Authentic Leadership for Women: A 6-Month Coaching Program Guide

1. Program Introduction & Benefits

This 6-month coaching program is designed to help women discover and strengthen their authentic leadership style. Based on evidence-based research, it employs a blended, coaching-centric design that directly addresses the gendered realities of the workplace. The program creates a psychologically safe, women-only cohort to foster deep sharing, provides structured coaching for candid feedback and strategy, and emphasizes real-world application through leadership experiments.

Strategic Benefits for Participants:

• Clarity of Identity: Develop a clear, values-based leadership vision and personal brand, moving beyond conformity to existing organizational norms.
• Strategic Navigation: Gain practical tools and strategies to identify, understand, and navigate systemic barriers, bias, and double binds in the workplace.
• Enhanced Influence & Visibility: Build confidence and competence in key strategic skills—such as negotiation, executive presence, and stakeholder influence—while remaining authentic.
• Sustainable Support Network: Establish a robust web of support, including a dedicated peer coaching circle and connections to mentors or sponsors, for ongoing advocacy and development.
• Integrated Embodiment: Transition from learning concepts to embodying a resilient leadership identity, backed by a concrete 12-month plan for sustained growth and impact.

2. Program Expansion Strategy

Evaluation: This is a Coaching program. While coaching is the cornerstone, research strongly indicates that access to mentorship and sponsorship is a critical, complementary ingredient for women's leadership advancement. A supplemental mentorship layer would significantly improve long-term outcomes by providing advocacy, role modeling, and organizational navigation beyond the coaching container.

Proposed Addition: Structured Sponsor/Mentor Connections

• Value Added: Coaching provides internal reflection and strategy, while mentorship/sponsorship offers external advocacy and opens doors. This combination addresses the documented challenge of women receiving less sponsorship and candid career feedback. It helps translate personal insights from coaching into concrete career opportunities and organizational visibility.
• Implementation Note: In Month 2, program facilitators will curate and facilitate an introductory matching session between participants and a panel of vetted senior leaders (internal or external) who volunteer as mentors/sponsors. Relationships will be structured with initial goals (e.g., "gain insight into department X," "discuss visibility strategies") and suggested touchpoints, but allowed to evolve organically. The program will provide brief guides for both participants and mentors on initiating and maintaining productive relationships.

3. Implementation Roadmap

Launch Phase (Pre-Program to Week 1)

1. Participant Selection & Onboarding: Identify cohort members through nomination or application. Conduct intake interviews to align expectations.
2. Pre-Work Distribution: Send welcome package and pre-work: confidentiality agreement, pre-program reflection questionnaire, and instructions for any initial self-assessment (e.g., values exercise).
3. Kick-Off Session: Host a virtual or in-person launch to build cohort connection, overview program philosophy (70-20-10 model, GROW framework), and set group norms for psychological safety.
4. Tool Setup: Ensure all participants have access to the selected Coaching Software and LMS (see Section 4).
5. Coach & Facilitator Briefing: Align all coaches and module facilitators on program milestones, communication protocols, and participant profiles.

Tracking & Operations (Ongoing for 6 Months)

1. Weekly Rhythm:
   • Core Topic: Deliver module content via the LMS (short video, article, or tool).
   • Coaching Conversation: Participants engage in bi-weekly 1:1 sessions with their assigned coach using the Coaching Software for scheduling and goal tracking.
   • Peer Circle Meeting: Weekly or bi-weekly peer coaching circles meet (virtually or in-person) using a structured check-in format.
   • Micro-Experiment & Reflection: Participants commit to a small weekly leadership action at work and log reflections in a shared journal or the LMS.
2. Milestone Check-Ins: At the end of each module (approx. every 4-6 weeks), host a cohort workshop to reflect on progress, share challenges, and adjust development goals.
3. Administrative Hub: Use the Coaching Software as the single source of truth for session notes, goal progress, and participant engagement metrics.

