How do you foster a sense of belonging and empowerment for underrepresented groups in career coaching?

As a career development coach, you have the opportunity to support and empower people from diverse backgrounds and identities who face systemic barriers and challenges in their professional journeys. However, to do so effectively, you need to foster a sense of belonging and empowerment for underrepresented groups in your coaching practice. Here are some tips on how to create an inclusive and supportive coaching environment that respects and celebrates diversity.

1 Understand your own biases and privileges

The first step to fostering a sense of belonging and empowerment for underrepresented groups is to acknowledge and examine your own biases and privileges as a coach. Biases are unconscious attitudes and beliefs that influence your perceptions and behaviors, while privileges are unearned advantages and opportunities that you have based on your social identity. Both can affect how you relate to and communicate with your clients, and how you interpret their experiences and goals. By becoming more aware of your own biases and privileges, you can challenge them, avoid stereotypes and assumptions, and create more space for your clients' perspectives and needs.

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Melanie Mitchell Wexler

Career Coach - Empowering Mid to Executive-Level Professionals to Achieve Purpose-Driven Career Transitions | Resume, LinkedIn™, Job Search & Interview Specialist | Former Recruiter
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Take the time to learn about the experiences and challenges faced by underrepresented groups in the workforce. This can include reading articles, attending workshops or seminars, or seeking out the perspectives of individuals who have lived through these experiences.

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2 Learn about your clients' identities and contexts

The second step to fostering a sense of belonging and empowerment for underrepresented groups is to learn about your clients' identities and contexts. Identities are the aspects of oneself that relate to social categories, such as race, gender, sexuality, disability, religion, culture, and so on. Contexts are the external factors that shape one's opportunities and challenges, such as education, family, community, workplace, and society. By learning about your clients' identities and contexts, you can better understand their strengths, values, aspirations, and barriers, and tailor your coaching approach accordingly.

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3 Build trust and rapport

The third step to fostering a sense of belonging and empowerment for underrepresented groups is to build trust and rapport with your clients. Trust and rapport are the foundations of any effective coaching relationship, but they are especially important for underrepresented groups who may have experienced discrimination, marginalization, or trauma in their careers. To build trust and rapport, you need to show empathy, respect, curiosity, and openness, and use active listening and affirming language. You also need to establish clear boundaries, expectations, and goals, and follow through on your commitments and promises.

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Jessica Tyrrell

I’m a teenager-cheerleader. I create behaviour change through alternative methods; namely Systemic Constellations & Physical Intelligence. A qualified coach with an MSc in Coaching & Behaviour Change.
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Often this trust is built before true dialogue. The role of the body is incredibly important and something we all too often overlook. Start by getting to know your own body language and the congruency with that you say, next be inquisitive about theirs. When are the congruent? What does their body tell you?

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4 Use inclusive and empowering strategies

The fourth step to fostering a sense of belonging and empowerment for underrepresented groups is to use inclusive and empowering strategies in your coaching sessions. Inclusive strategies are those that acknowledge and address the specific needs and challenges of underrepresented groups, such as providing relevant resources, referrals, and support networks, or helping them navigate systemic barriers and biases. Empowering strategies are those that help your clients develop their confidence, skills, and agency, such as encouraging them to explore their passions, strengths, and values, or supporting them to set and achieve realistic and meaningful goals.

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5 Celebrate diversity and success

The fifth step to fostering a sense of belonging and empowerment for underrepresented groups is to celebrate diversity and success in your coaching practice. Celebrating diversity means appreciating and honoring the differences and similarities among your clients, and creating a culture of inclusion and belonging in your coaching community. Celebrating success means acknowledging and celebrating the achievements and progress of your clients, and providing positive feedback and recognition. By celebrating diversity and success, you can boost your clients' motivation, self-esteem, and satisfaction, and inspire them to continue their career development journey.

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6 Seek feedback and continuous learning

The sixth and final step to fostering a sense of belonging and empowerment for underrepresented groups is to seek feedback and continuous learning as a coach. Feedback is essential for improving your coaching skills and ensuring that you are meeting your clients' needs and expectations. You can seek feedback from your clients, peers, mentors, or supervisors, and use it to identify your strengths and areas for improvement. Continuous learning is also vital for staying updated on the latest trends, research, and best practices in career development coaching, especially in relation to diversity and inclusion. You can pursue continuous learning by attending workshops, webinars, courses, or conferences, reading books or articles, or joining professional networks or communities.

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Stacey Mahoney, ACC CPDC

I transform leaders and teams from the inside out | Speaker | Exec Coach | Microsoft Alumni
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Continuous learning is critical because our world is ever-changing. The constant change makes it tempting for some to rely on existing knowledge instead of looking for holes or gaps understanding. But continuous learning and research is what builds a bridge to clients we support. Seeking feedback from diverse perspectives is a fundamental step in becoming a more equitable and inclusive coach, because it's not just about learning jargon and quoting research. Fostering a sense of belong means "standing with" or "beside", not apart from. It's the difference from "they have a problem" and "we have a problem". If your continuous learning doesn't lead you standing with underrepresented groups... keep pushing.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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How do you foster a sense of belonging and empowerment for underrepresented groups in career coaching?

1

2

3

4

5

6

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1 Understand your own biases and privileges

2 Learn about your clients' identities and contexts

3 Build trust and rapport

4 Use inclusive and empowering strategies

5 Celebrate diversity and success

6 Seek feedback and continuous learning

7 Here’s what else to consider

Career Development Coaching

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How do you foster a sense of belonging and empowerment for underrepresented groups in career coaching?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Understand your own biases and privileges

2 Learn about your clients' identities and contexts

3 Build trust and rapport

4 Use inclusive and empowering strategies

5 Celebrate diversity and success

6 Seek feedback and continuous learning

7 Here’s what else to consider

Career Development Coaching

Rate this article

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