August 2, 2024
in Leadership Development, Tech it Out

Budgeting season is indeed a crucial time for companies to strategize on professional development. The WICT Network Global and The WICT Network: Midwest provides a variety of educational programs designed to empower women leaders in media, entertainment, and technology. These programs cater to different career stages, from emerging leaders to C-suite executives, ensuring a match with personal and team goals.

Engaging in these programs not only enhances individual skills but also contributes to the collective progress of the team, aligning with the dual objective of personal and team development. Additionally, participating in mentoring roles can be a rewarding way to give back and foster the next generation of industry leaders. The WICT Network’s annual programs and conferences are designed to be inclusive, offering valuable insights and experiences for all career levels, making them a wise investment for both personal growth and team enrichment.

Asking your leader for professional development funding can be a great step for your career growth. Here are some tips to help you make a compelling case:

1. Do Your Research

2. Prepare Your Pitch

3. Make a Formal Request

Premier Management Development Series

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

The WICT Network: Midwest’s Premier Management Development Series (PMDS) creates an interactive, personalized development program that explores what it takes to be an effective and impactful leader at all points along the leadership journey. Through virtual learning sessions and peer-to-peer coaching pods, the program is designed to help participants focus on self-awareness, build a stronger leadership skillset, and develop practical tools to apply these new skills.

The program content is tailored to meet the needs of both emerging leaders with limited people management experience as well as more tenured seasoned leaders. To ensure the highest value for all, participants are assigned to classes where their peers have a similar level of leadership experience and tenure ensuring that learning content and facilitated discussions are customized to meet the needs of each class.

Registration: January/February

Program: April through October

Mentoring Program

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

The WICT Network: Midwest Mentoring Program is designed to provide career and personal development opportunities for women in the telecommunications industry. This program is in place to support both mentees and mentors in achieving goals. Participation in the mentoring program is not an assurance of promotional opportunities. However, it provides an excellent framework for career development.

This mentor program is free to join!

Registration: TBD

Program: Year-long

Rising Leaders Program

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

The WICT Network’s Rising Leaders Program (RLP) is a premier professional development program for emerging women leaders in media, entertainment and technology. Participants learn how to build and develop high-performing teams; expand their organizational impact; build alliances; assess diverse leadership styles, and more. During this week-long, intensive immersion program, participants take part in leadership analysis and case study work while expanding their professional networks.

Registration: August

Program: April through November

Executive Development Series

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Executive presence is the ability to command attention, build trust and inspire others to follow you. It’s an essential skill for women leaders in media, entertainment and technology, where the competitive business landscape is constantly evolving. This exclusive program is designed to equip you with the confidence and strategies you need to excel. You’ll gain access to a unique toolkit of powerful attributes, skills and thought processes that will propel you to new heights of success.

Registration: Summer

Program: September

Betsy Magness Leadership Institute

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Recognized as the premier leadership development program for senior-level women across media, entertainment and technology, The WICT Network’s Betsy Magness Leadership Institute (BMLI) is a highly sought-after opportunity.

Established in 1994, more than 1,200 top-ranking industry executives have graduated from the program. BMLI convenes top ranked executive education institutions to provide competitively selected leaders with a year-long, immersive experience focused on developing critical leadership competencies and a B2B network.

The curriculum blends experiential and data-driven approaches to mastering the skills necessary for success at the executive level. BMLI participants are immersed in hands-on learning activities, structured introspection, classroom lectures, research, and peer mentoring.  As part of the learning journey, BMLI incorporates custom, assessment-based executive coaching, providing participants with interactive, guided explorations of strengths, development opportunities and how to leverage and manage both for exponential leadership impact.

Registration: November

Program: Year-long

Betsy Magness Graduate Institute

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Created by The WICT Network and developed in partnership with the Center for Creative Leadership, the Betsy Magness Graduate Institute (BMGI) is designed anew annually to build upon the Betsy Magness Leadership Institute curriculum providing graduates with the latest tools, techniques and disciplines to hone their business strategies.

As a BMGI participant, you can expect to experience all that you’ve come to appreciate about Betsy Magness programs – learning, inspiration, community and reconnection! You will not only learn about the latest trends in leadership and strategic thinking from innovative subject-matter experts, but there will be ample time for networking with your peers.

Registration: July

Program: November

Conferences

The WICT Network: Midwest Tech it Out

Strengthening gender diversity fosters innovation and improves the bottom line. Programs like Tech It Out give our members tools they need to keep pace with the latest advances in technology while connecting them with industry leaders and pioneers.

The WICT Network’s Tech It Out initiative premiered in 2009 with the goal of creating strong women leaders in technology and raising awareness about the vast opportunities for women in the tech fields within our industry.

Registration: February

Program: April

The WICT Network Leadership Conference

Explore engaging super sessions, interactive workshops, expert panels, personalized coaching and ample networking opportunities designed to elevate your leadership skills at The WICT Network Leadership Conference.

The lineup includes thought leaders from diverse backgrounds—academics, business pioneers, technologists and futurists—each bringing invaluable insights gained from years of experience. They’ll cover a broad spectrum of topics crucial for navigating today’s dynamic industry landscape.

Registration: Summer/Fall

Program: October

May 17, 2023
in Leadership Development

One of the benefits of your membership with The WICT Network is access to chapter events across the nation. We’re pleased to share an opportunity presented by The WICT Network: Rocky Mountain: a four-part series that will help you explore your perspective on empowerment.

