On October 26, 2016, CEED Armenia launched “CEED Women in Leadership”, the first Lean In Circle in the country. The project is implemented in partnership with the Asian Development Bank and is based on the approach advocated by Sheryl Sandberg, Chief Operating Officer of Facebook, in her bestselling book “Lean In”, referred to by Oprah Winfrey as the “the new manifesto for women in the workplace”. Lean In Circles are “groups who meet regularly to learn and grow together.” There are currently over 25,000 Lean In Circles across the world with presence in more than 128 countries. About 80% of members credit their Circle with a positive change in their life and say they’re more likely to take on a new challenge or opportunity because of their Circle. (http://leanincircles.org/.)
CEED Women in Leadership Lean In Circle includes accomplished women with diverse backgrounds, and are primarily entrepreneurs, CEOs, and non-profit executives. The industries they represent range from wine making to healthy foods, and from organic cosmetics to information technology. Since the inaugural meeting in October 2016, the group has come together for 4 subsequent events and maintained active communication via online channels. In addition to expanding their networks and discussing a variety of issues relevant to female leaders, the members leverage the meetings as opportunities for professional development. CEED has invited experts to lead workshops on topics of interest for the women, such as public speaking and marketing management. CEED’s mission in forming this group is to create a platform for Armenian women in leadership to connect, grow, and empower one another to realize their dreams.
