Traditional Coaching Was Written for Men by Men: How Has This Type of Coaching Impacted Women’s Lives?
Coaching has long been a powerful tool for personal and professional growth. Historically, however, the coaching industry was designed with men in mind, reflecting the dynamics, expectations, and experiences that shaped male-dominated workplaces and leadership roles. In a changing world of coaching, this traditional approach has significantly impacted women’s lives, both positively and negatively. As the landscape evolves, it’s essential to explore how traditional coaching has influenced women and how the shift toward more inclusive, empowering coaching practices is transforming their journeys.
The Origins of Traditional Coaching
Traditional coaching emerged primarily in corporate and executive settings, focusing on career advancement, leadership skills, and performance improvement. The early models of coaching were shaped by the realities of a predominantly male workforce, emphasising traits like assertiveness, competition, and strategic decision-making—traits that aligned with the expectations placed on men in leadership roles.
While these skills are valuable, the traditional coaching approach often overlooked the unique experiences, challenges, and strengths that women bring to the workplace and personal development journeys. Women, who frequently face different societal expectations, biases, and pressures, often found themselves navigating a system that did not fully address their needs or honour their perspectives.
The Impact of Traditional Coaching on Women’s Lives
1. Adapting to a Male-Dominated Framework
Many women who engaged with traditional coaching programs found themselves trying to fit into a framework that wasn’t designed with their experiences in mind. This often meant adopting behaviours and strategies that were more masculine in nature—assertiveness, competitiveness, and a focus on performance at all costs. While these traits can be valuable, the emphasis on conforming to these expectations sometimes led women to feel disconnected from their authentic selves.
Women may have felt pressure to suppress their natural strengths, such as collaboration, empathy, and holistic thinking, which are equally valuable in leadership and personal development. This adaptation sometimes created a disconnect, making it challenging for women to find a coaching model that truly resonated with them.
2. Navigating Gender Bias and Expectations
Traditional coaching often did not account for the gender biases and societal expectations that women face. Women are often expected to balance professional growth with family responsibilities, manage emotional labour, and navigate a range of biases, including the perception that they must work twice as hard to be seen as equally competent.
Because traditional coaching was not designed with these realities in mind, it sometimes fell short in addressing the additional layers of pressure women experience. Without acknowledging these unique challenges, coaching could unintentionally reinforce the idea that women must conform to male-oriented models of success, rather than empowering them to define success on their own terms.
3. Empowerment Through Adaptation
Despite these challenges, many women have navigated traditional coaching successfully by adapting the principles to fit their needs. Women have used traditional coaching techniques to develop valuable skills like assertiveness, negotiation, and strategic thinking, often blending these skills with their innate strengths of empathy, collaboration, and resilience. This adaptation has allowed women to thrive in various professional environments, even when those environments were not originally designed with their needs in mind.
The resilience and adaptability women have shown demonstrate their capacity to excel, even when the systems are not fully supportive. However, as the world of coaching evolves, there is a growing need for models that don’t require women to adapt to male-centric frameworks but instead celebrate and leverage their unique strengths.
The Shift Toward Inclusive and Empowering Coaching for Women
The coaching industry is evolving to recognize and integrate the diverse experiences and strengths of women. As women’s voices become more prominent in the field, coaching is transforming into a space that supports and empowers women to define success on their terms. Here’s how this shift is creating a more inclusive and impactful approach:
1. Honouring Women’s Unique Strengths
Modern coaching acknowledges that women bring invaluable qualities to the table—qualities such as empathy, intuition, collaboration, and holistic thinking. These strengths are now recognized as essential components of effective leadership and personal development. By honouring these attributes, coaching empowers women to embrace their authentic selves rather than conforming to outdated models.
Inclusive coaching encourages women to integrate their natural strengths with the skills needed to navigate professional environments, creating a balanced and authentic approach to growth. It’s about redefining what leadership looks like and expanding the definitions of success to include diverse paths and experiences.
2. Addressing Gender-Specific Challenges
Today’s coaching models are increasingly aware of the gender-specific challenges women face, from balancing work and family life to navigating workplace biases. Coaches are developing tools and strategies that not only acknowledge these realities but also empower women to overcome them. This shift helps women feel seen and supported in their unique journeys.
For example, coaches are now focusing on helping women develop resilience, set boundaries, and build confidence without sacrificing their well-being. By addressing these challenges head-on, coaching creates a space where women can thrive both personally and professionally.
3. Creating Safe Spaces for Authentic Growth
A critical aspect of this new wave of coaching is the creation of safe, non-judgmental spaces where women can explore their goals, challenges, and aspirations authentically. These spaces allow women to express vulnerability, explore their strengths, and develop skills in a way that feels true to their identity. By fostering environments of trust and openness, coaching enables women to engage in deeper self-discovery and build the confidence needed to pursue their goals.
4. Encouraging Purpose-Driven Coaching
Modern coaching is also increasingly aligned with purpose-driven development. For many women, the pursuit of purpose and meaning is central to their growth journey. Coaching that focuses on aligning career and personal goals with one’s values and passions empowers women to build lives that are fulfilling, balanced, and aligned with their deeper sense of purpose.
This holistic approach goes beyond traditional metrics of success, such as promotions or salary increases, to encompass a sense of well-being, balance, and personal satisfaction. It recognizes that success is not a one-size-fits-all concept but a deeply personal journey that each woman can define for herself.
The Future of Coaching: Empowering Women to Thrive
As coaching continues to evolve, its impact on women’s lives becomes increasingly profound. By moving away from male-centric models and embracing inclusive, empowering approaches, the coaching industry is creating a space where women can thrive, lead, and live authentically.
Women no longer need to adapt themselves to fit outdated frameworks; they have the opportunity to redefine success, leveraging their unique strengths and experiences. Coaching is becoming a tool that not only supports professional development but also champions personal empowerment, helping women build confidence, resilience, and a deep connection to their true selves.
Embracing the Change: Finding the Right Coach for You
If you’re a woman seeking growth, it’s important to find a coach who understands the evolving dynamics of modern coaching. Look for someone who honours your strengths, recognizes the challenges you face, and supports you in defining success on your own terms. A coach who creates a safe and inclusive space for growth will empower you to embrace your authentic self and pursue your goals with confidence. The world of coaching is changing, and with it comes an opportunity for transformation, empowerment, and growth. By embracing the power of inclusive and empowering coaching, women can create lives that are not only successful but also deeply fulfilling and aligned with their true purpose.
It’s time to step into this new era of coaching—one where every woman has the opportunity to thrive. Are you ready to redefine success and unlock your full potential?