CEO Today Executive Coaching Awards 2024 - 44 - - CANADA - to thrive. Many of these individuals are early in their careers, questioning if they have the emotional energy that comes with opting into leadership as a person of colour. On the other end, I have coached clients of colour further along in their careers contemplating opting out of leadership because the emotional tax paid when operating in primarily white spaces has left them drained. These are brilliant leaders who are ambitious, purposefocused, and talented. Coaching them on navigating identity as a leader of colour in corporate systems is as important as developing them on the mission-critical competencies needed to lead in a VUCA world (volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity). The experience of a person of colour in a corporate environment is unique. Applying an intersectionality lens brings another level of complexity to both their lived experience and the coaching space. Experiences of microaggressions, inequitable standards, and biased practices create workplace traumas that are pushing leaders of colour more and more into the shadows. You can’t lead effectively from the shadows. That’s where the power of coaching comes in. It’s critical to provide them with a coach of colour who can create a psychologically safe space and understand their corporate experience. This is what differentiates our coaching approach at Lumen Consulting Group Inc. For me, the reward is in witnessing them reclaim their leadership identity and purpose and leveraging their learning to lead themselves, their teams, and the enterprise at a transformational level. The other client group is the Ally – those leaders who are committed to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion and have the position, title, budgetary, and privilege power to uplift, sponsor, and clear the path of organizational barriers for equity-seeking communities. As their coach, I create a safe space for my clients to go on their own journey of unlearning and learning. Genuine and sustainable change does not come from blaming or shaming. It’s about building trust, providing alternative perspectives, and facilitating learning. Often, they want to commit to inclusion but don’t know how or what actions are required to take their organizations on a transformational journey. It’s rewarding when I can celebrate them translating their insights and learnings into meaningful action. I left corporate to not only disrupt as many systems as I could but also to coach and develop leaders’ capacity to accelerate culture transformation. In your coaching practice, you emphasize talent, inclusion, and diversity. What are some of the common challenges or pitfalls organizations face in these areas, and how do you help them navigate through these challenges? Some common pitfalls from organizations that get in their way of making progress with this work is: 1. Lack of accountability and integration across business units 2. Inconsistent recruitment, development, and promotion practices 3. Inadequate resourcing of a team and budget Also, make sure that the claims you make about the culture to candidates during the interview stage are the reality. If you’re just starting the journey, that’s ok. Be honest about it and speak to your commitment to a future state instead. You won’t be able to retain them for long if their expectations don’t match the reality. Once trust is broken, it’s hard to regain. The corporate world is increasingly focusing on culture of belonging as a critical driver of business success. How do you assess an organization’s culture, and what steps do you take to align it with its strategic objectives? While a culture of belonging is essential for fostering a sense of community and inclusion, I want organizations to take it a step further and build a Culture of Empowerment. “In an empowered workplace, individuals can contribute meaningfully and take an active role in shaping the organization’s success by giving employees the tools, resources, and autonomy to thrive.”
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