Gender Equality
If you exclude 50% of the talent pool, it’s no wonder you find yourself in a war for talent.
— Theresa J. Whitmarsh, Executive Director of the Washington State Investment Board
HARNESSING DIFFERENCE
It shouldn’t be controversial to say that men and women are different.
Technological advances have revealed inherent differences in how our brains are wired and how we think.
Historically, these differences have worked against women. Most organisations are set up to favour an alpha male leadership culture, shutting out women who don’t naturally behave in this way. It means we lose the connections, empathy and authenticity that women can bring to the workplace.
Men and women differ in their thinking and behaviour. Men and women face a variety of different challenges. Women are no less ambitious than their male counterparts, and they still want to be highly successful. Yet they face a range of challenges that are not understood by many of their male counterparts. Many women are prevented from realising their leadership and career potential by these challenges.
Caring responsibilities
Stereotypically, women are the primary caregivers when it comes to caring for families, young and old, they require flexibility from organisations to meet their needs in order to balance home and life successfully. Take a look at the “family” page for more detail on how we can help.
Women, Organisational Cultures & Behaviours
Our Coaching Programmes
Women thrive in cultures where empathy, authenticity and connectedness are high. Typical ’Alpha Cultures‘ result in many women leaving organisations because they feel unheard, unvalued for their opinions, or unrecognised for their contributions. The challenge for organisations is further compounded if there are no visible female role models within the organisation, and they conclude that they do not fit within the company and either leave or withdraw.
To attract and retain women’s talent, organisations need to look at their cultural relevance and leadership style.
See our pages on inclusive cultures & inclusive leaders for more detail on how we can help.
Behaviours
Many women are plagued by the insecurity of behaviour (along with many men!)
The list of challenges is long….. Imposter Phenomenon, lack of confidence, impact and presence, limiting assumptions and beliefs, loneliness and isolation from being the only female in the team, trusting one’s own voice, balancing work / life tension, having a sounding board, being understood by others when you are in the minority, assertiveness, stress tolerance.
The list might go on.
Our Coaching Programmes
Women’s Group Coaching Programmes
We are exceptionally proud at Equal Talent of our high-performance women’s group coaching programmes. Our highly experienced coaches create an environment of trust, commitment and confidentiality in which women can support each other and challenge each other. They learn from each other by listening, coaching and mentoring. We are building groups where female professionals grow together, develop with each other while building life-long personal and business friendships.
We agree with the purpose of group coaching–e.g. Promotion, Leadership, Impact–and work together over a 6-9 month period to significantly improve performance outcomes and career success.
One to One Coaching Programmes
We also work on a one-to-one basis with individuals and deliver tailored workshops on key learning areas such as Difficult Conversations, Imposter Phenomenon, Impact, and Presence where appropriate.
Case Study 1
Women into Leadership
HRD, Infrastructure Sector
“We were losing female talent at a specific level and couldn’t work out why. It seemed like our nine-box grid approach was inherently biased.
So, we selected six women from the level below the problem level to join a nine-month coaching programme, run by Equal Talent.
Within six months, half of the group had been promoted. And, most importantly, they said they felt very confident in their careers and how they were developing. Alongside this, they built empathy and experienced the very real benefits of supporting, connecting with and challenging each other.”
Case Study 2
Imposter Phenomonen
Senior Engineer, Aerospace
“For years, I’ve felt like a fraud. Any moment, someone would find me out. Because of my lack of self-belief, I’ve just not put myself forward for opportunities.
Then I took a coaching programme with Equal Talent and my working life was transformed. I learned that what I was feeling had a name – ‘imposter syndrome’. I could work with challenging, supportive colleagues to find a way to overcome the thinking that held me back.
The process has really opened my eyes.”
Case Study 3
Maternity Coaching
People Officer, Digital Communications
“As soon as we learn that one of our women employees is about to start a family, we support her through an Equal Talent maternity group coaching programme.
Working in a group and helped by a dedicated coach, she can prepare for her maternity leave by creating realistic and achievable plans. She also gets advice on making the most of her time away and KIT days. And she can reflect on her career goals, identifying the support she needs to transition back to work.
The coaching has made such a positive difference to the women and our business as a whole.”
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