Series: Perspective Empowerment: Insight from the Enneagram Workshop

Facilitated by Calley Welborn each Wednesday in June from 2:00PM to 3:00PM (CT)

    • June 7
    • June 14
    • June 21
    • June 28

Series Description:

How do you see? How much easier would life be if people in your life could see things the same way you do?!

Although you may believe that everyone seeing things from your particular viewpoint could make life much easier, what might you miss? Your unique perspective is vitally important and absolutely necessary, but it’s still only a small part of the expansive wholeness available to us when we acknowledge, value, and integrate the diversity of perspective that inherently exists in our relationships, work teams, organizations, communities, and beyond!

Join us for this sequential four-part workshop series and become empowered to see and experience life fully!

Using foundational Enneagram wisdom as our guide, we will explore:

 

    1. The distinctly different ways each of us sees the world, encounters others, and moves through life

    2. How to thrive by intentionally choosing how you show up and respond to life

    3. Your power to cultivate compassion (for yourself and others), deepen authentic connection (with yourself and others), improve true belonging (for yourself and others), and experience healing transformation when you engage with life from a balanced, inclusive, comprehensive perspective.

 

About Calley:

 

Calley Welborn is a seeker, student, teacher, and guide who believes each person is purposefully created and implicitly loved. Practical application of Enneagram wisdom has allowed her to personally experience this truth, and to continually witness how we individually and collectively become whole when we recognize and embrace each of our unique perspectives. The freedom available from this transformational wholeness is what inspires her to share the Enneagram!

As founder of Undercurrent Enneagram Consulting LLC, Calley journeys alongside others on their adventures of self-discovery so they can emerge beyond the surface and thrive! Combining foundational Enneagram wisdom with extensive consulting experience in corporate, non-profit, and international mission environments equips Calley with a unique approach to support the specific needs and goals of individuals and organizations, while simultaneously empowering them to cultivate compassion, deepen authentic connection, increase true belonging, and experience healing transformation.

Calley lives in Westminster, CO and adventures through life with her partner and amazing 4-year-old son – traveling, looking through a camera lens, listening to inspiring podcasts, and enjoying nature whenever possible!

 

 

February 22, 2023
in Leadership Development

Anna Jankord was new to Midco and to the telecommunications industry when her leader encouraged her to join The WICT Network: Midwest. They also supported her in her decision to enroll in the Premier Management Development Series (PMDS), an annual program that is tailored to meet the needs of both emerging leaders with limited people management experience as well as more tenured seasoned leaders.

“I needed a boost of confidence in my leadership abilities and PMDS helped me find it!” says Jankord, Operations Training Program Manager at Midco. 

Since its inception in 2018, PMDS has helped 115 members of The WICT Network: Midwest improve their leadership and communication skills. Originally, the program was in-person, but had to transform to exclusively virtual at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“While we miss the personal connections from face-to-face interactions, the current virtual format allows for members from our entire footprint to participate and expand their personal network. It also lowers the overall investment for companies considering travel is no longer needed,” says Lisa Neuwirth, Immediate Past-President of The WICT Network: Midwest and coordinator for the program.

The change to a virtual format has allowed PMDS graduates to expand their network beyond their localized network. “I made lasting friendships with incredible women from across the region,” says Jankord.

The WICT Network: Midwest partners with Watermarq Consulting to guide our participants to build a stronger leadership skill set and improve self-awareness.

“I was beyond impressed with the quality of the PMDS program. Hilary and Todd are knowledgeable, passionate, and engaging. The topics covered were well-organized, thorough, relevant, and delivered in a way that was enjoyable and interactive,” says Noelle Tieszen, Senior CX Operations Manager at Midco.

The program consists of an initial one-on-one meeting with Watermarq, followed by nine 2.5 hour learning and development sessions over a six month time-frame.

“The program supports participants wherever they may be on their leadership journey. After going through the program, I enrolled my entire team of leaders to attend the following program—an investment that was well worth it!” says Tieszen.

Applications for the 2023 Premier Management Development Series are open now through March 24, 2023. Learn more about the program and apply today!

November 29, 2022
in Leadership Development

The WICT Network: Midwest is offering a Speakership Fundamentals program in partnership with the Master Speaker Lab. Members will have the opportunity to revive you’re their confidence in public speaking basics, while sharpening skills in body language literacy, speaking anxiety management— and efficient presentation strategies.

Participants reported a self-assessment growth of over 40% in:

  • Body Language & Delivery
  • Communication Mindset
  • Presentation preparation
  • Effective public speaking on the spot

Will This Benefit?

  • Team members: those who innovate, solve problems, collaborate with others and present their ideas
  • “Sudden Leaders”: individuals with specialized experience in one area, that now need to lead teams and face stakeholders
  • Established Leaders: speakers that need strategies to share their vision and inspire a call to action in their teams

Program Objectives:

  • Create action plan to manage nerves & anxiety
  • Build connections to novices and experts
  • Learning how to navigate surprises, pivots, and friction
  • Display confidence and leadership
  • Produce memorable presentations

Timing:

  • Friday, January 20 – Friday, March 3, 2023
  • 9:30 – 11:00 am CT
  • Price: $1,100

To apply for The WICT Network: Midwest Speakership Fundamentals program, please complete the following application. Participants must obtain approval from their manager to attend the program. There is an acknowledgement on the application that indicates manager approval. Announcement of applicant approvals will be sent the week of January 16th. The WICT Network Speakership Fundamentals program fee is due upon the applicants’ acknowledgement of acceptance into the program.