Women’s Leadership

Women are still vastly underrepresented in leadership positions in the corporate world (source); and that is despite the fact that having more women in top management has a proven positive impact on profits (source), not to mention that women are proven excellent leaders, who tend to combine execution and compassion: they do the hard things required of leaders in a caring, human way (source).

I am incredibly passionate about making sure that women have equal opportunities to men to succeed in the business world, if they so choose. Some of this inequality is due to societal and cultural factors which are beyond my control. What is under my control is working with companies to help them develop, promote, and retain women in key leadership positions; and working with women leaders to help them find their voice, step into their full power, and navigate the tricky business landscape, so that they succeed and thrive.

“When a woman finally learns that pleasing the world is impossible,
she becomes free to learn how to please herself.”
Glennon Doyle

The Challenges

In my work with women leaders, they are often relieved to hear that many of the challenges they are personally facing are more universal themes encountered by many other women in the corporate world (as evidenced through research):

• Women and men are treated differently at work.
• Women still have the double burden of working and taking care of the household and family, at a disproportionate rate compared to men.
• Women do not fit the “prototype” of leadership we all carry around with us in our heads, which is male for most of us
• When trying to develop their executive presence, women are caught in an apparent paradox of being seen as either too aggressive (not “collaborative” enough) or too “nice” (not “decisive” enough)
• Women will not take the risk of applying for a job if they see themselves as less than 100% qualified for it
• Women are less optimistic they can reach the top

Sources: Here, here, here, and here

Accelerating Women Leadership

I work with women in one-on-one coaching engagements, to empower them with the tools to communicate effectively, stand up for themselves, become strategic business leaders, and create the career they desire.

Most importantly, I hope that my work with women helps them find the self-compassion, clarity, and courage we all need to start stepping into our full potential.

I also work with companies helping them think through how to retain, engage, and promote their talented women. It often involves:

• Individualized support for women leaders—for instance, through executive coaching and mentorship
• Creating opportunities for sponsorship—so that talented women are on the radar of senior executives who can accelerate their careers
• Involving the men in the organization—through bias training, sponsorship programs, or simply conversations about the different experiences of men and women, and about the business case of promoting diversity
• Creating networks—the opportunity for women to exchange experiences and best practices with each other