Leaders of the future
At the beginning of this year, five women from Oracle arrived here to begin a three-month coaching programme, The Power of You, aimed at developing leaders of the future.
With research showing that the most successful companies are those that have a mix of men and women on the board, there has never been a better time to start training female talent. But where are these women and why aren’t they applying for senior jobs?
Low self-confidence and self-belief, combined with a lack of vision for their future career, are factors deemed to prevent young women from putting themselves forward for career progression. Research shows the importance of giving women a psychologically safe environment in which to develop skills, share knowledge and experience, which in turn builds relationships and social capital. Social capital can be challenging to develop for female leaders and can potentially hinder their career advancement.
At the end of the three-month programme these women realised how much they had grown individually and as a group. Working together in a group brings a sense of belonging which arguably forms the core human need. The feeling of belonging and commitment to something worthwhile subsequently boosts confidence, competence and skills in that group.
After three months, they were not ready to end their journey together and fortunately for them, the company invested in a further six months of group and individual online coaching. The result – these women are well and truly stepping up and outside their comfort zone both at work and in their personal lives.
The Power of You programme gives individuals the skills to confidently communicate with people at all levels, influence decisions, set achievable goals and develop meaningful business networks. But the most important ingredient is that the programme unlocks self-belief and gives women the confidence to map out a career plan and apply – and get – top-level roles. If you know anyone who would benefit from coaching to take their career to the next level, then please do get in touch. The next Power of You programme begins on 24th January 2019.
