The unique positionality of Black women leadership coaches was the perspective used in a study to consider how race, gender, and culture influence the leadership development of Black leaders. This idea is reflected in the overarching research question: What can we learn by listening to the relevant experiences of Black women coaches? Interpretive phenomenology and intersectionality served as theoretical lenses for understanding the lived experiences of seven Black women internal and external coaches who had corporate and professional leadership experience. Findings show themes of collectivity, influence, and convergence that were deeply ingrained in the coaches’ leadership coaching practices and connected with the three principles of ubuntu—spirituality, consensus, and dialogue. The study highlights the shared Black experience, and the means in which these coaches navigate the intersections of race and gender in their leadership and coaching practices. We issue a call for research on developing an ubuntu coaching paradigm and continued learning through interconnectedness. More research is needed on Black women leadership coaches and how psychologically safe coaching relationships with other Black leaders might increase career opportunities and leadership acumen. The study contributes to the sparse research on leadership coaches with intersectional identities who use coaching as a developmental strategy to cultivate other Black women leaders.

Problem As the United States continues to advance to become a majority minority workplace, there is a need to support the development and career progression of women of color. Most leadership research on women is based on the prototypical White man and woman leader with the assumption those findings are applicable to all people and women. However, it is likely that women of color, due to their intersectional identities of race or country of origin, gender, and socio-economic class, differ from those of White men and women as their unique intersecting minoritized identities are considered to act as multipliers of disparate treatment and inequities. Solution Thus, we propose to use an intersectional framework to examine how women of color enact leadership and the human resource development (HRD) practices which promote these women’s learning, development, and career progression. Stakeholders This review benefits HRD scholars and practitioners who study the leadership.

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The Problem There has been sparse research on the intersectional nature of the leadership practices of women of color since the last special issue in Advances in Developing Human Resources (ADHR). Included here are insights and recommendations for HRD practitioners and scholars on developing women leaders of color. The Solution In this concluding article, we make recommendations for future theory and practice centered on leadership for women of color using Amanda Gorman's 2021 inaugural poem as a backdrop. Stakeholders In order to encourage further thought and action for researchers and practitioners in Human Resource development (HRD), this article is intended to provoke thought on women leaders of color and provide impetus toward future HRD scholarship.

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