Women on their way up! Six recent case studies show how women can use coaching to help them soar, and clear the way for success and satisfaction.
1. Empowerment
Emma: With a lesser education but very good ‘smarts’, Emma had made fast progress through the Civil Service, and now worked as a senior manager. Her challenge was that she lacked presence in meetings –and felt very anxious about speaking out and contributing. She had tried various methods to improve her presentation techniques and conquer nerves, but nothing helped.
In our work together, we explored the ‘imposter syndrome’, her values and strengths, handling emotions effectively in herself and others, and practical ways to prepare herself for meetings.
Emma began to take on projects that played to her strengths, and made significant changes that saw her present with equanimity at often highly charged meetings, being able to stand firm and communicate effectively with senior leaders whilst continuing to build a strong followership. She chose her battles, but did not swerve from necessary confrontation. She became a mature executive, measuring herself according to her own criteria and, seemingly, fearless.
2. Support to fulfil potential
Barbara: Working in an international consultancy, Barbara attended a leadership development programme and we began coaching as part of that process, over an initial 9-month period. During that time, she used the coaching to help her build self-confidence and efficacy and to prepare her case for promotion to Principal. She was successful. We continued coaching, to provide her with regular reflective space, an independent perspective and support, particularly around her personal resilience. She continued in this role though a period where the firm was acquired, and subsequently Barbara accepted the firm’s offer of an international senior role.
3. New manager – testing new approaches, clarifying priorities, taking up authority
Anna: She was asked to step up from being a successful saleswoman into the role of regional sales team leader. Not having managed people before, she wanted support to handle the transition, clarifying her role and responsibilities, identifying the unhelpful behaviours and mindsets that could hold her back, rehearsing difficult conversations, understanding individuals’ motivators and needs, and exploring how to create good team morale and high performance.
After a difficult start, Anna demonstrated she could handle any situation and add value to her team members in various ways. Her seniors were delighted with the performance of the team and eighteen months after stepping up she was rewarded in the usual way – with a larger remit!
4. Re-framing the work relationship
Oonagh: Frustrated by the lack of support and feelings of being constrained, Oonagh was perceived as sometimes lacking in confidence and sometimes being over-assertive and pushy. Our coaching sessions helped to change her relationship with work to a healthier one, where she has become more proactive and creative, clearer in asking for what she wants, smarter in choosing where to focus her efforts and kinder in relation to the inevitable shortcomings of everyone, herself included. She still feels there is much more she can do and so she now works on influencing those aspects that are within her sphere.
5. Making it possible through more skilful communication
Chantal: A highly gifted writer and performance artist with a strong academic background, Chantal found it hard to earn a living from her work. We developed her messaging and thought through the commercial possibilities, and in particular, worked on how she spoke about herself and presented her work. The coaching enabled her to clarify what mattered to her and her audience and to become far more structured and engaging in her public (non-performance) appearances. She has continued to do the work she loves, creating enthralling projects around Europe.
6. Who are we becoming?
Jo: Rapid progress and increasing responsibility combined with some personal life challenges had left Jo wondering whether she could handle what was expected of her. Just a few coaching sessions gave her the space and safety to confront her own fears, to let go of what belonged in the past and to see how better to take care of herself to avoid burnout. The coaching served as the catalyst or acclerant to a natural process that might have taken much longer to work through alone. Coaching is forward-looking, is not therapy or counselling, and often helps people make a transition in their lives from one stage to the next, in a way that was illustrated by Jo’s positive shift in her attitude, her focus and her own sense of identity.