Michelle Minnikin
Rise Above
A 12-Month Transformation for Female Leaders
Empowering Women to Lead with Confidence, Resilience & Authenticity
Are You Ready to Rise Above?
Too many talented women are held back by Good Girl Conditioning, workplace biases, and systemic barriers. It’s time to break free.
Rise Above is a 12-month leadership development programme designed to help emerging and established female leaders unlearn limiting beliefs, build confidence, and step into their authentic leadership power.
With a research-backed approach combining 1-2-1 coaching, peer support, and CliftonStrengths coaching, this transformative journey will empower your female leaders to own their worth, set boundaries, and lead with conviction - without burnout or self-doubt.
Why Rise Above?
Break Free from Good Girl Conditioning
Unlearn the societal norms that keep women stuck in people-pleasing and perfectionism.
Grow with Expert Coaching & Peer Support
Gain individualised guidance and a supportive community of like-minded leaders.
Find & Own Your Voice
Learn to advocate for yourself, speak up in meetings, and lead with confidence.
Align Leadership with Your Values
Lead authentically while balancing career growth with personal fulfilment.
Develop Practical Leadership Skills
Master assertiveness, resilience, and strategic decision-making.
Build a Powerful Network of Supportive Women
Surround yourself with ambitious, like-minded women who genuinely care about your growth.
What you'll gain
By the end of the programme, you will:
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Gain unshakable confidence in decision-making and leadership.
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Navigate setbacks with resilience and overcome self-doubt.
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Establish and leverage powerful networks of mentors and peers.
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Advocate for yourself and set boundaries without guilt.
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Inspire and empower others to create a ripple effect of positive change.
For organisations, this means:
1 / A stronger, more diverse leadership pipeline
By equipping female leaders with the confidence and skills to advance, your organisation builds a sustainable pipeline of diverse, high-performing leaders ready to step into senior roles.
2 / Higher Employee Engagement and Retention
When women feel valued, supported, and empowered, they’re more likely to stay and thrive within your organisation, reducing turnover and fostering a more engaged, motivated workforce.
3 / Resilient, Emotionally Intelligent Leaders
The programme develops leaders who handle stress, navigate challenges, and inspire their teams with emotional intelligence, creating a more adaptive and high-performing workplace.
4 / Increased Innovation Through Diverse Leadership
Diverse teams bring broader perspectives, challenge the status quo, and drive creativity, leading to better problem-solving and stronger business performance.
When women rise, we all rise.
Empowered leaders don’t just break barriers - they build bridges for others to follow.
How it works
This immersive 12-month journey combines coaching, peer masterminds, and structured learning:
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Monthly 2-hour leadership workshops (virtual or in-person)
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Monthly 90-minute masterminds (small groups of 3 or 4 women for deep-dive support)
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1-2-1 coaching with an Organisational Psychologist (3 sessions)
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1-2-1 CliftonStrengths coaching (3 sessions)
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Weekly micro-coaching check-ins for accountability
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Online resource portal & private peer community
Programme breakdown
Each month builds on key leadership themes to create lasting transformation:
1. Foundations – Goal and Intention Setting
We start by getting clear on each participant’s leadership goals, aligning their personal strengths with their professional aspirations, and creating a roadmap for growth.
2. Recognising Good Girl Conditioning
Next, we focus on raising awareness around Good Girl Conditioning and how it impacts decision-making and leadership behaviour.
3. Involving Others & Surrounding Yourself with Supportive People
Effective leaders don’t go it alone. We create strong support systems by developing networks of mentors, peers, and allies.
4. Self-Compassion and Emotional Regulation
We address how to manage stress and handle professional challenges with grace and composure by cultivating emotional resilience.
5. Empowering Your Voice
We tackle how women can speak up and advocate for themselves in professional settings, helping them build confidence in their voice.
6. Aligning with Authenticity and Accepting Imperfections
Leaders must embrace their true selves. We focus on leading authentically and learning to embrace imperfections as part of growth.
7. Building Resistance to Criticism and Setbacks
Handling setbacks is crucial for leadership success. We teach participants how to navigate criticism and societal pushback.
8. Owning Your Power
Participants learn to fully step into their leadership power, take control of decisions, and make an impact without hesitation.
9. Valuing Yourself
Setting boundaries and recognising self-worth are essential for effective leadership. We focus on how to confidently assert your value.
10. Empowering Others
Once participants have built their own leadership skills, we focus on mentoring and empowering their teams and peers.
11. Evolving and Continuing the Leadership Journey
Leadership development is an ongoing process. We help participants create a long-term plan for their leadership growth.
12. Celebration and Reflection
We end the programme with a celebration of the participants’ growth and achievements.
Who is this for?
Why your organisation needs this
By investing in Rise Above, your organisation will:
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Boost leadership diversity and create an inclusive culture.
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Retain and develop top female talent instead of losing them to burnout or self-doubt.
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Drive higher engagement, trust, and innovation through authentic leadership.
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Develop leaders who can navigate challenges with resilience and confidence.
This programme is more than leadership training - it’s a systemic shift in how women lead and thrive in your organisation.
Next steps - let's make it happen
Contact us today to discuss how Rise Above can be tailored to your organisation’s leadership needs.
Email Michelle Minnikin at michelle@workpirates.com
Customisation is available – we can tailor the programme to align with your organisation’s specific challenges and goals.
Empower your female leaders to rise above.
Start the journey today.
