Several factors, including the growing number of nonprofit leadership transitions and increasing competition for limited financial resources, have led to increased interest in the use of executive leadership coaching as a professional development strategy. Executives interviewed for the 2011 “Daring to Lead” report assessed coaching as one of the most effective and underutilized professional development…

I recently came across an essay by thought leader, surgeon, and author Atul Gawande: “Top athletes and singers have coaches. Should you?” In it he describes his own experience working with a coach and comes to the conclusion: “Coaching done well may be the most effective intervention designed for human performance.” Wow! If good coaching…

In the workshops we lead, there is always an evaluation form for attendees to fill-out at the conclusion. We get immediate feedback on our performance and use that input to refine the curriculum and improve our presentation for future sessions. It isn’t always easy to read, but that constructive feedback is essential if we really…