The recent book, “Lean In” by Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook, points directly to the fact that women are not making a move towards the

Condoleezza Rice

top of their profession, at least not with the  zeal  previously considered.  Ms. Sandberg gives very clear statistics as to the state of female leadership both worldwide and nationally.  She is also very succinct in stating that there is not necessarily any one cause.

As someone who worked in the corporate world for over 25 years, I absolutely understand her reason for opening this compelling discussion.  Although it is not possible to easily to pinpoint any one reason for it, you can look at several key elements that perpetuate this fact.

As a senior manager working closely with human resources, we at times faced the fact that a female candidate did not want to move to a more senior position in the organization due to one of three reasons:  they were just starting a family, they could not commit the time because of family commitments, or they simply did not want a “career”.  I only once recall hearing one of those responses from a male.

Two of the three best leaders I reported to in my corporate career were women. They were both strong communicators, empathetic and fair.  They were also, tough, focused and objective driven.

Whether it is in our DNA, part on our living environment and culture, it is still a reality.  My view as a coach differs in that I look at everyone as an individual seeking their own path.

Richard Branson

Every person makes a decision about their journey.  My passion as a coach is supporting, guiding and advising those who have the desire to be the best they can be.  Man or woman.