Women’s Executive Leadership: Business Strategies for Success

What attracted me to Wharton’s program was its focus on women. The way Wharton structured this program, we were able to become very close in a short time. There was a lot of exchange of experiences in a structured way — my class had women from Africa, Brazil, and the U.S., and we all have the same challenges. That was really comforting and exciting.

The emotional intelligence session was one of my favorite parts. You always think that you are a certain kind of leader but being able to detach and look at it from a different perspective was very helpful. I’ve applied insights I learned during the session every day, not only professionally but also personally. Also, I’ve worked in financial markets, which is a male-dominated environment here in Latin America and in the U.S. I was happy to learn that the challenges I had during my career were the same as the other women in the program regardless of their career focus or age.

This program has helped me tackle new opportunities as I’ve changed jobs, going from the Brazilian Stock Exchange to now being responsible for sales for Brazil’s first open-air shopping center that uses recycled containers. I am looking to be a transformation agent in the company and build a legacy professionally.”

Karina Melendez Head of Sales and Business Development, Vila Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil

Women in business are always compared to the highest-achieving men, never the mediocre ones. I feel like we wear a sort of invisible armor, especially in science where we are so outnumbered. You always have to be the best. I would never share my weaknesses with them. But the first day of Women’s Executive Leadership (WEXL) was like a high school reunion. We shared our challenges, which is something I would never do in another group. We were all very established women from many different industries and disciplines. I’ve always thought of myself as an R&D person — I have been in science for 25 years. But after the first few sessions in the Wharton program, I realized I could grow more. WEXL showed me that I have strengths on the business side. I never thought of myself that way. It really raised the bar on how I view myself and my strengths. I feel very empowered.”

Junko Stevens R&D Senior Director, ThermoFisher Scientific

It is rare to have the opportunity to share with other business women. Women are not a minority, but we often behave like we are. We keep our defenses up and feel the need to prove ourselves all the time. In this program, we were not competing — we were collaborating. From the beginning, it was like being in a group of people that you knew already. The usual competition, the hyper alertness you feel in other programs, wasn’t there. We were able to share personal things, talking about issues we struggle with every day. It wasn’t the main topic of the program, but it was interesting that we could be more open about things that we would not discuss in another environment. I have organized many leadership programs for MBA students both in Chile and overseas, and have also attended many programs. This one was really outstanding. We had some of Wharton’s top faculty with us every day — their energy and commitment to the program was a real bonus.”

Paula Broitman Professor of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile