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    BPI Expert Faculty

    Sally Helgesen

    Expert Faculty Member

    Best Practice Institute

    Key Takeaways

    • 1.Sally Helgesen is a pioneering author and consultant focused on women's leadership and inclusive organizational architectures.
    • 2.Her seminal 1990 book, The Female Advantage, is considered a classic for its focus on women's unique leadership strengths.
    • 3.She is credited with introducing the concept of 'inclusion' to the business world with her book, The Web of Inclusion.
    • 4.Her work, including the co-authored How Women Rise, identifies and addresses habits that hinder women's career advancement.
    • 5.Helgesen is a member of the Thinkers50 Hall of Fame and has been ranked #1 in leadership by Global Gurus.

    About Sally

    Who is Sally Helgesen?

    Sally Helgesen is a distinguished author, speaker, and consultant renowned for her pioneering work in women's leadership and inclusive organizational architectures. As an expert faculty member at the Best Practice Institute (BPI), she dedicates her career to empowering women to recognize and leverage their strengths, while also guiding organizations in cultivating more inclusive and equitable cultures. Helgesen is a highly respected voice in the field, frequently cited for her innovative perspectives on leadership and workplace dynamics.

    Helgesen's mission extends beyond individual empowerment, focusing also on systemic change within organizations. She advises corporations, universities, and associations worldwide on strategies for fostering environments where diverse voices are heard and valued. Her contributions have earned her a place among the most influential thinkers in leadership today, recognized for her ability to translate complex concepts into actionable insights for leaders and teams.

    What is Sally Helgesen known for?

    Sally Helgesen is primarily known for her groundbreaking contributions to the understanding of women's leadership styles and her advocacy for inclusive organizational cultures. Her seminal work, The Female Advantage: Women's Ways of Leadership, published in 1990, is hailed as a classic in the field and has remained continuously in print, translated into 12 languages. This book introduced a fresh perspective on the unique strengths women bring to leadership, diverging from traditional, male-centric leadership models.

    Beyond her early work, Helgesen is also celebrated for introducing the concept of "inclusion" into business discourse through her book, The Web of Inclusion: A New Architecture for Building Great Organizations. This work was recognized by The Wall Street Journal as one of the best leadership books of all time, underscoring its significant impact on how organizations approach diversity and belonging. Her more recent book, Rising Together: How We Can Bridge Divides and Create a More Inclusive Workplace, continues this focus, offering practical strategies for building workplace belonging.

    Her expertise extends to identifying and addressing habits that hinder women's career advancement, as explored in How Women Rise, co-authored with Marshall Goldsmith. Helgesen is also a recipient of numerous accolades, including induction into the Thinkers50 Hall of Fame, being ranked #1 in leadership by Global Gurus, and receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Institute for Management Studies.

    What is Sally Helgesen's background and experience?

    With over three decades of experience, Sally Helgesen has established herself as a leading authority in leadership development and organizational change. Her extensive background as an author, speaker, leadership coach, and consultant has allowed her to work with a diverse range of clients globally. She has advised the United Nations on fostering inclusive country offices in Africa and Asia, and has led seminars at prestigious institutions such as the Harvard Graduate School of Education and Smith College.

    Her career highlights include a consistent focus on understanding how demographic, economic, and technological shifts influence the way people live and work. This holistic perspective enables her to provide relevant and forward-thinking guidance to organizations grappling with evolving workplace challenges. Helgesen

    Background & Perspective

    Background and Experience

    With over three decades of experience, Sally Helgesen is a leading authority in leadership development and organizational change. Her extensive background as an author, speaker, leadership coach, and consultant has allowed her to work with a diverse range of clients globally. She has advised the United Nations on building inclusive country offices in Africa and Asia and has conducted seminars at prestigious institutions, including the Harvard Graduate School of Education and Smith College. Her work consistently examines how demographic, economic, and technological shifts affect how people live and work, enabling her to offer forward-thinking guidance to organizations.

    Areas of Expertise

    Sally Helgesen specializes in a range of topics critical to modern organizational success, including:

    • Women's Leadership
    • Inclusive Culture Design
    • Organizational Development
    • Leadership Coaching
    • Workplace Diversity
    • Gender Equity
    • Strengths-Based Development
    • Cross-Cultural Communication

    Key Contributions and Publications

    Helgesen is renowned for her significant contributions to the fields of leadership and organizational culture. Her work has earned her numerous accolades, including induction into the Thinkers50 Hall of Fame, a #1 ranking in leadership from Global Gurus, and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Institute for Management Studies.

    Her major publications include:

    • The Female Advantage: Women's Ways of Leadership (1990): Hailed as a classic, this seminal work was the first to focus on the leadership styles women bring to organizations. It has been continuously in print and translated into 12 languages.
    • The Web of Inclusion: A New Architecture for Building Great Organizations: This book introduced the concept of "inclusion" into the business lexicon and was named one of the best books on leadership by The Wall Street Journal.
    • How Women Rise (co-authored with Marshall Goldsmith): This book identifies specific habits that can hinder women's career progression and offers strategies to overcome them.
    • Rising Together: How We Can Bridge Divides and Create a More Inclusive Workplace: Her recent work provides practical strategies for fostering a sense of belonging in the workplace.

    Areas of Expertise

    Women's LeadershipInclusive Culture DesignOrganizational DevelopmentLeadership CoachingWorkplace DiversityGender EquityStrengths-Based DevelopmentCross-Cultural Communication

    Research Topics

    LeadershipOrganizational CultureDiversity & InclusionProfessional Development

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