Research shows that women, more than men, doubt and downplay their abilities and qualifications, while men overinflate theirs. 5 Internal Hurdles for Women Who Lead 1) Imposter Syndrome There is a video resource with terrific tactics women can use to navigate unconscious bias at the end of this article.

A study found that when a woman's name was replaced with a man's name on a resume, evaluators (male and female) were 60% more likely to say they would hire the applicant (). Women too, are guilty of unconscious bias against other women.

Also, the double-bind phenomenon has women who speak directly seen as abrasive, while male counterparts, being equally direct, are seen as competent and likeable. This means a woman may be seen as less capable than male colleagues even when she has more skills and experience. Women in leadership face several kinds of unconscious bias, such as: We are unwittingly influenced by these biases, which means we make snap decisions (often unfair) without truly knowing we are doing it. It's the inherent or learned stereotypes we all develop regarding people - typically along the lines of ethnicity, gender, social status, sexuality, job title, age and body mass. The powerful force of unconcscious bias works subtly against women's careers. This will help her 1) increase her likelihood in gaining relevant experiences for growth and 2) get the feedback needed for advancement, as well as better overcome the unconscious biases she faces. What Coaches Can do to Help:Įxplore with your client how she will surround herself with sound mentors and sponsors. Either way, it's important that women intentionally establish this support in their career growth. Many women are either not seeking these leadership development supports or not being offered them. This is a difficult one to coach a female leader around, but helping them to build awareness of the hurdles in this article will help her develop strategies to reduce the impact this societal reality may be having on her career. Women don't always have equal opportunities for advancement, or equal consideration for projects and promotions. 3 Key External Hurdles for Women Who Lead 1) Being treated unequally Some of these hurdles are obvious and some subtle, so keep in mind that your female clients may not be aware of some of the factors holding them back. And to effectively coach female leaders, coaches should expand their own awareness of these unique hurdles.

The bottom line is that women face more hurdles in their careers than men. However, some of the barriers women face come from how women have been socialized to show up in the world.

Some of the barriers to advancement for women are external and require workplaces to do their part building awareness of unconscious biases, and ensuring women have equal opportunities for mentorship and advancement. This article will highlight the primary hurdles for women leaders and identify coaching approaches to help women more effectively contribute their brilliance to our world.Īccording to McKinsey & Company and 's Women in the Workplace study, women are doing their part - earning more degrees than men, asking for promotions and negotiating salaries at the same rates as men, and they are, in fact, staying in the workforce at the same rate as men.Ĭlearly, there is more at play that has women still underrepresented and less supported in leadership. It's no secret a large gender gap in leadership exists, but the reasons may be more complex than we first assume.

Wheel of life women leadership coaching