NJASA

 Executive Coaching Skills are Your Leadership Superpowers 

In my opinion, executive coaching is the most powerful form of professional development for leaders in any field, and particularly in education. Each coaching engagement is tailored to the individual to help them grow in the areas they most desire.

For the past year, I have had the honor of teaching executive coaching skills to a cohort of longtime, dedicated superintendents. Recently, several of them joined me in presenting a panel discussion titled, “Executive Coaching Skills are Your Leadership Superpowers” at the 7th Annual Women’s Leadership Conference. Panelists included Peg Dolan, Retired Chief Education Officer, Westfield Public Schools, Piera Gravenor, Chief Education Officer, Delsea Regional H.S., Elizabeth Jewett, Chief Education Officer, Watchung Hills Regional H.S., Vanessa Ramos Pereira, Chief Education Officer, Lacey Township and Judy Rattner, NJASA Director of Special Projects. A group of us will also be presenting at a special pre-conference workshop before the NJASA /NJAPSA Spring Leadership Conference in Atlantic City on May 15, 2024, at 10:15am, in the Romulus Room, Centurion Tower (3rd fl).

What is Executive Coaching?

Executive coaching is a series of structured conversations that help a client unearth their own answers to their most important questions. Coaching is useful for helping to clarify goals, break through “stuck” places, better understand one’s own patterns of thinking and limiting beliefs, improve relationships and communication, and for general development in all areas of leadership. It is important to make the distinction that coaching is not mentoring or therapy. One of the most fundamental beliefs of coaches is that all people are naturally creative, resourceful and whole. This means that the answers are already within each of us.

Who Is Coaching For?

Coaching is for anyone who wants to grow or change in any area of their personal or professional life. There is often a misconception that coaching is remedial in nature. In my experience, when coaching is recommended by a supervisor, it is most often because they see the staff member as worthy of investment. After all, executive coaching requires both a financial and time commitment. In many cases, executive coaching is something people seek out themselves as professional development with the support of their supervisors or boards.

What Happens During Coaching?

The first session is a complimentary “chemistry call” where the individual gets to learn about the coach’s particular style and approach, and the coach gets to learn about what is bringing the individual to coaching.

After the initial session, if both the coach and the person feel it is a good match, they will typically engage in a 6- or 12-month contract with 45- or 60-minute sessions every 2 weeks. During those sessions, the executive coach serves as a guide to the individual, and will use many different coaching techniques including assessments, visioning, exploring different perspectives, challenging the individual’s current thinking, powerful questioning, brainstorming, and more.

How Can I Find Out More?

To find out more about the NJASA Executive Coaching Program or to request a complimentary chemistry call, please email Dr. Mark Stanwood, Director of NJ SARP.