Coaching the Next Generation of Women Leaders

I am often struck by the number of younger women in leadership roles who call me for executive coaching. Engaging a coach to help them grow is a strength of millennials. I’m not surprised to hear the same common themes that have plagued women of all generations for years: bringing their voice to the table; standing for what they believe in; feeling confident; letting go of controlling everything; asking for help; finding balance; and saying no.

Why is it, after all these years, young women still face some of the same issues of previous generations of women? While some of the largest corporations are leading the way toward numbers that reflect gender equality, diversity, and inclusion, numbers aren’t enough to create change. Until we begin to reimagine cultures that honour the inherent strengths in all gender identities, women (and other under-represented groups) will continue to suffer the same challenges of their predecessors.

So, who will answer the call? Who will step up to make that happen? The next generation of women leaders is uniquely poised to do that. Why? Because in a complex world, many of the inherent gifts in women allow them to more easily embody all innate intelligence. This whole way of being becomes especially important in a VUCA (Volatile – Uncertain – Complex – Ambiguous) and post-COVID world. Today, leaders must use not only their logic, reason, and intellect, but also need to go beyond and imagine novel ways of addressing the unpredictable nature of how rapidly the world is changing.

They must ‘sense’ what’s next with few facts to guide them to stay ahead of the curve; develop other intelligences to compete with robots in order to be irreplaceable; and engage a new generation of leaders who want to feel more connected into the organisation, so they retain the best talent and bring others along with them. People change in a community, in relationship with others. We need leaders who will create the conditions for people of all genders, generations, and ethnic backgrounds to develop and transform, so they bring their whole self into the workplace. We need communities that will support that change, especially in these uncertain and complex times. Knowing how to develop these innate intelligences so women transform into the leaders they need to be is critical. So, how do you help them tap into these innate intelligences? In my coaching practice, I emphasise five Leadership Capabilities necessary to thrive in a complex world.

THE FIVE LEADERSHIP CAPABILITIES

I have found in the past two decades of working with leaders that the following capabilities are necessary to thrive in a complex world, a world that is becoming increasingly unpredictable.

• Big-picture ‘being’
• Intuitive knowing
• Risk-taking
• Vision and foresight
• Innovation
Truly mastering these five leadership capabilities requires a ‘whole person’ approach. It takes developing two types of intelligence that are typically overlooked and undervalued – the intelligence of our hearts (emotional) and bodies (somatic). This is the soft, fuzzy stuff most men reject as nonsense, but most women innately feel more comfortable with. Thus, women have an advantage in the emerging world of leadership. Because our society highly values and supports women in roles that integrate all innate intelligence – head, heart, and body, women are more likely to have the capacity to further deepen all three intelligences needed to embody the five critical leadership capabilities.

BIG-PICTURE ‘BEING’

For leaders in a complex world, big-picture ‘being’ is critical and requires one to quiet their mind. In stillness, you can step back and open to a broader view of things. This is especially important in envisioning new possibilities and understanding the organisation as a whole.

My clients have found that embodying bigpicture ‘being’ brings a host of benefits, including a balanced perspective because they don’t get stuck in the details but focus on areas that are important long-term. It also includes trust within the organisation because it is easier to let go of controlling every detail so people can use their gifts to execute on the big picture needed. Lastly, it attributes to more effective communication because expressing the big picture rather than getting into the details allows others to more easily hear their point—seeing and accepting their people as whole human beings.

SUGGESTED PRACTICES: Meditation; yoga; slow walks in nature; and stepping back and seeing the big picture, then ‘feeling’ what’s it like to embody the big-picture mode.

INTUITIVE KNOWING

Women in business are often encouraged to overlook their innate intuition, often seen in motherhood. Unleashing this is vital in a rapidly changing world where you must make good decisions quickly or miss opportunities. Analysing information with your intellect is not enough to succeed. That is why developing the intelligence of your heart and body that opens your intuition and gut instinct is critical. Neuroscience has proven these actual sensations, backed by millions of neurons, enable us to bypass analytical thought and take clear, effective, and compassionate action.

My clients have found that tapping more fully into their intuitive knowing brings a host of benefits. They make better decisions because they do not overanalyse, but engage both their intellect and intuition; anticipate change so they more easily pivot in new directions; stand for their beliefs because they are emotionally connected to their passions; and feel confident because they embody a core inner strength.

SUGGESTED PRACTICES: Walks in nature and appreciating beauty; journaling and feeling what you are grateful for; appreciating others actions and their gift behind the action; and receiving openly from others their ideas, praise, help, criticism.

RISK-TAKING

A kayaker navigating down the unpredictable rapids of a river must move into action, taking risks and adjusting to what unfolds. They must quickly respond over and again to everchanging conditions, which are dynamic and highly interconnected. They do not know what problems need to be solved until they solve them. In a complex world, where nothing is predictable, leaders must be equally nimble and willing to make bold intuitive strokes. It takes courage and trust within yourself. My clients have found that developing the capacity to take risks brings a host of benefits, including being comfortable with uncertainty, so they let go of control more easily, go with the flow and trust themselves and others; embracing
change so they are constantly open to new ways of doing business or improving themselves as leaders; feeling self-confident not just from what
they do but from how they feel and experience it within.

SUGGESTED PRACTICES: Reflecting on how it feels to let go of things like clothes, distractions, things you should delegate, judgments; meditation; learning something new; making decisions from your intuition; and changing directions like on your route to work, the path you run, walk, hike or bike.

VISION AND FORESIGHT

Having vision and foresight starts with knowing yourself. This is the portal to imagine what’s possible. Today, imagination is especially important in a complex world where to be effective we need to freely imagine without constraints, so you design for what’s emerging, not what’s been strategically planned. My clients have found that deepening their vision and foresight brings a host of benefits, including a sense of belonging because people feel a part of something greater than themselves; motivated employees because people are inspired by what’s possible and committed to helping the organisation reach its vision; and successful retention and attraction of people whose personal vision and purpose for their life aligns with the
vision and purpose of the organisation.

SUGGESTED PRACTICES: All previous practices; observing what you care about and are passionate about; cross-disciplinary training; storytelling; collective brainstorming; and having fun.

INNOVATION

In our rapidly changing world, it is no longer enough to be on the cutting edge. Leaders must ‘redefine the edge.’ This means coming up with innovative ideas that disrupt their industry before their companies get disrupted.

However, a leader can’t do it alone. They need to develop within themselves and their people the capacity to be innovative and a culture that supports it. My clients have found that developing the capacity to be innovative and the culture that supports it brings a host of benefits, including people feeling unique and valued because they have the freedom to use their gifts to create novel ideas; confidence because they are given the opportunity to solve impossible problems; and an increased passion for their work and commitment to the organisation because they are honoured for bringing their whole self to work.

SUGGESTED PRACTICES: All previous practices; openly receiving, especially illogical ideas; address projects from a scarcity not an abundance of resources; be curious and ask yourself questions that seem impossible to achieve; to take pieces of a problem and reimagine a new picture; and engage in the arts. By mastering the five Leadership Capabilities, the next generation of women leaders will be empowered to break the common patterns that have challenged women before them and create organisational cultures where all genders, generations, and ethnic backgrounds thrive and prosper.