The Power of Coaching

At the Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund, we're learning a lot about how coaching can help our grantees succeed. As part of the Coaching and Philanthropy Project, a wide-ranging effort to promote greater understanding of coaching in the nonprofit sector, we've created a series of short videos that provide firsthand accounts about the value and impact of coaching, and how it works best. These videos, and our in-depth evaluation of coaching in the Flexible Leadership Awards (FLA) program, are part of a comprehensive online toolkit about coaching for nonprofits.

Online Toolkit
For funders, nonprofits and coaches.
Coaching Practices and Prospects
Bill Ryan explains the state of the field of coaching.

Thanks for these “power of

Submitted by Nancy Walch, Walch Consulting, consultant & coach on Wed, 06/16/2010 - 23:21.

Thanks for these “power of coaching” videos. You have not only helped confirm the usefulness of an important and underutilized tool to improve nonprofit effectiveness, you have also helped to dispel many myths. I am also impressed with William Ryan’s report, “Coaching Practices and Prospects: The Flexible Leadership Awards Program in Context.” The findings are thoughtful and pragmatic.

I know the power of coaching

Submitted by Belma Gonzalez, B Coaching and Consulting on Wed, 06/16/2010 - 17:36.

I know the power of coaching (as a coachee and coach), and these videos really capture what can be difficult to share when I'm asked about coaching. Thank you for producing and sharing these leaders' coaching experiences.

Thank you for these videos –

Submitted by Rosanne Stead, Tides Center on Mon, 06/14/2010 - 17:18.

Thank you for these videos – it is so valuable to hear the experiences of the coaches themselves as well the ED. My husband, who is involved in coaching business executives, watched at least 15 of the videos with me, was quite impressed and asked for the link. He will be passing these videos on, too.

Wow. These are incredible

Submitted by Jeff Jackson (OE, Packard Fdn) on Fri, 06/11/2010 - 22:52.

Wow. These are incredible coaching resources. I especially like the testimonial videos of grantees talking about their experiences with tough coaching issues. Kudos to your grantees for sharing such sensitive material! This is the kind of truth-telling that can really help leaders.

This is the most thorough,

Submitted by Bonnie Clarke on Fri, 06/11/2010 - 12:37.

This is the most thorough, well-designed and clearly articulated accounting of the coaching experience I've seen in my 15 years of coaching. I was particularly impressed by the topics and questions covered, as they are spot-on the issues I am frequently asked to address. You asked for feedback...the only addition I can possibly think of would be to have a video demonstration of an actual "live" (unrehearsed) coaching session, to bring the viewer into the experience even more, but the videos tell a pretty compelling story on their own.

I appreciate the depth and

Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 06/10/2010 - 20:38.

I appreciate the depth and honesty with which these leaders and coaches talk about this useful and yet sometimes complicated tool for the field. Thank you for sharing this important conversation.

These are so incredibly

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 06/09/2010 - 23:06.

These are so incredibly helpful. THANK YOU for taking such great pains to create these wonderful tools.

Brava and thank you for

Submitted by Davida Hartman-Griffin on Tue, 06/08/2010 - 18:38.

Brava and thank you for showcasing the many benefits of coaching and the postive results for leaders and the organizations they serve. The videos are a "Five Star" presentation of information---very helpful and insightful, indeed! Now I can't wait to read the online toolkit.

