In the ongoing journey for equal opportunity, equitable treatment and inclusion in the workplace, organizations increasingly recognize the pivotal role that coaching plays in retaining and advancing the careers of Black women and women of color. Whether it’s breaking down professional barriers or gaining a community to combat isolation in the workplace, one thing for certain is strategies that support skills development and confidence-building drive success.
That’s why the Global Black Economic Forum — through our Academy for Advancing Excellence — is so proud to have launched the E-Suite Coaching app at the 2023 Girls United Summit. The app makes professional coaching accessible to a community of like-minded professionals.
We often throw the word coaching around and consider it something as simple as speaking to someone who’s more seasoned or experienced than you and provides advice or counsel. However, true coaching advances a relationship built on guidance, support, and challenge between an experienced professional and a receptive client or coachee. Having a trusted advisor, especially one who looks like you, is a cornerstone for career development and future earnings.
Coaching and career sponsorship actively promote and accelerate the career advancement of women of color. A sponsor, typically a more senior figure within the organization, uses their influence and social capital to advocate for the person they are sponsoring. A sponsor helps to ensure achievements are recognized and pathways are created for professional growth.
Noted in the Harvard Business Review, the transformative impact of sponsorship can redefine career trajectories for Black women. Sponsorship is particularly instrumental in breaking through systemic barriers that traditionally prevent advancement into leadership roles, leading to better career outcomes and increased representation in leadership roles. It’s simple: sponsors contribute to creating a more inclusive and equitable workplace.
There has never been a digital community or application developed that prioritizes career coaching and advancement for Black women.
The synergy between coaching and sponsorship creates a blueprint that allows for developing a plan for success. Coaching builds the skills and confidence necessary for advancement, while sponsorship facilitates advocacy for career progression. The International Coach Federation’s research states that executive coaching increases individual performance by 70%. That type of competitive advantage can support expanding opportunities to see higher levels of success.
With E-Suite Coaching, we want to further build a pipeline that advances opportunity, particularly for Black women. There has never been a digital community or application developed that prioritizes career coaching and advancement for Black women. Having a coach at your fingertips to help you think through options for the next steps in your career is well worth the investment. From providing insights on how to intentionally surround yourself with people you want to grow with, to helping you get over the self-doubt you may have from the systemic trauma and discrimination often faced by Black women and women of color in the workplace, coaching can be the segue that unlocks a future that’s more powerful than you can imagine.
The incomparable Maya Angelou once stated, “Each one of us has lived through some devastation, some loneliness, some weather superstorm or spiritual superstorm. When we look at each other, we must say, I understand. I understand how you feel because I have walked the same path. We must not say, I understand how you feel, sit down by yourself; we must say, I understand how you feel, come and join me. And that is compassion.”
Angelou’s words encapsulate the essence of professional coaching, emphasizing the importance of having someone in your corner who looks like you and understands the experiences you’re facing in the workplace. In the workplace, coaching serves as a bridge, allowing women of color, especially Black women, to unite, share their journeys, and collectively move toward success. Angelou’s wisdom underscores the transformative power of coaching in building supportive communities within professional spaces.
E-Suite Coaching is a new key to unlocking the full potential of Black women and women of color. By acknowledging and addressing the unique challenges we face as we move through the world, coaching empowers us to be able to successfully navigate the places and spaces we occupy. Coaching helps give us the tools to show up authentically and demonstrate the value of diverse talent in the workplace. Creating workplaces where we all can reap the rewards of a more equitable workplace reflects the wealth of knowledge in our global society.
Download E-Suite Coaching in the App Store or Google Play Store today.
Alphonso David is the President & CEO of the Global Black Economic Forum (GBEF).
Aailyah Haqq is the Chief Operating Officer for the Academy for Advancing Excellence, GBEF’s global leadership development company.