The Challenge
Abbvie Pharmaceuticals were experiencing a lack of female representation in senior leadership roles and committed to addressing the imbalance by investing in top female talent.
The objective was to identify high-potential women across the organisation and support their development into future leadership roles.
The Solution
Abbvie selected mentoring as the core intervention, due to its capacity to provide personalised support, create meaningful behavioural change through a blend of challenge and encouragement, and scale across the organisation with relative ease.
They partnered with Dress for Success, who recommended Natalie – a long-time volunteer and former board member – to design, launch, and implement a bespoke mentoring programme tailored to Abbvie’s leadership pipeline goals.
The Method
The programme matched senior leaders from across Abbvie’s Irish network as mentors with nominated high-potential mentees—women identified by their managers as having the capability and ambition to move into more senior roles.
Mentor training in core mentoring principles and techniques, including:
The mentoring was highly individualised, addressing specific career challenges within Abbvie. It also fostered internal collaboration and provided mentees with valuable insights, confidence, and practical strategies to navigate and grow within the organisation.
An added benefit was the development of the mentors themselves. Senior managers reported improved leadership skills and greater self-awareness through learning and applying mentoring techniques.
The Result
The programme was a resounding success. Over the course of four years, it was refined and expanded for successive cohorts, culminating in its fourth and final year in 2024. It provided a sustainable model for developing emerging female leaders and strengthening internal leadership capacity.
Building on this success, Natalie has since gone on to design and deliver mentoring programmes for Google and the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB).
Testimonials
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