Case Study: Coaching in a Career-Advancement and Leadership-Development Program for Women

This case study describes my experience consulting with an international company on a leadership-development and career-advancement program for women. It aims to highlight the decision-making process that I applied while designing and conducting the coaching element of the program and to share best practice implications for coaching in such programs. I begin by describing the program's goal and the coaching request. Next, I consider the critical aspects of the coaching element; in doing this, I will highlight the challenges I faced and the choices I made. Then I report on the program's outcomes, offer recommendations for organizations conducting similar diversity efforts, and make suggestions about what consultants who provide coaching in such programs should pay particular attention to. Finally, I conclude with a discussion of limitations and a summary of lessons learned.