A pawn in the game? The significance of contracting in coaching with gender-sensitivity

Abstract

As organisations struggle to increase and maintain their gender diversity levels, this qualitative study, conducted in Germany, explores coaching approaches supporting gender diversity through 30 semi-structured interviews with coaches and organisational stakeholders. The findings suggest that current approaches may perpetuate the status-quo. The concept of coaching with gender-sensitivity is proposed as an expansive approach, accommodating individuals' diverse and intersecting identity categories within their socio-cultural contexts, involving relevant organisational stakeholders to address structural challenges. This article focusses on findings regarding contracting as an integral part of coaching with gender-sensitivity, where roles, responsibilities, values and goals can be delineated, articulated and aligned.

Keywords

• coaching
• gender diversity
• gender-sensitivity
• contracting
• power-dynamic