And what type of coaching is the best fit for you?
Are you new to the coaching world?
Have you heard about leadership coaching before but shied away because it sounded too expensive?
If so– you’re not alone. For a lot of the queer leaders I work with, working with me is the first time they’ve ever been exposed to leadership coaching.
Sometimes when I start talking to queer leaders, they’re not even sure of what leadership coaching is.
After I show them more of what coaching is all about, they’re often left with even more questions, like:
- “What types of coaching do you offer?”
- “What type of leadership coaching would be right for me?”
- “How long do people work with a leadership coach?”
- “How expensive is it to invest in coaching?”
And that last question is one that I never want to stop you from taking the next steps in your career.
So in this blog, I’ll be answering each of those questions. And I’ll also share a guide with talking points you can use to ask your employer to help pay for leadership coaching.
All leaders should have access to quality coaching at any price point. Come see how we could work together.
It's best to talk to your manager or employer about your leadership development goals and how having access to quality coaching can help you achieve them.
Photo by Jopwell
What type of coaching is right for you?
Curious about what types of coaching I offer? Not sure about what type of coaching would be for you? Wondering how long leadership coaching lasts?
Those are all great questions! So let’s dive into those first.
I offer three types of coaching: Group Coaching, a 12-Week Immersion Program, and 1:1 Coaching.
Here’s more info about each of those so you can see which one feels like a good fit for you.
Group Coaching
You know what I hear ALL of the time? Like…from almost every single queer leader I meet? Some version of the Isolation Blues:
“I’m the only queer person in my organization.”
“Being a queer leader in my company feels so isolating.”
“I lead in a queer organization and I still feel isolated because my community has such high expectations for me.”
The chronic isolation that queer leaders experience is one of the things that led me to create my Queer Your Leadership group coaching community. It’s a space to work on your leadership development with other badass queer leaders. We share ideas and strategies, build relationships, and have a LOT of fun.
(By the way, the second thing that led me to build a group coaching offering is that I believe that all of us should have access to leadership coaching. It’s a weird thing, running a business and having an anti-capitalist heart. This space gives me a way to say, “Yes! You! Come on in!”)
It might feel different (and maybe a little awkward) to explore your leadership style and work on challenges with others. You might feel nervous thinking about being in a group environment for coaching, and that’s totally normal. (It might be the most normal thing you do in your beautiful queer life). That’s why it’s one of my main goals to create a warm, loving, inclusive space to have these tougher conversations.
One of my group coaching clients said that they “often felt inspired by what others shared.”
Another queer leader who engaged in the Queer Your Leadership Community coaching said it was awesome to “share stories, solutions, thoughts, and ideas” with other queer leaders.
Group coaching is a great place to start if you’re looking to ease into coaching and network with other queer leaders. We meet a couple of times a week, and you can be a part of it for as long as you like. If you want to check out an upcoming session, please join us as a guest!
Looking to dive deeper than group coaching? Let’s look at the other two types of coaching I offer.
12-Week Queer Your Leadership Immersion Program
Interested in learning more about your emotional intelligence (EQ)? Are you hoping to gain more insight into your unique leadership style? Want to gain even more radical confidence?
If you are, good news! The 12-Week QYL Immersion Program could be a great fit for you.
This full 12-week program gives you:
- Access to group coaching
- An emotional intelligence report [1]
- A 1.5-hour 1:1 debrief of the report
- Weekly content and activities on a variety of leadership topics (Queer ways of knowing! Leading inclusive meetings! Boundaries! And much more!)
This program’s for you if you want to explore topics like stress management, self-perception, and decision making. It’s also designed to give you a connection to other queer leaders, while you learn more about yourself as a leader.
Are you in an executive role? About to pivot in your career? Eager to have some one-on-one support for your biggest challenges? I’ve got one more type of coaching that’s just for you.
One-on-one Coaching
What I love about working with folks one-on-one is that every moment of every session gets to be about you, and we get to dive deep into what's happening in your leadership world, what's challenging you, and the goals that you have for yourself.
If you:
- Have recently taken on a new role and need some help building your skills fast…
- Are faced with a specific set of challenges and want support sorting them out…
- Want to grow into the next level of leadership (whether that’s a promotion or just your personal ‘next level’)...
…one-on-one coaching could be a great fit!
I work with folks one-on-one in a couple of formats:
* For emerging & senior leaders: I offer packages with a specific number of sessions (six or twelve sessions over a three- or six-month period). A package like this is a great way to get started with coaching, and to create momentum in your leadership development. These offerings both include the EQ assessment, report, and debrief. You’ll also be able to message me in between sessions, and complete self-paced activities as you go.
* For executive leaders: My executive coaching package offers my highest level of availability and flexibility. Here’s what working with me as your executive leadership coach is like:
- You can schedule as many weekly sessions as you want, and we can work together in 30- or 50-minute sessions
- Reach out between sessions if you need support
- We can explore additional options for support, like having me attend a meeting with your team or support you in designing systems and mechanisms.
This is where you might be thinking “Yeah, I probably can’t afford this.”
But stay with me. Next, I’ll show you how you can access coaching in a way that can actually work for you– and your budget.
How expensive is leadership coaching?
Think that just because you work for a small community organization that doesn’t have a development budget you can’t work with a coach? Don’t have it in your personal budget to make the investment in coaching?
No worries at all. I want to make one thing very clear if it’s not already. As a leadership coach for queer leaders (and a queer leader myself) it’s my goal to make coaching accessible.
I designed my pricing to serve you wherever you’re at. If you're on a smaller budget and want to engage with coaching, there’s a way for you to do that within my practice.
And that’s why my coaching offerings start at $75 a month.
I know– that’s almost unheard of in the coaching world.
It’s because coaching is definitely a field that can feel expensive. Prices vary. So as part of my radical inclusion philosophy, I try to offer prices that can fit any budget. I even offer some “pay what you can,” or “name your price” seats within my group coaching programs.
Maybe you’re thinking “That’s great, but I really feel like I need some 1:1 support. How can I afford to pay for that kind of coaching when it’s more expensive?”
And the answer might surprise you.
Your employer can help pay for your leadership coaching.
Yeah, it’s true! I’ve worked with lots of queer leaders who’ve had their employers pay for their coaching with me. That’s because many companies see and recognize the value in investing in their employees.
You deserve an amazing workspace, a good cup of coffee, AND access to quality leadership coaching!
Photo by Jopwell
Not only are there personal benefits that you get from coaching. There are quite a few ways your organization can benefit from investing in your coaching, too. [2]
Not sure how to handle having that conversation with your boss though?
I’ve got you! At the end of this post, I’ll share a guide with tips you can use to bring up paying for coaching with your boss.
Takeaway
Queer leaders like you deserve access to leadership coaching.
If you’re
- Looking to invest in a higher level of leadership coaching
- Hoping to have your employer help cover the cost
- Nervous to have a conversation about coaching with your boss
I’ve got a resource to help you with that. Because I know that it can feel scary to have that conversation. But I don’t want you to let it hold you back from something that could take your leadership to the next level.
So grab your free guide with talking points to ask your boss to help pay for coaching below.
And if you’ve got more questions, drop them in the comments! I’m grateful to support your leadership journey.
Links to References
[1]https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Ja66nlP9GIbqe2oW0zPNcqPDYznSH-1D/view
[2] https://instituteofcoaching.org/coaching-overview/coaching-benefits