The Womens Coaching Company

Miss Representation - what do you think?

Gain an accredited Diploma in Coaching with UK Coaching Partnership

As many of you know, Lynette Allen (Founder of The Women's Coaching Company Ltd) co-runs the UK Coaching Partnership with busines partner Meg Reid to deliver a professionally accredited and recognised Diploma in Coaching.

We are proud to present out new dates - the next course starts in September 2012 and the course finishes in January 2013.  Click here for dates.

Early bird price starts now, so if you book before May 2012, it's just £1,995 (£2,250 if you book after).

"I can not put into words how great it feels to be part of the UK Coaching Partnership, I feel like I've just got home..." Lydia Frempong, current student coach.

Visit www.ukcoachingpartnership.com for more details

Women in boardrooms would aid recovery, says Cameron

BBC News Politics today runs this article with Mr Cameron stating that economic recovery is being held back because of a lack of female influence at board level.

Click here for the whole story.

I'd be very interested to hear what you think of quota's?  More news to come from us on this topic as Her Invitation, continues its work with corporates both to encourage women to develop through the ranks and pushes the topic of women at board level - what's your view?

Calling all Women...know this...there's always a back story! by Lynette Allen

In my experience, as a woman in business and having worked closely with female entrepreneurs and women in corporates for over a decade now, the one thing we all have in common, is that we want to be successful. Both personally and professionally, we seem to have an in-built desire to do everything we put our minds to exceedingly well.

We want to be recognised, we want to be effective at work and taken seriously in our industries. In order to do that, we spend a good deal of our time making sure that we're experts at what we do, that we can hold our own technically in our respective work worlds and that we achieve. We educate ourselves, we update our skills and we gain reputations for being able to do our jobs very well. With that reputation often comes external PR.  Click here to read on

'What will next year bring?', by Lynette Allen

I hear that a lot around this time of year, 'What will next year bring?' and it frustrates me really. The answer surely is, 'Whatever you decide it will bring'. It frustrates me because it gives you absolutely no sense of control over what will happen to you. It's like you're assuming, you'll have no choice, things will just happen to you, decisions will be made around you, things will move on – without your influence.

Of course, that's not what happens. In actual fact, you're entirely and completely in control. You decide what job you do, what friends you have, what experiences you have, what you learn and if you don't believe me and think that 'luck' opened up an opportunity, or 'being in the right place at the right time', held a door open for you, then think again. Ask yourself, how did I end up talking to that person or being in that room or travelling to that place? The answer will always be, because at some point down that line of events, you made a decision to do something, speak to someone, tell someone something.  Click here to read on

One woman determined to push her boundaries in business

If you're connected to me on Facebook and Twitter, you'll know that I've been doing a lot of research about how women develop their careers to be seriously considered for board positions.  I've asked many of my senior contacts for their tips and advice about how a woman prepares herself for board level and you'll read about those in the next few weeks.

With that in mind, I was inspired to tell you about a coaching client I spoke to last night.  A woman who is climbing the career ladder - not quite at board level yet, but certainly reaching.

This was the first time I'd coached her and so as I asked if she was on the other end of the phone, comfortable with a cuppa, she said 'Actually, I've got a beer and a cigarette!' which not only made me laugh, it also gave me an indication right from the off, of the type of woman I was speaking to, someone who meant business, a woman with attitude and I wasn't wrong. Click here to read on

The Women's Coaching Company talks to Meg Reid, UK Coaching Partnership

For those of you who know me, you'll possibly also know Meg Reid as we run the UK Coaching Partnership together. She credits 2 talents for making her successful. The first may seem a little strange but think about it and it's a flippin good talent to have! The second is more business focused. And as you will read is all about working with people who inspire - all I can say is 'Ditto!' Here's what she says;

What talent do you naturally have that makes you successful?

When I worked with touring theatre companies I used to say that my one talent was packing a lot of stuff into a very small space. I toured all over the UK with 3 actors, myself and everything needed to put the plays on and it was my job to get it all to fit into the van! I used the same talent to take 4 children camping each summer!

A more business related talent I seem to have, is to chose the right people to work with. I like a challenge so have set up businesses which could have been quite difficult to establish. I set up a professional touring theatre company in the nineties' recession and got bookings and funding all across the UK. Having the right people to work with makes things possible.

When did you first realise that talent was going to help you and how do you use it?

Running a business with people who inspire, excite and motivate me is both productive and enjoyable. It gives me the confidence to try new ventures. Most recently, despite the existence of so many hard sell coaching courses, I believed it would be possible to train people in a different way, one in which they left the course feeling really confident to work as professional coaches and with skills which transform their own lives. I found the perfect business partner whose skills complement mine and we are about to celebrate the third anniversary of the UK Coaching Partnership Coaching Diploma!

If you've ever wanted to be a coach, take a look into it by clicking here our brand new course dates starting in January are now available and there's an early bird price if you check it out now!

Secretary Clinton Discusses Growing Our Economies in the 21st Century

We saw this and thought you might find it inspiring/interesting.  Whatever your political views on Secretary Clinton, it's difficult to argue her case for more women in business.  What do you think?  Please comment below - we'd love to hear your thoughts!

 

'Queen Bee Syndrome' - Alpha Females making life harder for women at work, by Lynette Allen

My business partner and I found ourselves having a very interesting conversation with a business woman the other night at a charity networking event. We were discussing the research we've recently been undertaking concerning women in the workplace and the so-called 'double glass ceiling' they hit as they climb the corporate ladder. She explained to us that she'd read an article recently which explained 'Queen Bee Syndrome'. Have you heard of it yet? If you haven't, you'll most certainly recognise the behaviour when you understand the term. Think Meryl Streep's character in the film 'The Devil Wears Prada' – she publicly humiliates her junior female employee, implements her ideas (passing them off as her own) and displays a distinct lack of interest in anything vaguely 'work/life balance' or 'family' related - in fact, you daren't mention the words 'childcare', 'school play', or 'sorry I'm late' since you saw your female co-worker get her head bitten off so viciously when she mentioned them! She's more male than the men she's walked over to reach her position and she's fought so hard for her career that she's not about the make it easy for some young upstart to follow behind her stiletto heeled foot prints – just because she's a woman!  Click here to read on

The humility of coaching, by Lynette Allen

When I think about teaching, I think about the process of standing in front of a new group of people, professionals who want to learn something new, add to their knowledge of coaching – they might have big aspirations to become leading coaches of the future or they may feel the need to bring a fresh coaching approach into their workplace.

Whatever their reason for being there, the thoughts of starting my next diploma with fresh eager minds to train, carve, bring in line with coaching ethics and techniques is so stimulating. It occurred to me today though, that teaching these willing incredible professionals, isn't all this course is about, it's not my only job as an ethical coach in this world.

I read a case study today from one of my students – he's just finished our last diploma and is gathering his written work towards gaining his qualification.  Click here to read more