The Challenges Female Leaders Face
- Jan 16
- 4 min read
Laila Belabbas is the Founder of Splish Splash Handmade Products & Executive Coach In Your Corner. With over 15 years as a Human Resources Leader and Leadership Coach, she holds a Bachelor's in Commerce Entrepreneurial Management-Finance, is a Certified Executive Coach and a member of the International Coaching Federation
As a Human Resources Leader and an Executive Coach, I am at the forefront of gender inequality in the workplace. The number of women in leadership roles is surprisingly low, especially so in senior and executive roles. It is very challenging to break into the old boys' club. Why is that? Men are significantly less likely to promote women into leadership roles, so the fewer women in leadership roles, the fewer opportunities there are for women. As an HR and a Coach, I empower women to break through barriers and take charge of their career growth.
Looking to move up in a senior leadership role
Nora has been working for this shipping company for 25 years. She worked as a clerk while completing her degree in business management. She worked her way up to management. She was very experienced and knowledgeable about the operational sides of the company. A senior manager role opened up due to a departure for retirement, and Nora decided it was time to move up again. She was excited to continue to grow her leadership career. Nora always had excellent performance reviews and was very appreciated by the employees. Nora felt confident that she would be a great fit for the role. As her Human Resources Manager, I was excited about the next stage of her career.
The hiring process lasted several weeks, and unfortunately, she wasn’t selected. The shipping company decided to hire an external candidate. They believe that he was a stronger candidate for the senior role. She was very disappointed by the decision and was struggling with motivation and engagement. Nora was considering leaving the organization as she couldn’t see a path forward. I scheduled a coaching session with her to understand what led the interviewer to choose another candidate, and to help Nora manage her disappointment and prepare for a future opportunity. I asked Nora, "Have you requested an informal discussion to learn more about what you could have done differently, or what you need to qualify for a senior role when it opens up again?"
She wasn’t pleased with the discussion, however, Nora decided to schedule a meeting with the management team that interviewed to gain clarity on why she wasn’t selected for the senior manager role. The feedback she received was that she needed more exposure on a national level. Nora’s role was regional throughout her career at the shipping company. The level of complexity at the national level required someone with the experience for the role, which she didn’t have. She was still very upset about the decision to add insult to injury, Nora was chosen to train the new senior manager, as she had been acting as the senior manager temporarily until the selection process was completed. You could feel the tension between Nora and Steve, the new senior manager. Nora didn't want to work under Steve’s leadership and wasn’t very enthusiastic about training him because she felt he had taken the promotion that she deserved.
What is holding back the promotion
The frustration of not being promoted was not helping her behaviour towards Steve. When I spoke with her, I advised her to put her feelings aside, be the professional she is, and let’s create a strategy to help her navigate this challenging time and move on… Nora eventually agreed, and I started to see some improvement in her attitude.
Lack of opportunity to shine and not being seen by the executive team
I reached out to the training and development team because I knew they were working on implementing a new leadership program with limited space and available only by referral. I proposed that Nora join the training program, however, I received pushback. They didn’t believe she needed leadership training as her performance exceeded expectations. I convinced the team that she was at risk of leaving the organization due to a lack of motivation.
I approached Steve to discuss Nora’s leadership development, as I was also his HR Manager, and he was candid about the situation and understood Nora’s frustration. However, he was very supportive of her development and agreed that this new leadership program could help Nora’s career. Ah, music to my ear as an HR!
When approached with this new leadership training program, she was a little hesitant. I assured her that this training program is designed specifically for women in leadership roles who aspire to grow into more senior positions. The beauty of this program is that you’re paired with external female leaders from across the country and various organizations, which provides a support group and a safe space to be vulnerable and learn.
In addition, the program is project-based, so Nora had to identify a national challenge the organization faces and develop strategies to address it. Then this assignment was presented to the peer-female-leaders training group and the executive leadership team of the organization she had worked for decades.
This was an opportunity for Nora to shine, gain the exposure she needed to develop new skills at the national level, and be seen by the executive leadership team! When the next senior role presents itself, Nora will be able to demonstrate that she’s the right fit and ready to take on a new challenge.
Read more from Laila Belabbas
Laila Belabbas, Splish Splash Handmade Products & Executive Coach
Laila Belabbas is an Executive Coach, Human Resources Leader, and Entrepreneur passionate about helping people and organizations reach their full potential. With over 15 years of experience in leadership, coaching, and business growth, she brings a human-centered approach to performance and purpose. As the Founder of Splish Splash Handmade Products and Executive Coach In Your Corner, Laila blends strategy with empathy to inspire conscious, authentic leadership. Her articles explore coaching, leadership, entrepreneurship, human resources and wellness, empowering readers to lead with confidence, purpose and live with intention.
