153: Effective Strategies for Coaching Women in Male-Dominated Sectors
Aug 28, 2023
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Coach and Diversity and Inclusion Consultant, Ellie Highwood, shares her experiences of coaching women in male-dominated sectors, discussing discrimination, intersectionality, and the role of coaches. The podcast explores challenges faced by women, internal pressures, and strategies for coaching in these sectors, including the importance of systemic change. The episode also highlights effective coaching strategies, such as asking questions to tackle inequity and promote diversity and inclusion.
Coaching in male-dominated sectors involves supporting women at pivotal moments and recognizing intersectionality.
Coaches can contribute to systemic change by challenging the deficit model mindset and fostering inclusive behaviors.
Deep dives
Coaching Women in Male-Dominated Sectors
The podcast episode explores the intersection of coaching women in male-dominated sectors and bringing about systemic change. It discusses the challenges women face in these environments, such as assumptions around gendered roles and the manifestation of differences within systems. The episode highlights the importance of coaching individuals navigating inequitable systems, supporting them at pivotal moments in their careers when they confront the inequity personally. It emphasizes the role of coaches in helping women navigate the system, recognizing the system as the problem rather than the individual, and finding ways for individuals to thrive within the system. The episode also touches on the responsibility of coaches in creating more equitable workplaces through asking questions, raising awareness about exclusion, and driving systemic change.
Navigating Assumptions and Challenges
The podcast delves into the assumptions and challenges women face in male-dominated sectors. It highlights the realities of being a minority and the nuances of experiences based on intersectional perspectives. The episode addresses overt discrimination, exclusion from meetings, and the need to have difficult conversations in environments that perpetuate stereotypes. It also explores pivotal moments in women's careers, where they confront an inequitable system personally. These moments involve challenges related to promotions, work-life balance, caring responsibilities, workload expectations, and unequal distribution of tasks. The coaching work focuses on navigating these challenges, exploring individual needs and values, and supporting women to thrive in their careers.
The Role of Systems in Inequity
The episode delves into the role of systems in perpetuating inequity. It highlights the importance of understanding the organizational system, including policies, processes, and decision-making, as well as the broader societal systems rooted in patriarchal, racial, and heterosexual hierarchies. The podcast emphasizes the need to challenge the deficit model mindset and recognize that the problem lies within the system, not the individuals. It discusses the importance of coaching men in understanding their connection with diversity and inclusion, fostering inclusive behaviors, and developing a shared understanding of systemic experiences. The coaching work aims to ignite changes in mindset, identity, and behaviors, ultimately contributing to long-term systemic change.
Coaching for Equitable Workplaces
The podcast explores the roles and responsibilities of coaches in creating more equitable workplaces. It advocates for coaches to ask questions that drive systemic change and challenge inequities. The episode highlights the importance of supporting individuals and organizations to recognize who has access to coaching and who may be missing out, driving awareness about exclusion and systemic inequalities. It emphasizes that coaching can support individuals in navigating the current system while also contributing to long-term systemic change. The episode encourages coaches to extend their coaching practice to include identity exploration, values alignment, and fostering inclusive mindsets and behaviors. By doing so, coaches can play a vital role in creating more equitable and inclusive workplaces.
In this podcast episode, our host, Dr Julie Scanlon, is joined by Coach and Diversity and Inclusion Consultant, Ellie Highwood, to discuss how to coach women and men in male-dominated sectors of the workplace and how coaching at the individual level intersects with systemic change.
An ex-scientist and academic, Ellie understands very well some of the challenges faced by women in male-dominated sectors. In this interview, she shares her experiences of the pivotal moments that bring women to coaching, the overt and more covert discrimination and inequity that exists, and the importance of recognizing intersectionality. Ellie examines the role and responsibilities of coaches and gives advice on how to support women navigating an inequitable system, and how to work with male leaders to encourage a longer-term systemic change.
“There can be a lot of internal pressure that women have to be strong, more perfect... a role model for younger women.”
For the episode resources and guest bio, please visit: