Consulting

I provide coaching and leadership training to executive directors of nonprofits as well as managers in K-12 and higher education institutions. 

I am technically an “executive coach” for these professionals but what that really means is that I do my best to see and support the insane amount of work they are doing. 

Nearly all executive directors of nonprofits work tirelessly as the tugboats of their organizations. They lack peers and their board and donors are usually only aware of a tiny sliver of the enormous range of things they are actually doing whether it’s wrangling volunteers, writing grant applications at midnight, adding toner to the copier, cranking out the annual plan, or fighting whatever fire has unexpectedly popped up that day. 

I find managers in education environments continuously struggle with a similar set of issues, too, including cultivating effective classroom management, maintaining and operating their buildings (especially in the face of perpetual budget cuts), keeping up with constantly changing technology and media literacy needs, evaluating teachers, retaining teachers and staff, and ensuring all staff adheres to union contracts.

Drawing on my own experience as a higher education administrator and as a former board chair of 826CHI and board member of 826 National, my coaching focuses on helping these busy professionals:

• define their legacy and map out milestones to get there
• build, motivate, and manage effective teams
• set and track key performance indicators (KPIs)
• leverage the skills and resources of their boards of directors and other stakeholders
• strengthen their communication and listening skills
• facilitate performance reviews and give feedback
• manage their time effectively
• enhance their fundraising skills
• improve their presentation skills