Since 2020, Fiona has connected more than 300 women working in the global development sector to free coaching through the award-winning WILD Global Leaders Coaching Program. In partnership with the world’s largest association of certified coaches, she’s leveraged over $2.4m in pro-bono coaching hours.
More importantly, she’s giving women tackling the world’s toughest problems the opportunity to access transformative, individual support, so they can scale the impact of their work, and thrive.
300 women from 100 organizations in 60 countries have received pro-bono coaching
$2.4m worth of pro-bono coaching delivered since the start of the program
Winner of Prism Award from the International Coaching Federation’s Toronto Chapter
How does it work?
Leadership coaching is based on a collaborative, confidential partnership between a leader and their coach. It supports them to achieve self-identified goals by clarifying their beliefs and values, enhancing their ability to learn and think, and identifying new ways to make the most of their skills and strengths.
84
indicated coaching was a life-changing experience
92
obtained unexpected insights from coaching
88
indicated coaching was central to achieving at least one life goal
96
agreed coaching helped them make progress towards long-term development goals
11 ways the WILD Global Leaders Coaching Program is changing lives and organizations
Growing delegation skills
‘I gained confidence in myself and in my supervisees, that freed me from ‘doing’ to ‘leading’.
Building strategic relationships
‘I started to engage with others at higher strategic levels.’
Developing talent
‘I designed and started implementing staff mentorship programs as part of the organization culture.’
Transforming careers
‘I’ve been given 2 new projects and got into a World Bank accelerator program.’
Learning from others
‘I have a greater ability to put myself in someone else’s shoes and see it from their perspective.’
Showing up as leaders
‘I understand and practice the meaning of bringing my chair to the table and make sure I make the best use of my space at the table.’
Fuelling ambition
‘I’m able to look beyond my current role. If I nurture my leadership skills, I’ll be able to step into positions of even greater leadership.’
Increasing individual influence
‘I’m better able to influence internal decision making to keep it focused on our mission.’
Improving fundraising
‘I’ve grown in sourcing grant funding and potential investors, which has been a key activity in advancing the work we are doing in the organization.’
Growing organizations
‘We are now growing very quickly and it is the most exciting time ever!’
Improving communication skills
‘As a non-native English speaker, i didn’t have the confidence to speak up in meetings. Through coaching, I learned to show up differently and explain the value of my work.’
Hear from Fiona: Why I started the WILD Global Leaders Coaching Program
“We all need support in our journey of growing as leaders.
When I launched the WILD Network in 2018, it immediately became clear that women in the development sector lack the access to leadership coaching that those in the corporate sector enjoy – and because of this, they were struggling to embed the insights they gained through WILD events into the realities of their own lives, workplaces and cultural contexts.
That’s why I made it my aim to create a program specifically for these women: a unique, fully-funded, world-class, 6-month coaching opportunity that would transform their ability to lead effectively as they tackle some of the world’s toughest problems.
It’s been a joy to see the transformation the program has brought both to the women in the program, and to the culture and effectiveness of the organizations they work within.”
Measuring impact
To assess the effectiveness of the program, Fiona developed a values-aligned approach to calculating return on investment.
The calculation considers four key measures for leaders taking part:
Emotional regulation
How leaders feel about the challenges they experience.
Energy
The positive outlook and optimistic mindset of the leaders.
Influence
How leaders believe they can attract needed resources and opportunities.
Productivity
How well leaders consider they are using their time.
Find out more about how ROI is calculated in the 2020 coaching impact report.
Here’s what participants are saying
”I came to understand that being a leader isn’t primarily about the position you hold. Rather, it’s the level of influence you have on those around you. I was able to see that through all the roles I’ve held, I’ve been a leader all along.
Lilian Kayaro EsemereRegional Safeguarding Advisor, FHI 360
”When I say the experience has changed my life, it really has changed my life. I reflect on myself and my journey as a totally different person now. When challenges come, all I have to do is just keep moving on and keep reaching out to people who can inspire me, lead me and help me.
Noor TazkaCEO & Founder, She Initiative
”On our last call, my coach read back to me her notes from our first conversation. She said to me, Anila, this is what you wanted. And now you have it all.
Anila ShaheenFounder, EVEGO
”It is a powerful way of giving back: supporting individuals, who are making a social impact and would not be able to afford coaching, to grow and become better leaders is very rewarding.
Coach, Global Leaders Coaching Program
”This experience really helped me reflect on my leadership style and values, deepen my communication and management skills, and identify productive pathways toward achieving my professional development and management goals.
Jenn WilliamsonVice President, Gender and Social Inclusion, ACDI/VOCA, USA
”Coaching provided me the space to acknowledge what I wanted, what I didn’t, and what my obstacles were to achieving my vision… Experiencing coaching has also made me more self-aware and mindful of how to support, communicate, and empathize with others in my personal and professional life.
Hawa KombianInterim General Manager, The ROOM, Ghana
Give more women the chance to access to transformational coaching
Each year, we receive 4 applications for every spot on the Global Leaders Coaching program – and demand continues to grow.
Across the global development sector, women are committed to expand and develop their leadership skills, so they can grow their impact on the complex global challenges they address in their work.
To unlock more opportunities for women to access the program, we’re looking for funding partners who want to contribute to creating opportunities for women across the sector.
Could you partner with Fiona to enable more women to access career-changing coaching?