Success Measurement

• Quantitative KPIs:
  • Self-Efficacy: Average improvement (on a 1-10 scale) on confidence surveys for influence, negotiation, and decision-making (measured at baseline, midpoint, and end).
  • Behavioral Change: Participant-reported frequency of key behaviors (speaking up in meetings, leading initiatives, negotiating).
  • Network Growth: Increase in the number of identified and actively engaged mentors/sponsors.
  • Program Completion: >90% completion of core program elements (coaching sessions, peer circles, final blueprint).
• Qualitative Feedback Mechanisms:
  • Stakeholder Pulse Checks: Lightweight, anonymous feedback surveys sent to participants' managers at mid-point and end, focusing on observed changes in presence and initiative.
  • Participant Narratives: Collection of final "leadership story" presentations and reflective essays on values-aligned actions.
  • Exit Interviews: Conduct 1:1 interviews to gather deep feedback on psychological safety, relevance of content, and perceived impact.

4. Approved Tools List

• Coaching Software: Primary Tool. This is non-negotiable for managing the cornerstone of the program. It will be used for scheduling all 1:1 and group coaching sessions, securely storing session notes and action plans, tracking progress on GROW-based goals, and providing a communication channel between coaches and participants.
• LMS (Learning Management System): Essential for Content Delivery. This platform will host all asynchronous learning materials (video modules, article libraries, reflection prompts, downloadable worksheets), provide a structured learning path through the four modules, and house the community discussion forum for the cohort.
• Personality Test / Strengths Assessment: Used for Foundational Work. A validated assessment (e.g., a values instrument, emotional intelligence tool, or strengths finder) will be integrated into Module 1 to provide a data-driven starting point for self-discovery and leadership visioning.
• Internal Social Network: Recommended for Community & Visibility. If available within the organization, a dedicated group on this platform can supplement the LMS forum, fostering informal connection, sharing of resources, and allowing participants to practice visibility by posting about their leadership experiments and insights.

5. Resource & Content Library

Training Content for Coaches

• Guide: "Applying the GROW Model in a Gendered Context" – How to adapt questions for women navigating double binds and bias.
• Article Series: "Systems-Aware Coaching" – Techniques for helping coachees map organizational power structures and identify leverage points.
• Video Workshop: "Holding Space for Imposter Narratives" – Strategies to reframe self-doubt into actionable insight.
• Toolkit: "ACS Model Check-ins" – Templates for structuring sessions around Assessment, Challenge, and Support, particularly for stretch goals.
• Guide: "Facilitating Peer Coaching Circles" – Protocols and prompts to ensure circles are productive and psychologically safe.

Training Content for Coachees

• Module 1: Self-Awareness
  • Workbook: "Values Clarification and Leadership Purpose"
  • Video: "Defining Authentic Leadership on Your Own Terms"
  • Guide: "Interpreting Your Strengths Assessment for Leadership"
  • Worksheet: "Drafting Your Personal Leadership Vision Statement"
• Module 2: Navigating Systems
  • Article: "Understanding the Double Bind and Likeability Penalty"
  • Template: "Stakeholder & System Mapping Canvas"
  • Script Library: "Responses to Common Microaggressions"
  • Worksheet: "Designing Your First Leadership Experiment"
• Module 3: Strategic Influence
  • Video Series: "Executive Presence for Authentic Leaders"
  • Negotiation Playbook: "Preparing for and Conducting Role/Resource Discussions"
  • Guide: "Building a Strategic Sponsorship Ask"
  • Template: "Influence Strategy Map for a Key Project"
• Module 4: Integration & Growth
  • Template: "My Authentic Leadership Blueprint"
  • Workbook: "Creating Your 12-Month 70-20-10 Development Plan"
  • Guide: "Crafting and Delivering Your Leadership Story"
  • Toolkit: "Sustaining Resilience: Reflection Rituals and Boundary Practices"