Woman Leaders Have A Natural Flair To Be Coach Leaders
In my overall experience of 25+ years as a professional, had a unique opportunity to work with three female bosses in succession very closely and observe their leadership style for over a period of close to six years. The way they have built their teams, interact with their teams, guide their teams, how they stand for their teams, the way they pull them up when they are in a lull.
Also, as a leader, I had a unique opportunity to nurture and grow woman leaders from my team to take on future leadership roles, and I would always be amazed the way they have shown the dedication and grasp to take on the mantle and move on equally and at times far better than their male counterparts.
Now as I look back as an Executive cum Business Coach and while coaching my Female coaches I enjoy the entire coaching journey more than them as I am of a strong opinion that women have a natural tendency to become a coach leader and who can build bonds with their team members more naturally than men. They are far more dedicated to their Goals and try to be on schedule in terms of not only creating the Goals but also achieving them.
Myths about Woman as Leaders
For years women struggled to fit into a man’s world. They dressed in dark suits like men, toughened up like men, and sought emotional attitudes of men. However, no more. Balance and success come from recognizing that while women may think and act differently, that brings diversity and strength to the workplace.
Harvard scientists discovered women use their brain differently than men. Women leaders who solve problems in business and industry, often think comprehensively. They may think longer than men before offering solutions as they consider it from all directions—including emotional fallout, the effect on people and other alternatives, as well as the bottom line.
Reasons why I feel Woman Leaders can be a natural Coach Leaders
There are many reasons why the woman, far from being ill-equipped to be good coach leaders, actually has natural advantages over men when it comes to coaching and makes excellent coach leaders.
· Women leaders are natural teachers. Moreover, women generally have a better overall capacity to be organized and prepared to provide a quality experience to all team members.
· Women leaders tend to be less authoritarian leaders. Women tend to lead by consensus, a leadership style that a majority may prefer, rather than employing a stricter form of leadership. Women tend to connect by empathizing and establishing relationships. A mother's instinct to be a calming influence and peacemaker and to want to emphasize how every team member is the same, not different.
· Women leaders are natural nurturers. Science has proven that women are generally more adept than men at detecting mood from facial expression, body posture, and gestures, and thus knowing if a team member is unhappy. Because they tend to be more emotionally open, and have excellent communication skills.
· Women leaders tend to want to find a balance between competition and cooperation. A woman's focus is more on teamwork, arising out of her belief that the best result comes when everyone contributes, and the most is gotten from everyone's talents. Women tend to reject the common supposition that competition must consist of winning and losing and of displays of power, dominance, and control, for better or worse.
· Women leaders care about all team member, not just their own. Woman have a "special sense of responsibility for people in general."
· Women are a process- rather than result-oriented. It is what the Organizations should be focusing on: an emphasis on the process (developing skills, and having fun) rather than the result (wins and losses).
· Women leaders are generally safety conscious and risk-averse. Studies show that serotonin levels in the brain are inversely related to risk-taking behavior. Evolutionary biologists believe that a woman's higher levels of serotonin, combined with her instinct to survive by avoiding risk. This risk-averse tendency prompt women leaders to be more careful about safety and prevent exposing their Organization's to any security or legal breaches in today's digital world.
· Women coach leaders are role models for female employees and teach them to celebrate being a female professional. Women coach leaders break down gender stereotypes by proving that women can be just as competent and tough as men.
How Woman Leaders can unearth their Natural tendency to Become Coach Leaders
“Women – even alpha women – can finally figure out how to curb the belligerence and channel the brilliance of their alpha male colleagues! Work Ethic showed me how to leverage my own strengths and deal effectively with my alpha.” By Joyce Russell, COO, Adecco USA
When it comes to business, most executive women suspect that they are at a distinct disadvantage and unfortunately the statistics bear them out. Although women are on the playing field in unprecedented numbers they still find it difficult to be promoted at the same rate as men. Today only a small percentage of women hold high-ranking positions.
However, Organizations today are far more committed to developing women’s talents and leadership potential than in the past, and progressive companies recognize the value of workforce diversity. Yet many women executives do not feel they possess the power to shape the vision, strategic direction, and cultures of their firms.
There is an old saying: "Star players don't become star players on the field, they are merely recognized there." That is true. If you want to see where someone develops a desire to succeed you need to observe their daily preparations. Even if you have natural talent and leadership ability, there is a need to prepare and train. Becoming successful in the corporate world takes special dedication and commitment.
Someone once said that it doesn't matter if you win or lose, it's how you play the game that matters. Engaging a coach would help woman executives understand their game and their organization. It is a continuous process of evolution of an executive, helping her become more than what she is right now. The personal skill sets of an individual play as important a role in her development as a business plan plays in a company’s eventual success. This analogy applies to all the organizations, irrespective of their size and areas of operation. An ever-increasing need to reinvent oneself puts the executives under exceeding pressure. An executive coach can help the executive in embracing such a situation rather than bowing out due to pressure. This falls in line with the primary goal of executive coaching which is to maximize the executive’s growth.
Conclusion
Women deserve to be respected as much, if not more, as males. More often than not they are tagged as being ‘too emotional’, and their opinions are overlooked or taken lightly at the workplace. An executive coach can help women leaders not only to channelize such emotions to their advantage but also to bring them out in a manner that is perceived as strength and not a weakness.
Call it unfair or unasked for, maintaining a work-life balance is much more critical for women than men. A common assumption related to women leaders is that they need to leave office on time since they have kids waiting for them at home and they cannot prioritize their work over their family. An executive coach can help the women leaders get rid of these assumptions and paint a different picture in the minds of her subordinates.
Lack of women leaders at the workplace is a problem that has been in existence since the beginning of the time and needed to confront face to face. If we have a chance to tackle this issue with the help of executive coaching then why not give it a shot?
http://www.businessworld.in/article/Woman-Leaders-They-have-A-Natural-Flair-To-Be-Coach-Leaders/08-12-2018-164899/