WITHDRAWN Effectiveness of Facilitated Peer Coaching Circles in Leadership Learning and Behaviors Among Women Human Service Professionals of Color

Background and Purpose:

Women of color have been underrepresented in leadership roles and often overlooked in leadership development opportunities despite increased racial diversity within human service organizations (HSOs). While coaching in various forms has grown as a key component of leadership development to help participants move from learning to action, women of color are least likely to receive coaching and feedback about their potential leadership behaviors. The practice of “facilitated peer coaching” has emerged more recently in the education field as a cost-efficient and effective process to enhance leadership development, teamwork, and mutual support. However, there is a glaring lack of research about its effectiveness in HSOs, particularly among women of color. The purpose of this proposal is to highlight results from an exploratory study of the effectiveness of facilitated peer coaching circles in enhancing leadership learning and behaviors among women human service professionals (HSPs) of color.

Methods:

We collected qualitative data from 39 women of color (in mid-level positions and ranging in age) in a human services leadership development certificate program at a large mid-Atlantic university and two professional women coaches of color through a Qualtrics survey, 3 focus groups and 2 coach interviews. We ask (1) What were the key benefits of coaching in facilitating leadership behaviors? and (2) What lessons were learned about both the effectiveness and challenges of facilitated peer coaching for leadership learning and behavior change? We used constant comparative analysis to examine patterns and inconsistencies across participants’ experiences and to discuss emerging themes.

Results:

Participants noted the area of greatest growth was a shift in mindset, including boosted confidence and advocating for themselves, and becoming more self-aware and self-reflective about perceptions and behaviors toward others. Strengthened interpersonal skills, such as being better communicators, having enhanced supervisions skills and being more effective in training others, were also highlighted. Many of the women experienced a sense of empowerment and mutual accountability within the circles when discussing common interpersonal and organizational problems, sharing strategies, and experimenting with application of new leadership practices. The limitations of coaching included time restraints, number and pacing of coaching sessions, unique or intractable organizational issues requiring “deeper dive” discussions, and feelings of powerlessness to shift organizational culture.

Conclusion and Implications:

Overall, the results provide a glimpse into the benefits and limitations of facilitated peer coaching, both for individual women and their organizations. Many noted that the coaching strategies modeled by coaches and peers were an important part of their learning. Coaches suggested peer coaching is most effective when participants share similar levels of power within their organization; most of the women were program managers. Implications for how HSOs can scale up leadership learning and behaviors for women of color include providing time, resources, and support for coaching within the workplace, broadening coaching to entire teams or other organizational leadership, proactively identifying and encouraging learning application opportunities, and partnering with other organizations for creating coaching circles across a network.