work as coaches and consultants in different organisations. Over the years we have made many observations, of individuals, teams and across companies. We would like to share with you some of the patterns of these stories and our approaches to change them.
How much developing do women need?
The Scenario
Sue, a successful director in the financial services area was invited to a senior woman networking event, hosted for 50-60 of the banks highest potential women. Proudly, the CEO of this global bank announced the kick-off of a training program for high potential women to “help” them reach senior management roles. Sue, who had participated in many different leadership training initiatives as well as in a female high potential programme got up and asked the CEO as grateful as she was to the company for believing in her and investing money in her, she was wondering what she didn’t have that she so obviously needed more help.
Insights
Unfortunately, most female high potential programmes are not as successful as they could be because they just focus on changing the women. have developed a comprehensive programme to support the change of all key target groups with particular focus on mentors.
Female senior mentors – do they know it all?
The Scenario
When Pat, a senior female leader started her new job in the financial services, she was delighted to find out that her new boss was a woman. Being used to a very male dominated environment, she was hopeful to be actively supported to move on in her career. Unfortunately, soon she had the impression that her boss didn’t give her the recognition for the work she did nor acted actively as a coach or mentor. The longer they worked together the more competitive the relationship became and finally Pat decided to leave the team to work in another department.
Insights
The assumption that female leaders are automatically great mentors and coaches for future leaders is not valid. We support them through supervision like any other senior leader, to understand and become best practice mentors, true sponsors.
How aware are you of your unconscious bias?
The Scenario
Jenny, a high profile lawyer who works as a partner of an international law, firm comes back from maternity leave. As her life circumstances have changed she tries to leave the office at a reasonable time and works from home as much as possible to handle the work load. However, after some weeks she notices that she doesn’t get involved in any of the bigger and high prestige projects in the company anymore. Confronting the senior partner with this fact and her irritation about it, she gets a surprised answer. The senior partner didn’t expect her to be still interested in these projects as they would involve long and irregular working hours.
Insights
Getting an awareness of unconscious bias and reducing them is an important step to create a gender-balanced team. We will help your senior leaders to avoid unconscious stereotyping.
How engaged are your employees?
The Scenario
At a finance leadership conference in a large multinational organisation, delegates were asked to select which afternoon session they would like to attend. The topics for the afternoon sessions covered a variety of different topics, like financial accounting, performance management competitor analysis and diversity. Even though surveys showed that employees thought the organisation should do more on diversity, only 1% were interested to attend the session.
Insights
If an organisation just works on the diversity agenda to tick a box, the employees will notice and not engage. The diversity message has to be of genuine interest to the leaders of the organisation and linked to its strategic success. will broaden your awareness of engagement and monitor progress across the duration of their programme.
Which types of diversity do you value?
The Scenario
After several secondments in many different countries all over the world, Mark, an experienced marketing professional in a consumer goods organisation, was discussing opportunities to return to his home country with senior leaders and HR. After many conversations, he realized that some roles were appointed using women-only short-lists or were awarded to colleagues who had built a stable network staying at head office for years. The organization lost Mark’s global knowledge and experience, as he was quickly approached by other organisations who valued his diverse background.
Insights
works with all high potential employees and prepares them for senior leadership appointments. We want you to get the right people into leadership, acknowledging their diverse backgrounds.
How attractive is your leadership environment?
The Scenario
The global HR leader of a big professional service firm was faced with the dilemma of having a diverse workforce starting their career in the firm but this diversity was not sustained into partnership. About half of their entry level non-Partner fee earners were female but only 10% of the partnership were female. He was wondering what was needed to change this pattern, and to make partnership attractive and accessible for all high potentials.
Insights
One aspect of integrated approach is to work with senior leaders to make their environment a more attractive place. At the same time, high potentials need the affirmation at each career level that good work is rewarded.
The diversity dilemma
The Scenario
Before taking maternity leave, Anna had a great track record of winning the biggest deals on the floor and was promised a promotion upon her return. However, on her return, she had a different boss who due to constraints on promotion, chose to support another candidate who had been present all year. The tension between Anna and her new boss was palpable and Anna complained to HR and started to talk to headhunters.
Insights
In this case , combined 1:1 coaching for Anna with facilitated trio-sessions with her boss. Both sides were invited to take the other’s perspective and managed to agree on an action plan for the next promotion. Anna chose to stay.