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Oracle recently introduced a new program to offer its women managers the opportunity to enhance their skills and develop their leadership potential. Created by Oracle University in partnership with human resources and Oracle Diversity, the Oracle Women's Leadership (OWL) program will present a host of professional development activities, including conferences and Webcasts.
The OWL program got off to a spectacular start on December 5, 2006 when the Oracle Women's Leadership conference was held at Oracle World Headquarters in Redwood City, California. One hundred women managers, most of whom were from Oracle Customer Services, attended the two-day conference. Some attendees traveled from as far away as India, Korea, and Japan.
The program was the brainchild of many women at Oracle, including Titina Ott, vice president, Oracle University, and Patricia Cureton, director, human resources, who, along with their teams, donated a lot of time and energy to getting the program approved and organized. According to Juergen Rottler, executive vice president, Oracle Customer Services, "It's a pretty strong statement about Oracle's commitment to providing equal opportunity and investing in all its employee groups. Programs like this tell our employees that they are important, and we care about their ongoing development and their ability to fulfill some of the career goals that they desire to invest in."
The conference featured a comprehensive agenda of workshops and lectures on topics such as network building, leadership coaching, and communications strategies. Attendees were able to share best practices and gain new insights to help them tap into the best of themselves. Explains Ott, "We want to create a culture at Oracle where the best women choose to be here and choose to continue to learn and grow. Leadership is about seeing the possibilities in people and helping them to make that happen."
The conference drew an enthusiastic response from attendees. "It was an amazing opportunity," says Martine Kusiak, director, Oracle University Business Practices Operations. "It was great to sit at the table with other women and learn how to leverage the different types of backgrounds, personalities, and leadership styles we all have."
"I was pleased to see the response that the program had on so many of our women leaders in regards to their careers and Oracle," states Ott. "The energy was phenomenal. A lot of women from all different areas in Customer Services shared best practices and made new connections, which will ultimately help them improve in their jobs. As a result of the conference, we have received dozens of emails from participants who found the experience personally inspiring, beneficial for their careers and are finding ways to help their teams and other colleagues by promoting best practices for leadership and applying what they learned to improve business results."
The keynote address on the closing day of the conference was opened up to all employees at Oracle World Headquarters. Alison Levine, team captain of the first American Women's Mount Everest Expedition, spoke about personal and career risk taking. In 2002 Levine led a history-making climb of the world's highest peak, surviving sub-zero temperatures, hurricane-force winds, and sudden avalanches. Speaking to the packed conference hall, Levine provided a unique perspective on leadership, teamwork, innovation, and dealing with a changing environment, drawing parallels between scaling mountains and thriving in a fast-paced business world.
The OWL program will continue with Webcasts that will be available company-wide starting in January 2007. A second leadership conference will be held in Spring 2007.
OWL is focused on creating opportunities locally and globally that support, educate, and empower our current and next generations of women leaders at Oracle. All Oracle managers are welcome to participate. Oracle supports workforce diversity.
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