In 2023 AWE began partnering with Akamai to drive professional development for the women at their executive levels. Akamai, a content delivery and cloud services company, operates with a commitment to inclusion, diversity and engagement (ID&E). Recognizing that inclusive and diverse teams are more innovative, resilient and effective at tackling complex challenges, Akamai sought to strengthen its leadership pipeline by equipping women leaders with the skills to lead in a dynamic, globally connected environment.
Through our tailored leadership training, AWE designed a cohort-based approach that was focused on empowering Akamai’s women executives to navigate complex leadership challenges, build stronger strategic networks across the company and focus on their future career trajectories.
The Challenge
Akamai’s workforce operates globally with over 10,900 employees in 30 different countries that are responsible for over $3.8 billion in revenue. With offices and data centers across multiple regions such as North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America, this extensive network allows them to provide fast and reliable solutions to their clients around the world.
While Akamai’s global presence remains one of its greatest strengths, it also presents unique challenges when it comes to networking – especially for women in senior leadership. With teams spread across continents, many leaders often find it difficult to connect with their peers or to build relationships with other senior women across the organization. Additionally, some leaders faced challenges in identifying how best to support and advocate for the next generation of talent.
The Solution
Akamai began partnering with AWE in 2023 in order to provide a virtual skill building and networking space for their senior women who were each sponsored through their Women’s ERG Women in Power. Many of the women were in technical functions such as IT, Engineering and Finance.
In addition to the training provided, participants were polled on career development topics that were most important to them, and the results of the polls were used to build their unique group coaching plans. Focus areas included Articulating Your Brand & Career Goals, Mapping Out Your Network, Managing Styles, Understanding Sponsorship.
Impact
The program was rated highly by participants and resulted in an NPS score of 100 – demonstrating the value that the participants found in both AWE’s content and the connections developed between themselves. The combination of training sessions and tailored group coaching met the specific goals of Akamai’s leadership development plans while also addressing the individualized growth needs of each participant.
As a result of the AWE’s program, participants were able to successfully step into leadership roles within Akamai’s Women In Power ERG. Their development into visible and active leaders not only demonstrated their personal growth but also laid the groundwork for supporting the next generation of women leaders at Akamai.
Conclusion
AWE’s leadership program for Akamai’s senior women was able to bridge the networking gap created by the company’s global footprint. Leaders across technical functions such as IT and Engineering were able to share insights, build stronger professional relationships and create actionable plans for advancing their careers at Akamai.