Executive Coaching

Executive Coaching for Leaders in Higher Education

Ideas for Action specializes in executive coaching for academic and administrative leaders in higher education and nonprofit organizations. Our higher education coaching practice assists presidents, provosts, vice presidents, deans and department chairs with the special challenges of leading in the complex multi stakeholder environments of today’s colleges and universities, navigating the needs, wants and expectations of students, faculty, staff, alumni and donors, among others. Confidential coaching conversations may involve issues of strategy, organization, and/or leadership issues. As the unique paths that higher education leaders take to senior level positions may or may not involve traditional leadership development activities, clients may choose to utilize our coaching conversations to strengthen leadership competencies through assessments, 360 feedback processes and developmental planning. Others may choose to engage the coach as a sounding board for emerging issues and challenges. Ideas for Action coaches are valued by clients for confidential conversation and counsel, and as trusted thought partners, helping clients learn, grow and navigate challenges that are unique to each client.

General Approach to Executive Coaching

In general, we believe that executive coaching is an ongoing partnership that helps individuals at the professional, management, and leadership level reach their full potential, and achieve the optimum balance between personal and professional goals. Through the process of coaching, clients deepen their learning, improve their performance, and enhance their quality of life. Coaching accelerates the client’s progress by providing greater focus and awareness of choice. Coaching concentrates on where clients are today and what they are willing to do to get where they want to be tomorrow.

We seek to tailor our assistance to the unique needs of each client. Our model below often serves as a useful framework to begin conversations, but our approach is in no way formulaic.

We believe that executive coaching works because it helps the client focus on what really matters to them and how to get there. By holding yourself accountable to yourself and someone else, you are more committed to taking actions and changing your self-defeating thought patterns. It is easier to release yourself from the things holding you back and to create the momentum that spurs you on to your goals. Your goals are clearer and more specific, and you acquire the skills necessary to reach those goals.

Ideas for Action Executive coaches help professionals who:

• are interested in getting more out of their life and their work;
• want to grow, learn and advance more quickly and easily in their organizations;
• have specific goals that they want to achieve or want help in clarifying their goals;
• are willing to make a commitment to themselves;
• are looking for a thought partner, supporter, cheerleader, out-of-the-box thinker, suggester of new ideas, teacher of new skill sets, recognizer of old patterns, or a person to act as a sounding board, someone who knows them, has an objective point of view, and helps them to find their own answers.