FAQ

Our vision is to manifest equity in leadership in our lifetime with a mission to develop the mindset and skills of leaders at all stages of life so they can foster gender parity and cultures of inclusion. Get to know us.

The Simmons University Institute of Inclusive Leadership was founded in 2019 and builds on the University’s rich heritage of igniting positive action, fostering everyday leadership and striving for lasting social justice.

Being an inclusive leader means being deliberate about creating a culture where everyone feels valued and appreciated for who they are. It means making sure everyone is able to contribute fully and bring their best self to work, in an atmosphere of psychological safety. It also means a commitment to continuous learning and reflection, and being accountable.

All of our women’s leadership programs are taught through the lens of gender and other social identities. That means our approach appreciates how different social identities influence our life and leadership experiences. Our programs are built on an understanding that there is not one “right” way of doing anything and that leaders must learn to flex to effectively collaborate, influence and support others.

One key difference is that we are explicit about the role of gender and other social identities when it comes to leadership topics. In addition, being in a cohort of women allows for a deeper exploration of shared experiences, and a much more nuanced view of social identities in addition to gender.

The Institute offers a variety of leadership development programs for women:

• Simmons Leadership Conference
• Arrive & Thrive: Strategic Leadership for Women Certificate Program
• Custom Learning Journeys

Simmons has a strong tradition of empowering women, challenging traditional gender roles and a rich history of inclusion. If you self-identify as a woman, you are welcome to join any of the Institute for Inclusive Leadership’s women’s leadership programs.

We think about mentoring, sponsoring and allyship as actions, so you can do all three things in the context of a single relationship. Mentoring can include giving advice, providing social support, and explaining the unwritten rules of the organization. Sponsoring is when you leverage your position of power to advocate for someone else to give them access to an opportunity. And allyship is when you are in a position of privilege based on a social identity, and you use that to amplify the voice and support the development of people who don’t share that social identity.

Our offerings include:

• Inclusive Leadership in Action Certificate Program
• An overview of our framework of the Work of the Inclusive Leader™
• The Inclusive Leader’s Playbook (coming soon!)
• Podcasts, articles, and other thought leadership

Our research is conducted in accordance with academic standards and best practices. All research is reviewed and approved by the Simmons University Institutional Review Board.

The Institute has a proven track record of successfully serving thousands of attendees and participants with successful and engaging online programs and convenings.

Delivery of Large Scale Conferences
In response to the global pandemic, the 41st Simmons Leadership Conference was one of the first large convenings to convert to a fully online experience in April of 2020. At the Institute we have a dedicated team with significant experience in producing high quality events + over 15 years of expertise in designing and executing virtual learning. Combining those strengths we were able to imagine, architect and support a live online experience for over 3,000 attendees while seamlessly supporting world-class keynote speakers and serving as a model for true intimacy can look and feel like in a large scale online convening. We are excited to do it again this year where it promises to be even bigger and better – join us!

Delivery of Online Learning Journeys
As professional architects of high-impact leadership journeys, the Institute has in-depth knowledge and experience in online learning design geared specifically for an adult learner. We know how to build a multifaceted educational experience beginning with the end in mind. Harnessing the brilliance of many diverse perspectives and creating the right learning journey that include multi-media action based learning, virtual team collaboration and personal reflection allowing for opportunities of true growth and connection – this is what we do best. Connect with an expert.