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Among the many challenges faced by global organizations
today is building a cadre of excellent leaders. Increasingly, organizations
are realizing the value of employees who reflect the diversity of the
global population. Many of these employees are talented women, who are
now receiving more consideration as candidates for advancement in talent
reviews. With the greater integration of the world economy, the availability
of education, and the trends toward off-shoring and outsourcing, it
is likely that more women will be employed in leadership roles throughout
the world. With an increase in the numbers of women in managerial roles,
leadership development techniques, such as coaching, must address the
particular needs of women leaders in addition to those of men. What
role can consulting psychologists play in contributing to the evolution
of gender-equitable organizations in which both men and women can function
as effective leaders?
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This Spotlight article explores the topic of coaching women executives.
Three distinguished Society of Consulting Psychology members:
John Fulkerson, Debra Robinson, and Randy White provide their
perspectives and ideas regarding the coaching of women leaders.
The sharing of their thoughts and ideas serves as a valuable resource
for consulting psychologists and fosters greater dialogue on a
topic that is worthy of attention.
1. What are some of the common themes you see in your coaching
practice with women executives?
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John Fulkerson
- The normal issues of leading, managing, and running an organization.
These issues are the most common in my experience.
- Not being comfortable and open and sharing for fear of being labeled
as too open.
- Some men not being comfortable with a woman boss and going "around
or behind" in subtle, or not so subtle ways.
- Not being comfortable with infighting on key issues.
- Being more direct and tougher than a man to prove a point.
- Feeling like a second class citizen in certain environments.
- Dealing with gender prejudice and fighting past that in order to
make a point or progress; having to do more than a man to get the
same result / recognition.
- Men not understanding the complexity of career and family (with
children) from a woman's perspective.
- Dealing with those who do not have a broader social perspective
on how things can be done better… if done in a more collaborative
fashion. E.g. stylistic differences.
- Not showing a depth of emotional content related to issues.
- Recognizing that women are more comfortable with longer and more
detailed dialogue and debriefing than many men.
Debra Robinson
- Being a woman leader among male peers
- Finding a leadership style that fits the leader, role, and organization
- Balancing work and personal life
- Career advancement and/or alternative career paths to pursue
- Coping with stress, overload, and isolation
Randy White
- Women are often given "acting" positions, versus real
positions. Women are overlooked for serious developmental opportunities
such as fix-its and start-ups in business. (The reasons for overlooking
them for these opportunities are varied, but sometimes it's because
she's seen as having a family she can't be away from.)
- There is a narrow band of acceptable behaviors in business. But
it is narrower for women than for white men. A male is considered
an "aggressive young man" whereas a woman is an "aggressive
bitch".
- Men are not always comfortable working with women. The code words
are "Can she be strategic enough?"
- omen are excluded from networks. They are very task-oriented in
part as a result of having to juggle multiple roles, so when 6 PM
arrives, the women are moving on to the tasks in their next role,
and the guys are networking and talking politics while still in the
office.
- Occasionally, the issues for women are about appearance, involving
make-up and dress.
2. With what issues are women most likely to ask you to help them?
What are some of the "presenting problems" when you are called
in to coach a female executive?
John Fulkerson
- Actually, I see the themes and issues / presenting problems as the
same thing.
Debra Robinson
- Coping with leadership changes and fitting with new management structure
- Participation in a leadership development program
- Assistance in adjusting to a promotion or new role
- Balancing career demands with personal life - health, wellness,
famil
- Developing a communication style that enhances teamwork and effectiveness
with senior leadership team
Randy White
- The categories are relationship and political skills, approaches
to strategic problem-solving, and decision-making. Most of the issues
deal with interpersonal skills and getting along with others, such
as how to approach a person, sell an idea, or approach a political
problem. Very often with task-oriented people at senior levels, I
have helped them learn to delegate and utilize their executive assistants
more efficiently, and put themselves in a position so as to not be
always immediately accessible, allowing them more time for strategic
thinking.
- The presenting problems are the same as they are for men - I don't
see anything all that different and I don't differentiate by gender.
Developmentally, we are called in because we need to get women ready
for senior levels.
- I will also ask women how they feel about working with a male coach.
The response is usually that they are "willing to work with someone
good (i.e., experienced and smart), regardless of gender".
3. How do you feel you are most helpful in your coaching of women clients?
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John Fulkerson
- Getting someone to the point that they can accept gender differences
and recognizing that doesn't need to change.
- Finding a voice for expressing the nature of their gender
/ diversity experience.
