Women's Development Forum
The Women’s Development Forum “WDF” was founded in September 2009 by Michelle Johansen. Dedicated to supporting working women in Guernsey to find greater career success and fulfillment while building strong network connections; its ultimate aim is to help increase the number of women in senior leadership positions on the island by untapping the potential in the female workforce. Utilising team coaching and group facilitation methodologies, members meet to address how they can each move past the real and perceived barriers in their working lives.
New Developments
WD Forum LGB a Not-for-Profit organisation
www.wdforum.org
The Women's Development Forum has now been established as a Limited by Guarantee company and has a pending application for Not-For-Profit status. Full details of the Women's Development Forum, how to become a member and our exciting new programme for 2011/2012 can now be found on the dedicated website as detailed above.
You can also apply by completing the attached form 
Details of the 2011/2012 programme
In 2008 Johansen Executive Coaching conducted a survey of top male and female executives to discover why women remain an under-represented minority in senior management in Guernsey.
The number of women at board level in the UK is declining and Guernsey has made slow progress in this area, despite on-island labour shortages. Evidence from the US and Europe appears to show senior teams with a minimum of 30% female membership have improved business performance, largely due to the different innate strengths that women bring to the table. Society, culture and the economy have a large role to play in the gender issue. However it is possible for women to improve their prospects of securing a top team position by analysing their own behaviours and attitudes and taking responsibility for how they are consciously or unconsciously supporting or undermining their progress.
To download the Women in Leadership Report click
Leadership for Women Coaching Programme
Executive coaching is designed to inspire and support personal development to maximise potential. Although each individual will face their own unique challenges, this study suggests focus areas where women can make personal changes and transformation to improve their chances of securing senior executive positions: - confidence building, exploring unconscious behaviour patterns and limiting beliefs associated with gender, increasing the ability to give and receive feedback, refining communications skills, creating “appropriate” presence & impact and handling stress.
As well as maybe the biggest single factor identified, supporting women to overcome their natural reticence to self promotion and putting themselves forward as available for senior positions.
Download the Leadership for Women Coaching Programme click