Executive coaching is designed in a way that benefits both the leader and the institution. Therefore, Academic Search believes executive coaching should be approached from a systems perspective and in the context in which the leader is leading.
We believe that leadership is learned through ongoing practice, reflection, action and assessment. Thus, leadership always occurs in a particular context, leads to action, and has an impact to be evaluated.
Leading colleges and universities today is both noble and daunting work. We created our Executive Coaching Practice based on this philosophy so that presidents and senior leaders have professional and qualified leadership companions and guides on the leadership journey. We are committed to the effectiveness, sustainability and well-being of new and incumbent presidents and senior leaders. We believe that both the interiority of leaders and the exterior demands of institutional leadership are complementary.
LEADER-FIRST APPROACH
THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
MEET OUR SENIOR EXECUTIVE COACHES
Gwendolyn G. Joseph
Senior Consultant and Senior Executive Coach
Gwen.Joseph@academicsearch.org
Dr. Gwendolyn G. Joseph’s career is dedicated to guiding institutions through leadership changes and serving as a mentor and sounding board for those seeking to advance their careers. In addition, she has stepped into interim executive roles to lend her expertise to ensure an organization’s stability during major transitions, giving her a unique insight into governance and personnel changes. From her education to her leadership training and her work experience, Dr. Joseph is an outstanding asset in any search and consulting role.
Dr. Joseph served as an executive, an administrator, and adjunct faculty in various higher education systems and structures. As a Vice President with the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS), she provided leadership, support, and services to the 16 independently accredited, comprehensive community colleges in the System.
With oversight for human resources and organization development at KCTCS, she was actively engaged in all aspects of executive searches, which now guides her work as a senior search consultant with Academic Search. Through this experience, Dr. Joseph gained a broad perspective of the factors necessary to recruit top-tier candidates who will thrive if hired. She understands that prioritizing the search committees’ goals and concerns lays the foundation for a successful search.
Dr. Joseph served as the interim president/chief executive officer for two-year colleges experiencing a leadership transition in Montana, Kentucky, and Arizona. Her calm-under-pressure presence provided stability and strategic direction to institutions during what may otherwise be a tumultuous time. Additionally, she provided executive coaching and mentorship to those new to executive leadership positions.
A native Texan, Dr. Joseph earned a doctorate in Higher Education Administration from the University of Texas’ Community College Leadership Program, a master’s in occupational education from the University of Houston, and a bachelor’s in government from Lamar University.
Dr. Joseph thrives on learning and expanding her skillset. She completed Harvard’s Institutes for Management and Leadership in Education program and participated in the National Institute for Leadership Development, the Kellogg Foundation’s Expanding Leadership Diversity in Community Colleges, and Shell Oil’s School for Innovators. In addition, she is certified as an Appreciative Inquiry facilitator and in Prosci, Inc.’s change management and advanced change management methodologies.
EXECUTIVE COACHING OFFERINGS
Whether a seasoned president or new to an executive role, our Executive Coaching Process is designed to customize and optimize your experience to advance your leadership and institutional goals.
We offer executive coaching to individual seasoned leaders, individual new or transitioning leaders, and cabinet and senior leadership teams, as well as assessment debriefs.
To learn more, please fill out our form to contact our Practice Leader.
“I absolutely believe that people, unless coached, never reach their maximum capabilities.”
“Coaches are your external eyes and ears, providing a more accurate picture of your reality. So, “It’s not just how good you are now, it’s how good you’re going to be that really matters.”
“A sense of purpose provides an ongoing capacity to generate possibilities… and to find the values that make risk-taking meaningful.”
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Phone: 202-332-4049
Fax: 202-234- 7640
