When the YMCA of Greater Cincinnati came to us for a workshop, they had just begun the process of launching their women’s employee resource group locally. They had held a networking event, but wanted to set a tone for their initiative that was based in professional development and leadership.
After digging into the internal and external barriers that are unique to women and marginalized groups in the workplace, we led the women of the YMCA through the creation of a professional strategy map. This highly reflective process calls the participants to define their core values and vision before outlining objectives for the year ahead with specific strategies to achieving them. Attendees then had the chance to work together to form accountability networks and critique one another’s maps, asking each other: “Are we pushing ourselves hard enough? Have we added too much to our plate?”
We are continuing to working with the YMCA of Greater Cincinnati women’s employee resource group leadership team to collect and analyze data that will drive the implementation of programs going forward. Together we want to determine what the women of the YMCA really need from their women’s initiative as well as the best way to deliver it.
