What’s All the Hype Around Coaching—And Why It Works

Nowadays, many businesses are hiring leadership and executive coaches to help counsel employees or boost productivity. In fact, during the pandemic more than 70% of organizations reported they offered some type of leadership coaching, and almost everybody else said they wanted to but lacked the resources.

So why all the hype around executive coaching? Is it really the panacea for today’s talent troubles? And how should you or your company expect to benefit?

Plenty of evidence-based studies point to coaching’s efficacy (and even more wonderful and talented leadership coaches).

But my reason and passion for coaching are to address a specific problem: the lack of women and diverse professionals assuming leadership roles in tech—and the lack of coaches who understand their unique challenges and how to best support them.

COACHING WOMEN IN TECH

Tech has never been a friendly industry for women, and the recent departures of several high-profile female CEOs mean “the tech industry has now lost a generation of trailblazing women leaders and replaced them with mostly men.”

As one of a very small number of women leaders in my 25-year career in technology leadership and the only Latina in the boardroom, I know that losing women and diverse leaders can have a ripple effect on a company and its workforce.

The number of women in tech is currently at pre-pandemic levels, with 27% of technology roles filled by women compared to nearly 29% in 2020, says AnitaB.org.

That’s because it’s hard to believe you can succeed when no one else in leadership looks like you.

Among the top reasons that women and professionals of color feel they can’t get ahead in tech is that they are not supported by their companies’ leadership or culture—long-time systemic problems that have exacerbated since the pandemic.

In these situations, executive and leadership coaching can significantly help because it provides necessary support through proven coaching practices to help individuals and organizations.

As more organizations realize they must invest in people to develop and retain outstanding talent, coaching is an ideal tool to help individuals advance.

The Athena Alliance calls coaching women leaders “an effective way to increase their confidence and impact as leaders while addressing gender inequality in upper management. Executive coaching designed for women leaders has been proven to reduce stress, increase motivation, and improve coping skills.”

HELPING YOU AND YOUR ORGANIZATION

Remote work has also added substantial barriers to advancement for women and underrepresented professionals with fewer opportunities to interact with colleagues and, more importantly, leadership. And unfortunately, the workplace challenges that come from hybrid or remote work are disproportionately impacting women and professionals of color (who’ve coined the term “the Zoom ceiling”).

The Association for Talent Development says coaching is “uniquely positioned to support women during uncertain times because it is flexible, timely, agile, and personalized.”

And its benefits are far-reaching. Among the many ways that executive and leadership coaching helps you and your organization are:

• Increases productivity and job satisfaction in the workplace. A study by the International Coach Federation found that coaching improved work performance by 70%, while 80% of participants reported increased self-confidence, and 72% experienced better communication skills.
• Fosters self-awareness and emotional intelligence, which are critical skills for effective leadership. Studies by Case Western Reserve University found that emotional intelligence skills development through coaching led to improved team performance, increased trust, and enhanced employee engagement.
• Coaching creates a safe space for individuals to explore challenges and develop new perspectives. According to a survey by the Harvard Business Review, 95% of executives who received coaching reported that the experience had a positive impact on their leadership development, with many citing the benefits of having a confidential sounding board and a trusted advisor.

What’s more, the Institute of Coaching found that 86% of companies say they’ve recouped their investment in coaching and more for their organizations.

Perhaps the best benefit of coaching and inclusive leadership I’ve seen comes from The Henka Institute—that coaching is empowering and breaks down barriers “to create dynamic and inclusive cultures, where everybody thrives because of their difference.”

That sounds a lot like my philosophy and approach to coaching to help more women in tech and diverse professionals thrive in work and life. We all have unique talents and abilities that our industry needs; we just need someone to guide us and help us unleash them.

Denise Musselwhite is a tech executive turned leadership coach, speaker, and strategist. After 25 years in the tech industry, she founded Tech & Thrive, a coaching and consulting practice that provides personalized coaching solutions to help women and diverse professionals in tech overcome the hidden barriers holding them back. Learn more about Denise and her coaching at https://www.denisemusselwhite.com.