Social Group Identity in the Coaching Relationship: A Quest for Resonance – Sukari Pinnock Fitts and Amber Mayes

Coaching as a developmental tool (whether executive, leadership, transition or life coaching) is increasingly being used in organizational settings across the globe. Managers, supervisors, mentors and many other leaders in organizations formally or informally coach individuals to develop professionally, but very few who coach are trained to proactively address issues of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEI & B) in the coaching relationship. Coach training programs that include social group identity as a “coaching competency” are rare. In this session, participants will learn to apply concepts such as implicit bias, social group identity theory and dominant/marginalized power dynamics to the coaching relationship. They will be encouraged to interrogate their own social group identities in order to raise new self-awareness within themselves. Through the use of scenario-based coaching exercises and practice, participants will develop a new set of powerful coaching questions that reach beyond their respective their blind spots and worldviews. Coaches will learn skills to better connect, coach and support those who hold different identity groups than their own.

Sukari Pinnock-Fitts is a seasoned Organization Development consultant and PCC-level ICF-certified Coach, specializing in Cultural Competency, Leadership and Executive Development, Organization Transitions and Team Building.  Her Master’s degree in Organization Development is from the American University.  Her undergraduate degree, in Labor Studies, is from the National Labor College.

Pinnock-Fitts is an Adjunct Professor in the Human Resources Masters’ Degree Program for the Georgetown University School of Continuing Studies. She is the Program Director for Georgetown’s Executive Certificate in Strategic Diversity and Inclusion Management, which is housed in the Georgetown Institute for Transformational Leadership. She is a Coach Assessor for Georgetown’s Leadership Coaching Certificate Program and is presently working with a colleague on a book about coaching “with difference in mind.”

Amber L. Mayes is an accomplished organizational consultant and executive coach with 17 years of experience enabling organizations and individuals to learn and grow to their fullest potential. She specializes in leadership team development, executive coaching, diversity & inclusion, and women’s personal and professional development. Her passion is creating environments where individuals, teams and organizations can transform and break through to unparalleled performance.

Through experiential coaching and training models, Amber facilitates the individual awareness and skill development necessary for effective leadership in today’s diverse world. Her seminars, coaching and consulting services have been experienced with rave reviews by thousands of leaders in prominent Fortune 100 companies, leading national non-profits, and universities. Her work is known for its specialized customization and transformational results