by Anouchka Burton
Coaching provides an opportunity for employees to achieve their optimal potential in the workplace and is a useful tool for organisations keen to nurture and retain BAME talent.
You’ll learn:
• How coaching can help organisations support diverse talent
• Some of the benefits of workplace coaching
• How acknowledging biases can help break down the barriers to becoming a more inclusive employer
“Just be yourself and you’ll go far.”
This is the single best and worst bit of advice that I have received, several times, from line managers, directors and bosses in a 15-year communications career.
It’s the best advice because it’s true: by bringing your authentic self to work, you are more likely to be happier, more productive and more creative, which is essential to sustain a career in an industry like PR.
And it is the worst advice because if you are BAME, (the not-entirely-useful designation for people who are Black, Asian or part of an ethnic minority), being your authentic self can feel like an impossible – and certainly career limiting – task in an industry that routinely recruits for a “cultural fit”. That fit is predominantly white, middle-class and from the South-East.
For around a decade now, the annual CIPR State of the Profession report has provided a snapshot of PR’s changing profile as our industry bends and flexes in response to social, economic and environmental trends.
Yet one area where PR remains stubbornly fixed is in its racial diversity. Year on year, UK PR remains around 90% white/10% BAME. Many will ask, what’s the problem with that, as it is broadly in-line with the British population? Well, our industry shouldn’t be satisfied with simply reflecting British demographics, particularly as we claim to have a global outlook that informs our creativity, consultancy and campaigning.
It seems strange that an industry clustered around ethnically diverse cities up and down the country appears comfortable with so few diverse voices within it. And it’s actually a big problem when – as reported by the CIPR’s separate Race in PR study in 2020 – the lived experiences of BAME PR’s are marred by microaggressions, discrimination and outright bullying.
CIPR’s figures suggest that there is a steady stream of BAME PR’s leaving the industry as fast as they are joining it. So, what can coaching do about this haemorrhaging of diverse talent?
Coaching is key, but what is it?
Like the definition of PR, the definition of coaching has been debated for as long as the profession has existed.
In a professional context, a good description is that coaching is “unlocking people’s potential to maximise their own performance” (Whitmore, Coaching for Performance). Generally, this is achieved through structured or managed conversation between two (sometimes more) people that aims to positively benefit the person being coached.
Coaches typically provide a non-judgemental and open space for self-exploration and reflection, supporting individuals on a journey that results in some sort of change. They listen, question and provide constructive challenge to any self-limiting ways of thinking and behaving. Sessions are designed to improve overall wellbeing and can include topics such as positive emotions, strengths, values and purpose. Sometimes coaching sessions also include practical interventions related to the individual’s specific workplace role or career path.
Crucially, coaches are not there to share their own experiences or provide advice (that would be the role of a mentor), rather they are trained to be non-directive and to encourage coachees to find their own solutions from within.
Coaching diverse teams
“Just being yourself” is possible if you have a firm understanding of your personal strengths and how they can be positively applied in a professional environment. An understanding of how your life experiences can motivate, provide a sense of purpose and a unique perspective in the workplace. Just being yourself is possible if you recognise your talents and can confidently use them, without worrying about whether or not you “fit in”.
In this context, coaching has the potential to transform outcomes for people from diverse communities. Some benefits of workplace coaching include:
• Positive behavioural change
• Growth in confidence and self-efficacy
• Increase in well-being and job satisfaction
• Better understanding between individuals in teams
• Improving goal-attainment, productivity, and problem-solving
• Driving engagement and communication
• Generating a sense of empowerment over one’s career and skills development
Coaching provides an opportunity for employees to achieve optimal functioning in the workplace. This is achieved by empowering them to seek additional professional skills and career progression, pursue a better understanding of their own work personalities and enhance their well-being through self-care.
At its heart, coaching is an opportunity for someone to be listened to without judgement and encouraged with compassion. It’s precisely this type of support that improves job satisfaction among employees.
Coaching for diversity
“Just being yourself” is possible if you are working in an environment where you feel valued and have a sense of belonging. An environment where cultural diversity is appreciated and professional advancement is not dependent on your socio-economic background. An environment where you know that your contribution is recognised as an equal and respected voice in your team.
At some point in the careers of BAME professionals, they decide to exit the industry. A lack of BAME PR leaders suggests that this happens around mid/senior level. Except that’s not the full story: the Race in PR Report also found that “many BAME individuals decided to work as independent practitioners; becoming independent was seen to offer a solution to challenges in the workplace.” BAME PR’s are leaving their employers, not the PR industry.
So, employers need to start thinking about coaching as a tool to understand the ambitions and frustrations of their BAME staff and explore ways to create an environment that encourages their retention.
By utilising coaching support, PR leaders have a space to increase awareness and understanding of diversity and inclusion and better manage diverse PR teams. This space can be used by PR leaders to safely reflect on how their own life experiences might influence their behaviour.
Sometimes these conversations will be challenging, as people confront their own fears and acknowledge biases that can create a barrier to adopting a diverse perspective. In a coaching setting, PR leaders can be empowered to develop practical strategies that increase diversity and support an inclusive working environment. This can result in a renewed relationship with their employees, one with more empathy and more understanding, as well as a more open workplace that supports everyone.
Anouchka Burton is an independent communications consultant, passionate about working with purpose-driven businesses, organisations and charities that have a commitment to creating positive social change. She is also a workplace wellbeing coach, specialising in working with women and people from diverse backgrounds.
Twitter: @anouchkaburton
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/anouchkaburton/