5 Myths of Executive Coaching

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.

We invite you to reach out for a discovery call to discuss how our executive coaching solutions can be tailored in scope and investment to suit your specific circumstances.

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The Impetus for Transitioning and Onboarding a Newly Appointed President

Newly appointed college and university presidents face myriad hurdles including shorter tenures and financial challenges stemming from the pandemic. The changing presidency underscores the significance of a thorough and well-executed transition and onboarding strategy to assist new presidents in establishing relationships and effectively navigating their roles. This strategy includes the formation of a presidential transition team and workshops aimed at strengthening relationships with the cabinet and the board of trustees. It centers on three essential aspects: introducing the president to the institutional community, fostering collaboration within the cabinet, and cultivating a robust rapport with the board of trustees to secure long-term success.
COVID-19 Impacts on Leadership Transitions and the Search Process

COVID-19 Impacts on Leadership Transitions and the Search Process

Many institutional leaders who may have been considering retirement or a move decided to delay their plans, and search work came to a standstill late last spring. As the COVID-19 crisis continued on, we saw some thawing of search for positions considered critical to long-term viability such as presidents and provosts. Uncertainty and limited resources made contracting with an executive search firm more challenging for many institutions, resulting in recruitment of position openings being managed internally in many instances.
Strengthening the Foundation: Creating an Inclusive Environment for New Leaders

Strengthening the Foundation: Creating an Inclusive Environment for New Leaders

As an expression of Academic Search’s commitment, and as a complement to the work we do in higher education executive search, we are honored to be engaged currently with the City University of New York System as it facilitates the transition of seven new campus presidents. Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez recognizes the critical work to be done following the appointment of new leadership, and this is all the more significant during the pandemic. A successful search does not end at the identification, selection, and announcement of the appointee; developing and implementing a well-structured transition and onboarding plan is imperative to ensuring a smooth, successful change of leadership.