Facilitated Peer Coaching among Women Human Service Professionals: Leadership Learning, Application and Lessons Learned

ABSTRACT Women are often overlooked for leadership coaching. Facilitated peer coaching (FPC) has emerged as cost-efficient and effective; however, lacks research in HSOs. We collected focus group and interview data from 30 racially diverse women and two women coaches in a human services leadership program on key benefits, effectiveness and challenges of FPC for learning application. Areas of greatest growth included individual mind-set and interpersonal behavior in organizational practices. Challenges included time restraints and powerlessness to shift organizational culture. HSOs can scale up leadership coaching for women by providing time, resources, support, and partnering with organizations for coaching across a network. PRACTICE POINTS Participants noted that the area of greatest growth for them from facilitated peer coaching was a shift in their mind-set, including boosted confidence in being a leader and advocating for themselves, becoming more self-aware and self-reflective about their perceptions of and behaviors toward others, and becoming stronger personally and professionally. Many participants described increased competence in and application of technical types of skills and some described teaching others to deepen organizational learning. Facilitated peer coaching helped women develop a deeper sense of connection with each other and a clearer understanding about the work other managers are engaged in and the common challenges they face. Peer coaching is most effective when participants share similar levels of power within their organization. A necessary step for human service managers is to provide women with leadership learning and coaching opportunities, whether individual or collective, in which knowledge, skills, and ideas can be collaboratively shared and supported.