delivering your message with empathy and authenticity
Listening and reading your audience
Aligning verbal and nonverbal communication
10:30-11:00 NETWORKING BREAK
11:00-11:30
Being Exceptional
Bindu Cudjoe, Deputy General Counsel & Chief Administrative Officer, BMO Financial Group
Behind every single success story is a series of challenges that someone has worked hard to overcome through creativity, leveraging resources, and a lot of hard work. Discover how approaching your career and your life with a dedication to being exceptional builds a unique “umbrella” that will protect you from any storm.
Real-life “being exceptional” stories and case studies
Recognizing opportunities for self-reflection, innovation and creative problem solving
Planning for success
11:30-12:00
Building Resilience
Claire Silvester, Vice President Human Resources, Vector Aerospace
Resilience, how we respond to setbacks and overcome challenges, becomes increasingly important at senior levels, perhaps more so for women in leadership. This session will discuss how we can build resilience in leadership development.
Behavioural and performance aspects of resilience in leadership, wisdom that can be gained from proverbs
Developing flexibility and adaptability in women leaders while remaining true to one’s self
Developmental assignments for building resilience by challenging one’s self
Networking for success accepting the need at times to seek assistance and to make the time to assist others
Case examples: lessons in adaptability and strength of purpose – historic and modern role models
12:00-12:30
Gender Intelligence
Elizabeth Alves, Vice President Internal Audit and Risk Management, Cogeco
Gender intelligence incorporates an understanding and appreciation of the attitudinal and behavioural differences between men and women in order to identify and leverage gender-related tendencies. This session will explore how to maximize workplace performance through valuing gender differences.
How to recognize, value and leverage differences
Understanding and appreciating the natural talents of men and women
Understanding each other’s ways of thinking and acting
Impact on communications & cooperation
Developing a culture of inclusiveness and difference-thinking
12:30-1:30 Lunch
Session4
Overcoming Hurdles
Chair Hatty Reisman, Founder and Senior Counsel, Reisman Law Offices
1:30-2:15
PANEL: Work-Life Balance
Chair Hatty Reisman, Founder and Senior Counsel, Reisman Law Offices
Kelly Harper, Director Brand & Customer Experience, BMO Financial Group
Brenda Macdonald, Vice President, Law, Ontario Power Generation
Annette Gibbs, Vice President, North American Work Health Strategies, Sun Life Financial
Personal time management skills are critical in reaching your full potential both at work and at home, as women in leadership have significant work-life choices to make. This panel discussion will explore strategies for achieving a better work-life balance.
Unique challenges women face reconciling their work and personal lives
Creating a work-life strategy and action plan
Adjusting mindset: deciding what is important and effectively delegating the not-so-important
Clarifying priorities: individual challenges and degrees of importance
Practical tips and advice for achieving better work-life balance, health and well-being
Latest trends in work-life initiatives geared for women in the workplace
2:15-2:45
Leading & Living The Brand
Beth Gearing, Vice President Legal, Delta Hotels and Resorts
As leaders, we are each charged with leading our corporate brand, winning and retaining customers and delivering on the brand’s promise. As women, we often bring a fresh and unique perspective to branding, one that needs to be inculcated within the corporate culture. This discussion will explore effective strategies, as well as the particular sensitivities that women leaders can bring to the fore when leading and living the brand.
Incorporating the emotional intelligence that women bring to leadership into the branding process
Importance of being able to connect people to the brand at an emotional level so they can live it in an authentic way
Understanding our own values as women leaders and how we align our values with that of the organization
How the emotional intelligence we bring to the role allows us to connect at a values level
2:45-3:00 NETWORKING BREAK
3:00-3:30
Workplace Conflict
Lynn Waterston, General Manager, Vice President, Human Resources, Kerr Financial Group
The ability to effectively handle conflict and confront attitudinal problems underlying performance issues is key to being an effective leader. While some conflicts are inevitable and even healthy, others, if not recognized and managed appropriately, can have negative impacts on your organization. This session will consider how gender differences come into play when dealing with workplace conflict and, with a woman’s approach at its focus, offer and explore practical advice to help better resolve conflicts.
Gender differences in dealing with workplace conflict
Leadership style and workplace conflict
Dealing with exclusionary behaviour
Assertiveness and the balanced response
Effective conflict resolution strategies
3:30-4:30
Women Get on Board
Deborah Rosati, Corporate Director, Sears Canada Inc.
The progress of Canadian women holding corporate board positions has been slow and incremental at best. Yet increasing gender diversity on boards should be a priority for companies aiming to remain competitive in the global marketplace. This presentation will examine practical strategies on how women in executive positions should prepare themselves to be eligible for positions on public company boards.
Recruiting corporate directors from among women in executive positions
Director recruitment process: nominations committees, recruitment firms versus an informal referral system among directors
Women’s value-add to corporate boards
Facilitating the readiness of women for board positions
Encouraging boards to recruit qualified women for board seats
4:30-5:00
Entrepreneurial Leadership
Laural Carr, Owner, Impagination Inc., Director of the Canadian Association of Women Executives and Entrepreneurs
Increasingly, women are becoming leaders of their own businesses or leaders of fast growing organizations. In order to achieve success, well-grounded entrepreneurial thinking is an invaluable asset. This discussion provides insights into leadership strategies for achieving success.
Key factors in successful entrepreneurial leadership
How to get support in building a business
Role of gender in entrepreneurial leadership education and training
Methods for strengthening entrepreneurial leadership skills
Women entrepreneurs’ characteristics
Barriers and conflicts encountered by women business owners and leaders
