COACh has had a positive impact on my career in many ways. In one of the workshops I learned that a large part of my negotiating style was to accommodate others. I also learned that women who have this trait are at a higher risk of burning out. I became department chair a little over a year after learning about this. Armed with this knowledge, I was in a better position to protect myself from constant demands by others. I also learned about preparing oneself for a meeting, particularly the few minutes before the meeting begins. This is a strategy I have shared with numerous department chairs.
“It really helped my stress level to see I am not the only one having these difficulties and helped me not to despair but keep trying to make things better, both for me and the others.”
Learning to not take things personally was very important to me.
“COACh has significantly changed my life. Each workshop has been an eye opening experience and taught me necessary skills to be successful in my career. I have met many women from across the Us who have shared inspirational stories and have developed a network to assist me in my times of need. This has been the best program I have ever experienced!”
I feel more at ease while teaching, or speaking up at committee meetings, etc. it helps to know that there are other women dealing with the same issues. it is great to meet all these women at the COACh meetings – at all levels, both for advice from seniors and from people at the same career level. before COACh i didn’t even think of salary negotiation. once I was told ” your salary/funding is not up for discussion” – I just left it at that. now I would know better – to negotiate some other things…
“The COACh workshops planted seeds that have grown in my professional life. It has increased my awareness of issues in negotiation and meetings. Most especially, I got to be in a room of intelligent and talented women. That never happens for me. I also feel that I don’t have a lot of mentors- male or female- who can help me answer questions of whether or not I want to pursue administration and leadership. COACh gave me some of that guidance and gave me the connections to other women. It’s such a relief not to be alone all the time! The COACh workshops certainly coincided with a stronger feeling of empowerment on my part. I understand more of my own habits and preferences that are gender-based, and because I recognize them, I’m better able to compensate for them or overcome them when those habits (“Women don’t ask!) work against my own progress.”
I found the Workshop to be very helpful in two ways. First, it clearly identified the techniques that I can now see being used by my male colleagues in successful negotiating (creating allies, body language, vocal tone, timing, etc.). On the days when I have the time, energy and confidence to incorporate those techniques, I do find that the outcome is much more successful. I have learned to incorporate these aspects into my style, and used them in successfully leading a large University committee and in negotiating outside offers. Frankly, however, since some of that behavior requires a conscious effort to enhance my personality and to leave my normal comfort zone, at times I feel limited by a lack of time and energy to gear myself up for such an event. I see this problem as a personal limitation to being able to work effectively in a ‘man’s world’, and it makes me feel tired. Overall, however, it has been very useful to have a better understanding of these techniques.
“COACh was a good experience and what I was able to apply from it was helpful. The situation I was in had more problems than I was able to address. I finally decided that my quality of life in other aspects was more important than trying to resolve the problems in the job.”
I feel more confident in my ability to negotiate a package and ask for things that will enhance my ability to meet my career goals. I am considering a career move to another institution, and I am more confident in my ability to negotiate a package that will be reasonable based on the workshop. I have also used much of what I learned at the workshop in mentoring many of my undergraduate students (particularly female students).
“I very much enjoyed my COACh experience, both the sessions and meeting other female faculty that have gone through similar experiences. Attending the meeting helped my confidence in a number of situations I have experienced since the workshop”
Generally, Coach helped give me more confidence to do leadership things.
“In a general sense, the COACh experiences has provided me with a sense of confidence when I approach a negotiation. Even if I am nervous and worried about it, I know that I can *appear* to be confident and strong with the tools from COACh, and this appearance is at least half the battle when trying to negotiate effectively.”
The networking opportunities were priceless.
“My experiences with COACh get a lot of credit for my prevailing in a battle to get promoted to full professor in a timely fashion in spite of giving birth to three kids between submissions of my tenure file and promotion file.”
It was really helpful to be reminded to do the research before the meeting and practice. Those are some of the most effective (and obvious) things that I’ve ever done. I find that knowing that there is a supportive network out there, and that other women face the same issues is absolutely priceless!
“Impressions are all excellent. I just wish that I had the opportunity to attend more workshops. Whenever I was able to go to ACS (in addition to the Anaheim Meeting, where I attended my only COACh workshop so far) the workshops I was interested in attending were not offered.”
Please keep offering the workshops for early career women including grad students, postdocs and faculty. These are wonderful opportunities to network and learn valuable skills.
“I feel more confident in my ability to negotiate a package and ask for things that will enhance my ability to meet my career goals. I am considering a career move to another institution, and I am more confident in my ability to negotiate a package that will be reasonable based on the workshop. I have also used much of what I learned at the workshop in mentoring many of my undergraduate students (particularly female students).”
COACh is great. I encourage all women faculty to participate! I think chairs need some training on these issues– many of them think they are female friendly but they really aren’t!!
“All of my impressions are positive. I am also impressed with the follow up that you do. Keep up the good work!”
