Executive coaching accelerates and elevates leadership effectiveness (Williams, and Lowman, 2018). It contributes to the career progression and effectiveness of leaders moving from management to senior and executive leadership roles. Differences make a difference in the representation of leaders, their career progression, and overall effectiveness. Black men and women account for a mere 4.7% of executive team members in the Fortune 100 with little progress since 2011. Even at smaller companies, African Americans hold an estimated 6.7% of the nation’s 16.2 million management jobs, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, though they make up twice that share of the population at large. Understanding the dynamics of differences enhances knowing when and how race and other categories impact career progress and effectiveness (Hays-Thomas, 2015). It also plays a critical role in identifying and developing the skills needed to coach Black Americans and leaders reflecting other differences. This session engages participants with interactive discussion and thought-provoking illustrations to highlight research.

Blending quantitative and qualitative research into practical applications, this session outlines an approach to recognizing and managing dynamics of differences in the process of coaching Black American executives. It offers connections to how those dynamics apply across a range of diversity categories. Drawing on a thematic analysis of interviews with Black American corporate leaders, the session identifies five key dynamics to recognize and understand in coaching Black American executives. The session also presents coaching questions for each dynamic that contribute to increasing the leader’s effectiveness and the impact of coaching.

The session concludes with an interactive discussion that use a five-step process for increasing the insight and impact of interventions in coaching engagements that involve dynamics of differences. Questions will be generated by webinar participants. The facilitator will offer a framework for responding and examples of specific interventions in terms of questions to be asked. 1.5 diversity continuing education credits available.

Learning Objectives:

1. Outline five key dynamics of differences impacting application of executive coaching to leaders representing categories of differences based on race and gender

2. Integrate five specific coaching questions into executive cochin approach to assess when differences make a difference

3. Respond to specific questions that may arise in a coaching engagement guided a five step process to increase insight and impact coaching diverse executives

Greg Pennington, Ph.D. serves as Managing Partner for PC|G. His unique consulting perspective comes from internal and external roles. As a former V.P. Senior Leader Development and Planning for a global multi-industrial company, his team was responsible for enterprise succession planning, leadership expectation models, global senior leadership forums and enterprise accelerated learning program. 

His experience in human resources, training and development, diversity and inclusion, and executive coaching, include leadership roles with Hay Group, RHR International, and J. Howard & Associates. His recent client engagements include financial services, public accounting, manufacturing, communications, and consumer products. Along with his team, he has provided executive coaching support for one-on-one engagements and for enterprise-wide programs.He approaches executive coaching and leadership development as a partnership, providing patient yet persistent support to identify critical areas for change and behaviorally specific actions to take. He builds commitment by connecting personally with clients and establishing collaborative relationships within organizations. He works with clients to clarify goals in the context of their business objectives. By integrating a range of feedback, he encourages clients to identify key leadership moments for leveraging strengths and addressing development areas.

Greg holds a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and a B.A. degree cum laude in Psychology and Social Relations from Harvard University. He is a member of the American Psychological Association, President for the Society of Consulting Psychology, and Past President Atlanta Chapter Association of Black Psychologists. Married over 30 years, with two children, his passion-pursuits include drawing, painting, and competitive Judo.