14 hours ago
Empowering her - Egyptian Football
The participants, one from each African football association, attended because they are already leaders - in their clubs, associations, communities and within the wider football ecosystem. The aim of the African Football Confederation (CAF) is to support these women in deepening their leadership journey, sharpening their skills and strengthening their voice in the game they all love.
The programme, which was inaugurated by CAF General-Secretary Veron Mosengo-Omba, was built around five key objectives: empowering women in leadership roles which helps them recognise and harness their unique strengths while navigating and overcoming challenges of leading in a traditionally male-dominated industry; developing leadership skills which provides women with practical tools and insights into effective leadership, and decision making, communications and conflict resolution, enabling women to lead with confidence and influence.
Third is enhancing personal and professional growth which encourages women to reflect on their leadership journey, set goals and cultivate a growth mindset to continuously evolve both personally and professionally.
Fourth, fostering a strong leadership network, building a community where women in football leadership can connect, share experiences and support one another long after the program ends.
Lastly, creating actionable leadership plans, which helps equipping women with strategic, practical leadership development plans they can implement within their organisations, communities and federations.
The three-day programme also included the following topics: 'The Story of Self' where participants get to understanding their selves, who they are, what they stand for and how to lead; 'The Story of US' where participants understand others; how to connect, collaborate and get the best out of others and 'The Story of Now' which included action planning and putting it into practice.
The programme presented how self-awareness is the foundation for effective leadership which will support participants to identify and leverage their strengths, identify their areas for development and understand how this impacts their leadership style. Leaders who are self-aware can build stronger relationships, make better decisions and create positive working environments for their team.
The programme also focused on values, which are personal to the participant leaders; they are their principles or standards of behaviour. Values can support them in leadership when it comes to decision-making or how they behave as a leader. The participants also learned that understanding what motivates them is a key part of the journey of self-discovery as a leader.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 26 June, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
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