QUESTION:  Coaching Program for Women?

Dear Merry,

I am an OD Director and I want to put together a coaching program for women.  In your experience are there strengths and gaps that are unique to women leaders that I should address in my program?

RESPONSE:  Common Strengths & Habits Limiting Success

Dear Executive,

This is a very good question.  Though women executives have many of the same challenges as male leaders, there are trends in my coaching experience that show some behaviors are typical to women - both in terms of their strengths and the habits that limit their success.

Here are some of the trends I've seen in coaching high-potential women to reach the next level:

1)      Women Don't Ask:  Men are much more comfortable asking for what they want than women.  Women don't ask for promotions, salary increases, to be on the high-profile team, etc.  They think that if they work hard they will be recognized in these ways without having to ask.  So my coaching to female executives is to feel comfortable asking for what you need!

2)      Women Don't "Work Their Network:  The people who tend to get ahead in business are not always the brightest or hardest working, often they are the people who know how to "work their network and realize that their network can go far in supporting their career goals. Spend time building personal work relationships

3)      Women Are More Holistic Leaders:  Women take into account the whole picture and men tend to work one issue at a time in a more linear fashion.

4)      Women Generally Execute More:  Across industries, the women I have coached generally execute at a higher level than their male counterparts at the same rank in the organization.  This may be a result of their tendency to work harder to be recognized, rather than asking for recognition and working their network.

5)      Women Are More Collaborative:  On difficult projects, my experience has been that men tend to want to "go it alone, while women are more interested and skilled in collaboration. 

6)      Women Don't Self-Promote:  While the men I have coached are generally comfortable promoting their achievements, women are less comfortable with languaging themselves to point to their successes.

7)      Women Aren't Playing A Game:  While men tend to "play the game of business, women are in it with their whole heart and soul. Women are "more emotional. They often hear from their male peers:  "Don't take it so personally.

Women make up more than half of the talent pool, yet they are leaving the workplace in large numbers due to lack of satisfaction with their jobs.  Many have spent years and years working just as hard - if not harder - than their male peers, with less reward often because of their tendency to wait for recognition rather than ask for it.  By coaching women to leverage their strengths and become aware of the habits that are limiting their success, you will create a larger pool of satisfied female executives that are ready and asking to step up to the next level in their positions. Women think differently then men and every organization will benefit from diverse thinking.