11 Evidence-Based Recommendations for Coaching Women in Leadership
In the final part of our series about the value of coaching Senior Women for both individuals and their organisations, we present the key takeaways from our research to help guide best practice
At Praesta UK, we are proud to coach over 250 of the UK’s most senior leaders at Board, Executive and high potential levels each year. Around half of these leaders are senior women. This Insight is based on a survey we conducted of the 267 senior women whom we have coached over the past two years. These women come from across the sectors and the breakdown of the seniority of the women and sectors in which they work is shown below.
Our confidential coaching provides key insights into the issues that women are facing at senior levels and on what is holding them back. We conducted a similar survey five years ago and we have compared the findings and commented on how the situation has shifted.
We provide recommendations for what organisations and women now need to do to overcome these blocks in order to have more diverse and effective senior leadership teams.
To really promote gender diversity, we recommend that organisations:
- Identify and provide coaching at the key pivotal points in women’s careers and encourage women to come forward for coaching at high potential level.
- Set coaching relationships up for success from the start by involving line managers, sponsors, mentors and other key stakeholders in the process.
- Ensure that women receive honest feedback about their strengths and what they need to add or do differently, as recent research on performance reviews shows that women currently get less constructively critical feedback than men.
- Discuss promotions and target roles in terms that appeal to women’s ambitions and values, which are likely to include larger purpose, impact on people’s lives, growing talent and building a positive culture.
- Make formal and informal flexible working more accessible, acceptable and visible.
- Encourage women to get experience in general management roles or have P & L responsibility so that they can move beyond functional roles and are credible candidates for C.E. positions.
The issues that our coachees brought to their coaching may resonate with you. Here are some ways that you might help yourself achieve your aspirations
- Seek feedback from key people in the organisation about your perceived strengths and areas for development and ask for data about specific behaviours so that you know what you should build on and do differently.
- Request external coaching support, prioritise it and approach the sessions with a growth mindset. You can use the coaching issues highlighted in this booklet to identify which areas are relevant for you.
- Articulate your own authentic leadership style that you feel comfortable with. This could include your strengths, values, style, vision and core purpose. Test this out with others to check whether this reflects who you are.
- Manage your own career, identify what the options are and any gaps in experience, knowledge or behaviours that you need to add. State your interest in stretch roles and take risks by putting yourself forward for opportunities.
- Network for impact, extending beyond your comfort zone of peers, identifying who are the key people whom you can help and who can help you internally and externally in line with your career goals.
