Why Investing in Your Leadership Matters — A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of speaking at the introduction of a Women in Leadership course at WITS Business School. It got me thinking about a question I often hear: “Is a leadership course really worth it?”
This is a fair question. Given work deadlines, family responsibilities, and the pace of life, making time for a leadership course can feel like a luxury. At the same time, Leadership should not be something we stumble into; it should be something we prepare for.
In the world we live in—shaped by rapid change, technological advances, and shifting economies—how we lead ourselves and others can deeply impact our lives and livelihoods.
For women, this takes on even more layers. We lead at home, in our communities, and in the workplace, often navigating expectations that pull us in different directions.
Courses like the WITS Women in Leadership program create intentional spaces to pause, reflect, and build practical tools for this journey. As the Program’s Director, Debbie de Coning, shared, they cover topics like:
Emotional intelligence
Negotiation and decision-making
Communication
Diversity and power
Team leadership
These are not just nice to haves. They are essential tools for navigating situations in life and work, and reminders that leadership is built in small moments, and tested in big ones. And when the stakes are high, as Joseph Badaracco writes about in Defining Moments, will you have the tools and language to identify what truly matters and make a call you can stand by?
Taking a leadership course can be a gift of preparation for the moments that can shape a future, rather than just another certificate to add to a resume. It can be about becoming the kind of leader who is confident enough to believe in herself and compassionate enough to lift others as she rises.
If you have been considering investing in your leadership growth, allow me to suggest:
You deserve it. And if you have taken a leadership course that made a difference in how you lead at work or in your life, I would love to hear what you learned from it.
Dr. Memuna Williams has a BA and MA in Translation, an MBA, and DBA. Her doctoral thesis illuminates how SMEs develop social responsibility programs across four phases and 13 categories. Dr. Williams and her husband Victor have three sons. Connect with her at: www.linkedin.com/in/dr-memuna-williams-dba-8193b01
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