Debra Robinson
- Being a sounding board and providing an environment where
she discuss a wide range of issues
- Providing encouragement, identifying patterns of success,
and focusing on strengths as many women leaders are very self
critical
- Bringing up balance and wellness issues if they do not
- Role playing difficult conversations
- Being a mother and in a full time position as a university
vice president, many women clients feel like I understand their
demands
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Randy White
- I am not afraid to address the unique situation in which women find
themselves, i.e., isolated from feedback, working within the narrow
band of behavior. I am not timid in discussing how behaviors that
are OK for a guy are given a negative halo when it is a woman who
is demonstrating them.
- Very often I see women trying to juggle their roles as executive
and successful mother. I encourage women to network with each other
and talk about the similar issues they are facing.
- When I teach at Duke, I am also not afraid to bring up these issues
in the classroom. So, for example, I tell them that they need to be
mindful of communication in mixed gender groups. A woman can make
a suggestion at the beginning of a meeting and it gets ignored. Then
a few minutes later when a male makes the same suggestion, it is called
brilliant.
- I think there is still a push for women to be more like men than
like women. And men are often uncomfortable with seeing women cry.
The words of Peter Drucker have special meaning here: "A manager
eschews emotion, a leader embraces it."
- I help women think about what might be most developmental for their
careers in terms of variety, diversity, adversity, and intensity.
Often, the women I coach are reluctant to be considered high-potential
because it adds even more responsibility to their already full lives.
So I try to educate them that new opportunities give them the chance
to learn, grow, and change. Sometimes they are skeptical about a move
because they have fewer moves and are more thoughtful about them.
4. What recommendations regarding coaching women clients do you have
for consulting psychologists?
John Fulkerson
- Deal with the business issues first. I.e. understand the full context
of presenting issues before diving in with ideas and suggestions.
Often women, with a male coach, will need some time to develop sufficient
trust that you understand and can grasp the nature of the gender and
contextual issues.
- When situations or issues have no firm solution, make certain that
fact is fully recognized and that there is an emphasis on managing
one's own reactions in order to get to a point that one can fight
another day. E.g. pick your battles.
- Don't overdue the gender issue or go after it first. Let it emerge
and ground the coaching in the contextual reality.
Debra Robinson
- Know the organization constraints, expectations, boundaries, and
support systems so you can focus on the executive and her needs/issues
- Clarify expectations from the company - performance issues/standards
they expect you to address, any reporting expectations
Randy White
- Consulting psychologists need to be mindful that there is a narrow
band of acceptable behaviors for women and that they are graded more
harshly in the workplace.
" Organizations are not looking for you to solve diversity issues.
The system may be broken, but you are often called in to help the
N of 1.
- Remember that you're working with a human being, helping them to
be the best they can be and to be most effective and efficient.
- Keep in mind that a) a woman's experiences may give her some unique
insights into managerial behaviors, particularly about how one treats
direct reports; b) women often demand more of themselves; c) women
are frequently more efficient in the use of their time in ways that
prevent them from networking with others, due to the role demands
placed on them.
- It is important for us to ask the question: Why aren't there more
women in senior leadership roles?
Anna Marie Valerio, Ph.D., is President, Executive Leadership Strategies,
Ridgefield, CT
John Fulkerson, Ph.D., is Principal, Fulkerson & Associates, New
York, NY
Debra Robinson, Ph.D., is Vice-Chancellor for Student Affairs, University
of Missouri, Rolla, MO
Randall P. White, Ph.D., is Principal, Executive Development Group,
Greensboro, NC
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Anna Marie Valerio, Ph.D. is President of Executive Leadership
Strategies, LLC. Her areas of expertise include one-on-one coaching,
leadership development, organization and individual assessment,
women's leadership, and performance management.
Anna Marie’s background includes over twenty years of management
and consulting experience in a variety of organizations and with
Fortune 500 clients. Special strengths include accelerating the
leadership development of high-potential executives, enabling
them to assume leadership functions with a significant increase
in responsibility and team management.
She received her Ph.D. in Psychology from City University of
New York, an M.A. from the University of Nebraska, and a B.A.
from City University of New York
Her book, Executive Coaching: A Guide for the HR Professional,
(co-authored with Robert J. Lee, 2005, Wiley/Pfeiffer), is a practical
guide to learn more about coaching and how best to use it in organizations.
She is currently working on a new book, tentatively titled "Developing
Women Leaders: A Guide for Managers and Organizations" to
be published by Wiley/Blackwell.
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