Gender and Management Style Issue

INDUSTRY

Manufacturing

SIZE

Mid-sized, about 1000 employees

CLIENT

Senior Manager and Three-Person Team

ISSUE

A strong female performer took on new responsibilities that overwhelmed her and exacerbated her tendency to alienate her direct reports and others with whom she closely worked. Communication between the executive and direct reports had so deteriorated that the direct reports (all female) took the issue to the Vice-President of the Division. None of them wanted to work for this executive. The VP confronted the executive on her behavior and recommended that she participate in individual coaching, being clear that failure to improve the situation held potential consequences for her responsibilities, status and compensation

SOLUTION

We used two coaches, a male and female, to work with the executive and the team, as both the VP and the PR executive were concerned that gender issues could undermine the success of the intervention. The executive to be coached believed that the team had different expectations from her than they would have from a male in the same position and feared they might be unresponsive to her efforts to change. We assigned the male coach as the primary contact for the PR executive and brought in the female coach intermittently as gender issues were raised. Both coaches worked with the team, meeting with them independently from the executive to create an environment in which they felt safe to talk openly. Other staff and colleagues were interviewed to provide a full picture of the situation as well as data for use in the coaching process. Once the data were collected, the coach and executive established clear goals for the process and met bi-monthly over a six-month process. The female coach was brought in every second or third session.

RESULTS

By the end of the six-month process the executive made significant, positive changes in her relationships with her direct reports and others in the organization. The desired goals were reached. For instance, the team felt more valued and respected. But perhaps more importantly, the team showed strong support for the executive throughout the process and expressed appreciation for her efforts to change. The team members now feel comfortable asking for what they need professionally from her. They feel confident that they can give feedback to the executive when she reverts occasionally to old behaviors. According to the VP, no one on the team is requesting to be transferred and both the executive’s peers and other VPs have commented on her positive behaviors in their interactions with her. It appears that she has avoided derailing her career and has grown in the process.

Location:

  • 1-202-544-0097
  • Executive Coaching & Consulting Associates
    Dupont Circle • Washington, D.C. 20009

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Ms. Uman also works with teams: the interplay of one-on-one coaching with members of a team while simultaneously focusing on team dynamics has helped her clients develop collaborative behaviors and increase trust among team members, improve personal and team accountability, and improve productivity by individuals and the team as a whole. Ms. Uman specializes in gender dynamics within teams, woman-managed teams, and teams where women are in the majority. She helps these teams identify the behaviors that undermine others, and develop both an attitude and behaviors that help the team members and leaders become more powerful and effective.

As a certified organizational consultant, Ms. Uman specializes in conducting organizational assessments and developing reports that illuminate the patterns and themes of organizational behavior, enabling organizations to move positively and effectively into a successful future.

As an organizational trainer, Ms. Uman designs, develops and conducts a broad array of workshops including leadership development, teambuilding, career development, running effective meetings, and managing gender differences. She has received the certification as a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) designated by the International Coaching Federation.

Her clients include:

  • Crestline Hotels
  • Georgetown University
  • Intelligence Community
  • National Cancer Institute, National Institute of Health
  • JBS International
  • Russell Reynolds Associates
  • American Psychological Association
  • Software Engineering Institute

Ms. Uman holds a B.A. in Sociology from the University of Wisconsin in Madison, a Master’s in Education from the University of Maine, and certificates in Organization Development and Leadership Coaching from Georgetown University. Her experience includes serving as an instructor at George Mason University, Georgetown University, Northern Virginia Community College and Mt. Vernon College. She is certified in aa array of assessments, including the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI) EI.20 (Emotional Intelligence) and EI 360, Change Management (Prosci) and was also certified by William Bridges and Associates to conduct workshops and provide consulting services on managing organizational transitions.

As a coach, Mandeep brings this experience, and his fundamental belief in each person’s innate abilities, to create the non-judgmental and energized space for leaders and teams to truly get in touch with what is important to them, and rev up the energy and momentum to make it happen.  His clients take ownership of their own power. They also leverage their own observations to get deep insights into what’s holding them back and then break those habits.  A number of his clients have reported their work together has been transformative.

In addition, these leaders and teams begin to accept the world as it shows up, rather than the way they wish it would.  That accepted, they hold the courage of their convictions pragmatically, communicate their vision authentically and directly, and set about influencing the people, networks and systems of which they are part to create the enabling environments within which their organizations, projects and people succeed.

Mandeep considers himself extremely fortunate to have had the opportunity to express his passions through two completely different careers separated by two decades.  The path of transition has been bumpy and fascinating, and has provided Mandeep the direct experience and insights which make him the coach he is.

Mandeep is also an Executive Coach with the American University Key Executive Leadership Programs.

As a consultant, Mandeep facilitates interventions with senior leadership teams, helping them surface key issues and create jointly owned action plans to solve them. He is adept at uncovering unclear, missing or misaligned roles and accountabilities, business process gaps, and unspoken organizational agreements on topics that are undiscussable.  Mandeep can create environments within which teams bring up the elephant in the room.

Mandeep has a background that spans 35+ years of hands-on experience creating, and facilitating the creation of, solutions to complex problems involving multiple stakeholders.  In his career, he has worked internationally, across cultures and organizational boundaries, to build IT Systems, reengineer business processes, provide organizational and innovation consulting services, nurture client and employee relationships, and grow companies in roles spanning coaching, facilitation, individual contribution, and project, line and executive management.  He has done this within large international organizations, federal and local governments, non-profits, consulting companies, and start-ups.

MANDEEP’S CLIENTS have included a wide range of organizations:

  • Government & International Organizations: The World Bank Group; DFAS, EPA, FBI, FEMA, ICE, NIC (National Institution of Corrections), OCC, TSA, USSS; Fairfax County, VA.
  • Non-profit: US Green Building Council
  • Private Sector: Allegis Group, Phelan Hallinan & Schmieg, Progeny Advanced Genetics, Turner Construction (US); Applied Materials (USA, China & Taiwan); Grupo Elektra (Mexico); Tata Chemicals, North Delhi Power Limited, Samsung, IBM and  Konkan Railways (India); and EFI (USA and India).

CERTIFICATIONS:

  • Georgetown University Certification in Leadership Coaching (CLC)
  • ICF Professional Certified Coach (PCC)
  • The Leadership Circle Profile (LCP) & Collective Leadership
  • Hogan Assessments (Hogan Personality Inventory [HPI]; Hogan Development Survey [HDS]; Motives, Values, Preferences Inventory [MVPI])
  • Emotional and Social Competence Inventory (ESCI);
  • DiSC Assessment

EDUCATION:

  • MBA, Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Calcutta
  • BSEE, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kharagpur