Executive Coaching for Women: Hurdles that Women Executives Face

Executive coaching for women is not identical to coaching men. Women are wired differently than men. If you don’t believe me, just read the book Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus, by John Gray.  Women are nurtured differently than men, and they come to their roles as leaders with that nurturing influencing their thinking and behavior. I have identified five hurdles that women executives face that don’t seem to show up with my male clients. These include: learning to say no, balancing personal interests with work interests, overcoming the mindset that their needs come last, deciphering the “shoulds” from the “musts,” and proving their competency. Men, because of how they are raised, because of culture and because they just think differently than women, do not face these challenges. So is executive coaching for women different from executive coaching for men? You bet! In order to tackle the business or leadership issues women face, we must begin with changing or at least modifying their thinking in these five areas. Change in thinking precedes change in behavior. Until this happens, the business or leadership challenges they face will continue to recur.