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Greenville Business Magazine

Nominations Open For 2019 Women's Leadership Institute At Furman University

Dec 24, 2018 11:02AM ● By Kathleen Maris
You are being invited to nominate someone, or to apply, for the Women’s Leadership Institute of Furman University.  This unique program was developed in 2015 to benefit women leaders who have demonstrated successful leadership and a willingness to help and mentor others. The Women’s Leadership Institute will begin on Wednesday, March 27, 2019 and will feature prominent Furman faculty and local business and civic leaders sharing their successes and struggles. The leadership theme for 2019 is “Reflection, Transformation and Self.” 

Developing skillfulness in how we approach our work, how we interact with others, and how we manage our under stress is fundamental to becoming an effective leader. Gallup Research has proven that the best opportunity for women to grow and develop is to identify the ways in which they most naturally think, feel, and behave and then build upon those talents to create strengths. Knowing more about your talents improves personal engagement and enhances your quality of life. Strengths-based leadership will be a central focus during session one with Kim Keefer, director of the Shucker Center for Leadership Development.

In session two, Dr. Cynthia King, department chair and associate professor of Communication Studies, will introduce us to how we can cultivate presence and voice, which will help us thrive in the workplace. Research in psychology and neuroscience has shown that “mindfulness practices” strengthen attention and emotional stability. Mindfulness practices aim to quiet the mind in the midst of the stress and distraction of everyday life. Dr. Meghan Slining, assistant professor of Health Sciences, will present an overview of mindfulness, describe the physiology of the stress response, and introduce a few simple mindfulness techniques for participants to practice in session three.

Being aware of the potential for bias and how the social mind works, and intentionally thinking beyond expectations, is a first step in leading more mindfully, which we will learn in session four from Dr. Beth Pontari, associate provost for Engaged Learning and professor of Psychology. Throughout this spring, these and other relevant topics will be explored in the four-session program.

By nominating someone to participate in the Women’s Leadership Institute, you are recognizing and rewarding her for her performance and helping to ensure her continued growth as a leader.  Please take a moment to think about who you would like to nominate and then click here and fill out the from with the requested information. Your nominee will be mailed an invitation to apply to the program, which will begin in March 27, 2019.
 
If you would like to participate in the program, please click here in order to complete an application. Your application will be reviewed and you will be notified in the event that you are accepted into the program. Only a select group of applicants will be accepted into the program.

Contact Sam Tisdale at (864) 294-2156 should you have any questions.