Breaking the Glass Ceiling

ULI introduces mentoring for mid-career women

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Overview

Everyone needs guidance at critical career points. This is especially true for women in real estate navigating an industry that remains especially male-dominated.

Being developed with a seed grant from the ULI Foundation, this new program is tailored for women in real estate and related land-use professions seeking to advance by working one-on-one with senior leaders in the field.

This ULI Women’s Leadership Initiative (WLI)-led program pairs mid- to senior-level career professionals with industry executives to leadership and career advancement for women. This six-month, small-scale immersion program will build relationships and offer training that leads to further career satisfaction and success in the real estate and land use fields.

Since WLI was founded in 2013, it has been adopted in 40+ ULI District Councils, including ULI Colorado. Opportunities afforded by WLI programs have helped double the number of women ULI members in that time. ULI Colorado’s successful WLI programs have include Emerging Trends in Real Estate, quarterly Leadership Connections, View from the Top, and Tools for Transformation.

Who are the mentors and mentees, and how will they benefit?

Mentors (five in pilot year)
Mentors will be men and women in executive positions in real estate and land use.

The ideal MENTOR participant is a top-level executive in real estate who has achieved multiple career successes. They will be a recognized industry expert who has led companies, major projects and community service. She or he will benefit from mentorship in several ways, which could include:
+ assist peers in their plans for growth
+ enhance their network of industry leaders
+ “give back” by sharing expertise and knowledge
+ begin succession planning for their own career and company

 

Mentees (five in pilot year)

Women who are mid- to senior-level career professionals with 10-20 years of experience in the real estate and development industry who want to advance to the executive level.

The ideal MENTEE participant is a woman who has reached a leadership level of success within her career. She may be recognized for her achievements and seen as a respected resource in their market area. She may have hit the “glass ceiling” and would benefit from mentorship to advance. She also may be looking for growth in her own skills as a leader, manager or board member. The program will help her with this transition to leadership, build her influence and expertise, and advance the mission of ULI.

How you and your organization can help:

–Sponsor the program with to match our grant! Contact sarah.franklin@uli.org
–Nominate qualified mentors (ULI members strongly preferred), male or female
–Promote participation in the program among your peers and colleagues who are mid-career women

Program Schedule:

• February 17th – March 31st, 2020: Applications open and close

• April 1st – April 17th, 2020: Participant selection, notification, and mentorship pairing

• May 1st, 2020: Mentor/ mentee match notification

• May tbd, 2020: Program Gathering #1 “The Retreat”: Bring all participants together for reception and dinner. to include a timeframe for networking as well as learning. The evening will include two presentations covering the overall program and mentorship workbook followed by a seminar on succession planning.

• June 1 – October 31, 2020: Mentorship meetings: Mentor pairs meet once per 3-4 weeks following a generally prescribed program/workbook

• Late August 2020: Program Gathering #2 “The Check In”: Program leadership meets with mentors and mentees separately or as a group.

• Late October 2020: Program Gathering #3 “The Dinner Riff”: All participants come together for networking and closing remarks on next steps in mentor programming and succession planning. Also highlighting a few mentors/mentees with successes or key lessons learned.

 

This program is partially funded by a grant through the ULI Foundation.