5 Myths of Executive Coaching

1. Executive Coaching is About Fixing Problems

Executive coaching is about advancing visions, initiatives, and agendas, as well as enhancing leaders and leadership capacity. Tensions and problems exist. Always have and always will. The question is, “How does fixing this problem or not fixing this problem advance or disrupt the vision or initiative?”

2. Executive Coaching is Just Feedback

Executive coaching is about reflecting and acting on feedback. Also, executive coaching helps to glean insight, awareness, and perspective around feedback in neutral and detached ways and in a particular context. Ultimately, executive coaching is about achieving results for leaders and their institutions.

3. Successful People Don’t Need Coaches

Executive coaching, at its best, is helping strong, effective leaders be stronger and more effective. Wise, secure, and successful leaders invest in their ongoing learning, growth, capacity-building, and well-being. The very best leaders have executive coaches.

4. I Don’t Have Time for Executive Coaching

Executive coaching is rigorous and takes time and commitment, and it is customizable around a leader’s schedule and demands. If a leader does not have time or is not committed to making time, then executive coaching is not for him/her. Leaders must ask themselves, “How is not investing in my leadership affecting or harming my institution?” This myth is really about a lack of commitment and confidence than it is about a lack of time. We make time for what matters most.

5. Executive Coaching is Career Coaching

Executive coaching is not career coaching. We partner with executives committed to investing in their leadership and their institutions. Academic Search Executive Coaching Practice is committed to strengthening partner institutions by optimizing and sustaining their senior leaders through executive coaching.

Our Practice

As the first and most experienced executive search practice solely for higher education, we know the demands, stresses, and challenges institutional leaders face. The primary goal of our Executive Coaching Practice is partnering with leaders as a trusted and professional confidant, companion, and advisor to accomplish leadership and institutional goals.