Pushing Back on Pushback: Practical Tactics for HR and DEI Leaders

Dr Elise Stephenson is Deputy Director of the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership at the Australian National University, founded and chaired by former prime minister Julia Gillard. A multi award‑winning gender equality researcher and entrepreneur, her work focuses on gender, sexuality and leadership in ‘frontier’ areas of international affairs, including space, AI, climate action, diplomacy, national security, intelligence and international representation across the Asia–Pacific.

Session focus
In this webinar Dr Elise Stephenson explores how leaders can respond when gender equality, DEI and feminist ideas are questioned, defunded or politicised, and gives participants tools to hold their nerve, stay evidence‑based and keep moving progress forward despite resistance.

Audience

This webinar is for senior leaders and change‑makers who are already invested in gender equality but are grappling with rising resistance and “DEI fatigue” in their organisations. This includes executive and senior leaders, HR and People & Culture directors, DEI and wellbeing leads, and influential managers from organisations that are striving to be employers of choice.

Learning objectives

By the end of the session, participants will be able to:

• Recognise common forms of backlash and “gender fatigue” showing up in organisations, media and politics.

• Explain what the data actually says about gender equality progress, and use it to counter common myths.

• Apply practical, context‑sensitive strategies to respond to pushback from colleagues, leaders or stakeholders without burning out.

• Identify at least one personal sphere of influence where they can “push back on the pushback” in a sustainable way.