ACTIONS
Action to Motivate
Women into Management
Positions!
– Shiseido Women's
Leadership Development
Session –
Action to Motivate
Women into Management
Positions!
– Shiseido Women's
Leadership Development
Session –
Shiseido aims to achieve a 50:50 ratio of male to female managers in the Shiseido Group in Japan by 2030, a symbol of equal opportunity. As a key action to achieve this goal, we have been promoting the “NEXT LEADERSHIP SESSION for WOMEN” (hereinafter, NLW), a women's leadership development session, since 2017. With top management appointed as the head of the session, the NLW aims to strengthen the pipeline of female managers and promotes initiatives that not only change the mindset of women themselves but also involve their superiors and the organization.
Details of our initiatives and the process by which we have evolved our training are presented.
“NLW in Brief”
Objective: To help female employees discover and exercise their own unique leadership styles while learning management and executive skills, so that they will have the confidence and readiness to make a greater impact.
Target: Female employees in pre-managerial and managerial positions and female employees who are candidates for executive officers
Main Content: NLW Basic/NLW/NLW Advanced
Outcome: 88% or more willingness to be promoted after the training
INDEX
01
What is NLW?
Program Structure of NLW
The NLW consists of the following three programs:
● NLW Basic*” for female employees who are candidates for managerial positions
● “NLW*” for female managers who are candidates for department/division heads
● “NLW Advanced” for female managers (department head level) who are candidates for Executive Officers
*”NLW Basic” and “NLW” also offer sessions exclusive to their managers.
Program Development Background
The NLW, which began as a program for female managers who were candidates for department/division heads, has expanded its target and evolved with the goal of strengthening the pipeline of the development of female managers in 2020.
It was designed to discover their own unique leadership and increase their self-confidence and preparedness by freeing them from the belief that they must be a charismatic leader or that they must demonstrate leadership to lead their team, and by exploring the core beliefs and mission of their personalities.
02
Key Points in the Evolution
and Design of the Program
Program Evolution
Initially, the program focused on building participants' self-confidence, but in order to enhance the “skills” required to exert influence, we incorporated “storytelling,” “strategic thinking,” and “coaching” into the program.
In addition, we started “Speak Jam,” a mentoring program between participants and female executive officers. This is a session where a small group of participants gather around a female executive officer and engage in dialogue to get career advice and tips.
The female participants shared their own concerns with the executive officer and other participants, which contributed to broadening their own vision of leadership. The program also provides an opportunity for the executive officer to listen to the opinions of their employees and get input for management.
Furthermore, the “NLW Advanced,” which is for candidates aiming to become the next executive officers, has evolved into a program that involves top management by having them formulate strategies from a manager's perspective, present them to the head of the session, and receive feedback.
Background to the Establishment
of the “Sessions for Superiors”
The “NLW” and the “NLW Basic” also offer sessions for the participants' superiors.
Feedback from an external lecturer who said, “Shiseido's female managers seem to be struggling alone” is what made us start this program. In order to solve the issue, the program was constructed with the aim of having the participants' superiors also understand the meaning of the program and accompany the participants.
In the program, superiors learn to recognize their own internal biases, acquire coaching skills that can be practiced in one-on-one sessions with participants, as well as the skills to gain deeper insight from participants, and make plans for strategic capacity development, which is essential for developing female leaders.
Key Points in Program Design
The following three points, which we emphasized in the design of this program, are the factors that have enabled it to function effectively as a key action in the development of our female leaders.
Key Point (1)
Expectations and follow-up from top management
Top management acts as the head of the session and provides direct messages and support to the participants. The head motivates the participants by conveying the meaning of the training and expectations for the participants in their own words.
Key Point (2)
Targets are women only
Initially, there were some arguments from the participants and those around them regarding the fact that the target is limited to women. However, participants being only women, gives them the advantage of a safe and secure relationship that leads to self-disclosure and deep reflection. After the course, they can create horizontal connections where they can consult with each other. These are the distinctive elements of this program.
Key Point (3)
Cycle of learning and practice of the “Law of 7, 2, 1”
It is said that 70% of learning on the job comes from “work experience,” 20% from “advice and feedback from superiors and seniors,” and the remaining 10% from “education and training.” Based on this rule, the participants first apply what they learn in the training program at their workplace, reflect on it through a one-on-one session with their superiors and coaching, and then take further action. By continuing this cycle during the course of the program for 8 to 10 months, we have established a culture of learning. In fact, we have received many comments from participants that they were able to feel their own growth from the training.
03
Program Outcomes and Participant Change
＜Program outcomes＞
(as of January 2024)
● Cumulative number of participants: 266 (NLW/NLW Basic/NLW Advanced all)
● Of the 184 participants, 97 were promoted (as of January 2023)
● More than 88% of participants responded in a survey after the program that they were “motivated to be promoted.”
Changes in Participants
Before the program, many participants were anxious and negative, commenting that they lacked self-confidence, they were not cut out to be leaders, and they had no idea about advancing a career, but after the program, they provided the following comments:
● “I have found my own style of leadership. I gained admiration and empathy for it from those around me, which gave me confidence.”
● “I was the one who thought there were restrictions, and I was the biggest obstacle. Instead of being humble, I now believe that I can contribute to the organization and the company by giving it my all.”
● “I now see it as a natural path to realize what I want to do by utilizing the position for that purpose. If I had the opportunity for a promotion, I would take it.”
The above is the background of program development, the evolution of that program, and key points in its design. Through this continued evolution, the NLW is now firmly established as an important key action in strengthening our women's leadership development and pipeline.
