10 Leadership Events and Training Opportunities for Women in 2024
Leaders are life-long learners. Yet it isn’t always easy to find the time to dig into intentional, focused professional development opportunities. Perhaps you’ve set fresh professional development goals and picked up a few new leadership books. You may also be researching training opportunities and events. When so many of us now work in hybrid environments, I find tremendous value in live interaction, whether it’s via a webinar, conference, or networking event.
Face-to-face connection isn’t the only reason why leadership training is important. Attending even just a handful of leadership events throughout the year can have a powerful impact on your professional development journey. These opportunities can introduce you to new topics and technologies (think: the impact of AI on your industry), help you explore new points of view, build your network, and pressure-test new ideas.
If you are interested in strengthening your leadership skills this year, here are some of the leadership training seminars that are on my radar for 2024. Many focus on women in leadership, as women may have the most to gain from opportunities that align with their specific workplace challenges.
Virtual leadership training opportunities for women
1) LeanIn.org Free Leadership Training Events
Connect with women from around the world by joining one of LeanIn.org’s free virtual events. Many virtual circles are dedicated to training women to administer programming around allyship and fighting gender bias in the workplace. Lean In also has bite-size skill-building video resources, such as How to Become a Transformational Leader, How to Find Sponsors Who Will Accelerate Your Career, and Negotiation Advice for Women. Videos are less than 10 minutes each, making them easy to fit into a busy workday. In our Women in Leadership Cohort at Syracuse University, we talk a lot about the value of sponsorship, and how it extends well beyond mentorship. These resources help make the distinction.
2) Harvard Business Review Webinars
I’m always reading and sharing HBR’s articles, and their webinars are just as insightful. Throughout the year, HBR hosts free webinars on a variety of forward-thinking business topics, and past webinars are available to watch on-demand. Recent topics have included How to Boost Employee Engagement in 2024, Reskilling in the Age of AI, and The Value of Digital Transformation.
3) Free Online Courses from Catalyst
Catalyst is a nonprofit organization with a mission to accelerate progress for women through workplace inclusion. The group offers a variety of online courses, such as Becoming a Successful Leader, Leading with Effective Communication, and Understanding Gender Equity. Courses can be audited for free, or students can choose to receive a verified certificate for a small fee.
4) Women in Leadership: Inspiring Positive Change (Coursera)
This 5-week, 13-hour virtual course aims to inspire and empower people to engage in purposeful career development, take on leadership for important causes, and improve workplaces and communities for all. While watching videos and reading articles is required, participants are also invited to take part in personal reflective exercises and discussion forums to enhance their learning.
In-person leadership events for women
5) Women Lead Festival
The two-day Women Lead Festival will take place in Brooklyn, NY on June 13–14, 2024. The event brings together women leaders across business, nonprofits, public policy, science, and the arts. This year’s agenda previews a variety of timely topics, including personal branding, social entrepreneurship, women in AI, building inclusive workplaces, and navigating the challenge of health equity.
6) Forbes Power Women’s Summit
The Forbes Power Women’s Summit will take place in New York and virtually this September. The day-long event brings together Olympians, Oscar winners, CEOs, and world leaders to participate in candid dialogue about setbacks and successes. For a taste of what to expect, check out the 2023 event recap to hear from speakers like Mary J. Blige, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, and Tiffany Haddish.
7) The Women in Leadership Institute
The Women in Leadership Institute is an annual event presented by Linkage. It’s a four-day immersive leadership development program designed to accelerate the advancement of women leaders across all levels, industries, and roles while providing networking opportunities. This year’s event will be held in Orlando, FL, and virtually, on November 11–14.
Industry-specific leadership workshops for women
No matter your industry, your line of work likely lends itself to webinars, conferences, and other events tied specifically to your vertical. For example, as a Chief Marketing Officer at a university, I am drawn to opportunities that focus on marketing, advertising, communications, and higher education. If you are in a similar field, here are some organizations and events to consider:
8) ACE Women’s Network Leadership Conference
The American Council on Education hosts the ACE Women’s Network Leadership Conference each spring. The event assesses and analyzes how general strategies intended to advance women in the sector may not be sufficient to support the professional growth and sustainability of all women — particularly women of color and marginalized identities. Participants have an opportunity to network, share insights, and attend thought-provoking topical sessions. While I missed this year’s event, I will be looking out for opportunities in the future.
9) Association of National Advertisers
If you’re a marketing professional curious about industry case studies and the next big thing, don’t miss the ANA’s robust calendar of in-person events, conferences, training sessions, and webinars. Upcoming virtual opportunities include Marketing in the Age of AI, Spin First-Party Data into Advertising Gold, and Unveiling Consumer Attitudes Across Media Platforms.
10) American Marketing Association
The AMA is another fantastic resource for virtual and in-person events geared toward marketing and communications professionals. This spring, the organization will host virtual workshops on brand-building and marketing in higher education. Later this year, the AMA will host its Symposium for the Marketing of Higher Education in Las Vegas on November 10–13.
Leadership training for women: more opportunities to explore
Taking part in webinars, conferences, and training programs encourages curiosity and develops an appetite for life-long learning. While some come with hefty registration fees, there are many no-cost opportunities to explore, especially in our post-pandemic world. Beyond the short list I’ve shared here, you’ll likely find professional development events through your own organization, local business and professional organizations, chambers of commerce, universities, non-profit organizations, LinkedIn, and word of mouth.
For more thought leadership content on storytelling, brand building, and women in leadership, visit my website, dararoyer.com.
