In Who Needs an Executive Coach? I argue that nonprofit executives (and the organizations they lead) benefit from and deserve professional coaching.
The reasoning is simple: If a world-famous tennis pro never makes a move without a coach, why wouldn’t it be a “must” for an executive director trying to change the world?
Here are a few questions I received and my thoughts in response.
Malka Borrego: I appreciate your articles and perspective. Can you provide ideas on how to find a strong executive coach?
Malka, what I love about your question is that it is exactly the right place to start. Don’t start with budget. Go find a great coach, first. Where should you look? Ask colleagues or others who have executive coaches. Another good source: Consult a local community foundation or an institutional grant maker. Those groups want you to be your best and are likely to have a recommendation. Another excellent source: a search firm that works in the nonprofit sector.
Once you have prospects, interview them. Remember, you are hiring a thought partner; you want someone with very good thoughts! Be sure to pick a coach who is a good fit for you. You’ll be spending a good deal of time together.
Heidi: How do I find someone to help me identify which type of nonprofit role would be best for me and help coach me into that role? I’m starting a master’s program this fall in organizational leadership/organizational development, and I’m turning 49. Is it too late for me to shift out of external relations into a different role?
Heidi, I’ll answer your last question first. It is not too late! Nonprofits are smart to look at seasoned professionals well into their 50s. In fact, a client of mine just hired a major-gift officer in his 60s, and it’s been a home run. He has strong relationship skills and has no anxiety about closing gifts.
I’d want all kinds of diversity in any organization I ran.
As for the shift, a good coach should be able to help you think this through. You’ll want to work with that person to help you tease out your skills and attributes and create a new resume that is skills oriented. A search firm might be able to point you to someone who has this kind of skill.
Best of luck to you: a fortunate organization awaits a woman ready to invest in education and professional development.
Sarah: I’m on the board of a local counseling center. This winter we hired an amazing executive director who is following a long-tenured leader. I suggested that we consider hiring an executive coach who could help the new leader and the board through the transition. The board expressed interest, but the head of HR put the kibosh on it: “The staff might not like it; they may feel threatened.” I’m sure she had no evidence to back it up.
Sarah. Wow. An HR director who dismisses professional development for a new leader? That is a flag on the field at this organization. A few thoughts.
First, does the HR director see this as her job, and is she the one who feels threatened? Or does she think there should be more professional development opportunities for staff members? Or perhaps she believes the staff will wonder: Why can’t we have what the executive director is having?
Lastly, as far as the message to staff, it should be something along these lines: “Leadership transitions are just plain hard, especially after a long-tenured leader leaves ― hard on the board and the new leader. As staff, we want our new chief executive to have all the support necessary to manage and lead our organization well. This will benefit each and every one of us.”
And a tip of my hat to you, Sarah. A great board member sees a need like this and makes the case.
Finally, I offer kudos to Susan Thornton who responded to the article by saying she plans to share these ideas with her board!
Joan Garry is a nonprofit consultant, the author of Joan Garry’s “Guide to Nonprofit Leadership,” and founder of the Nonprofit Leadership Lab. She is also the former executive director of Glaad.
