4TG
4TG (For The Girls) is the podcast empowering the next generation of female athletes to build confidence, break barriers, and thrive — in sport and in life. Through real, raw conversations with elite athletes, coaches, and changemakers, we share the stories, tools, and inspiration young women need to chase bold goals and shape the future of women’s sport.
4TG
Where Are the Women? Liz Quinn on Closing the Female Coaching & Leadership Gap
Less than 10% of elite women's teams are coached by women. The real question is why? In this episode, we sit down with Liz Quinn, a leadership expert, former Navy officer, and co-founder of The W Club to uncover the hidden barriers holding female coaches back. Liz reveals the invaluable leadership lessons she learned in her military career and how they are now helping women in sport and business break through ceilings.
From her experience as a player and coach at the elite level, to her work creating a safe and inclusive space for all sports fans, Liz shares insights on authentic leadership, the problem with outdated coaching styles, and why "followership" is just as critical as having a title.
Key topics that are discussed include:
- The Military-to-Sport Pipeline: How Liz's career in the Navy provided her with a unique perspective on leadership, teamwork, and performance under pressure.
- The W Club: The inspiration behind opening Australia's only women's sports bar and why it's a vital, safe space for everyone who loves women's sport.
- The Female Coach Gap: A dive into why there are so few female coaches, exploring the lack of opportunity and the societal factors that hinder women's careers.
- Legacy vs. Inheritance: Liz's powerful reframing of leadership from being about personal legacy to leaving an inheritance for the next generation.
- Mindset Over Mechanics: Why training for the mental side of the game is more critical than physical skills, especially in high-pressure situations.
- The "Wife Drought": A discussion on how societal expectations and domestic responsibilities disproportionately affect women's ability to commit to demanding careers like coaching.
Key Takeaways:
- Authenticity is the most powerful leadership skill: The most effective leaders inspire commitment by being their genuine selves.
- Culture is a standard, not a rule: A team's culture isn't a top-down rule, but rather the collective behaviors that teammates hold each other accountable to.
- The female coach gap is a problem of opportunity: The lack of female coaches is not a reflection of their ability, but of a systemic failure to provide them with the same opportunities and development pathways as men.
- A player's role is not just a geographical spot on the field: but the story of how they help the team succeed, and every role is crucial to the team's purpose.
Timestamps:
- 00:00 The female coach gap
- 02:59 Liz's background
- 04:58 The W Club
- 08:50 The power of team sports
- 12:59 Leadership lessons from the military
- 18:59 Why the best player isn't always the best leader
- 26:54 The power of followership
- 31:54 The female coaching gap
- 34:49 The "Wife Drought" theory
- 37:25 One change for the AFLW
- 42:07 The impact of visibility
- 45:19 Women as umpires
- 48:52 Mentoring female coaches
- 50:57 Danger of poor feedback
- 58:56 What Liz would tell her 16-year-old self
- 1:00:52 Liz's hope for the future
Learn more about Liz Quinn's work by following her on Instagram @q_diz and her consultancy, Clutchleadership. Visit The W Club's home for women's sport at @thewclub_melbourne.
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This episode was proudly produced by The 32 Collective. Thinking about launching a podcast or already have one but need a hand managing it? Come say hi on Instagram @the32collective_.