Greater self-awareness: It's not always easy for Executive Directors to get honest feedback about how they're doing. Team-Up for Youth ED Janet Carter describes how coaching helped her identify strengths and weaknesses. (1:23) WATCH VIDEO	Managing stress: The Executive Director's role is often accompanied by "the stress of making tough and unpopular decisions". Unity Council ED Gilda Gonzales on how coaching has helped her achieve balance. (1:47) WATCH VIDEO
Better staff supervision: Lina Sheth, a Program Director at Asian & Pacific Islander Wellness Center, discusses the far-reaching impact that coaching has had on her ability to empower her own staff. (1:10) WATCH VIDEO	Getting "unstuck": Coaching can help leaders address their toughest roadblocks. East Bay Asian Youth Center Executive Director David Kakishiba on overcoming the fears that can become barriers to action. (2:24) WATCH VIDEO
Better communication: Coach Gail Ginder shares an example of how honest feedback can help a leader understand their impact on others and see when their behavior isn't matching their intention. (1:43) WATCH VIDEO	Confronting issues head-on: Evaluator Bill Ryan talks about how coaching helped one coachee become a stronger leader by helping her confront a personnel issue that was challenging the organization and its staff. (1:47) WATCH VIDEO
Asking hard questions: Gilda Gonzales finds coaching a unique way to explore the essential leadership question, “Am I the right person for my organization at this time?” (1:10) WATCH VIDEO

For a new leader: Janet Carter describes how coaching helped her make the leap from the "number two" to the "number one" executive position. (1:22) WATCH VIDEO	For a leader of color: Lina Sheth discusses how coaching helped her develop a framework for often being one of the only leaders of color at the table. (0:51) WATCH VIDEO
For an executive transition: Gail Ginder talks about coaching a 30-year founder Executive Director who wanted to "leave with grace" in order to help set the organization up to succeed. (1:25) WATCH VIDEO	For a new leader: Bill Ryan talks about how coaching helped an Executive Director take a more high-profile and visible role and how that helped his organization. (1:16) WATCH VIDEO
For a first-time leader: Janet Carter talks about how coaching has helped take on new responsibilities - working with a board, creating a vision and communicating that vision effectively. (1:16) WATCH VIDEO	When coaching is not the solution: Gail Ginder describes how coaching is not going to be effective if it's seen as an alternative to good management. (0:58) WATCH VIDEO
When coaching won't work: Bill Ryan shares an example of how it's hard to provide coaching without a context and a clear feedback loop. (1:27) WATCH VIDEO	When coaching won't work: Gail Ginder describes the challenges when coaching is imposed rather than chosen, and the coachee is not open to change. (1:06) WATCH VIDEO

Unique value of coaching: Team-Up for Youth Executive Director Janet Carter talks about how coaching can help in ways that other leadership supports can't. (1:07) WATCH VIDEO	Coaching defined: Coach Gail Ginder shares her perspective on what coaching is and how it’s different from consulting and therapy. (1:45) WATCH VIDEO
Growth of coaching in nonprofits: Evaluator Bill Ryan discusses the prevalence of coaching in business and how quickly it's catching on for nonprofits. (0:59) WATCH VIDEO	Common concerns about coaching: Coaching participants David Kakishiba and Gilda Gonzales and coach Gail Ginder address some of the initial concerns people have about coaching. (2:55) WATCH VIDEO
A field still defining itself: Bill Ryan describes how, as an emerging field, coaching is still defined more by what it is not, than what it is. (1:10) WATCH VIDEO	Coaching takes different forms: Bill Ryan talks about the three central approaches that coaches bring to their craft. (2:07) WATCH VIDEO

Example of a coaching process: Gilda Gonzales talks about the first coaching sessions, her initial skepticism and the unanticipated results. (1:15) WATCH VIDEO	Example of a coaching process: Janet Carter describes the process of setting goals and how she and her coach continued to track the impact of coaching. (1:33) WATCH VIDEO
Example of a coaching process: David Kakishiba reflects on how he and his coach worked together to develop coaching sessions that worked for him. (1:27) WATCH VIDEO	Three key ingredients: Based on his broader research and his evaluation of coaching in the FLA, Bill Ryan identifies the essential elements of a successful coaching engagement. (1:03) WATCH VIDEO
Selecting the right coach: There are a lot of qualified coaches out there. Gail Ginder gives advice on how to go about selecting one that's right for you. (0:46) WATCH VIDEO	Selecting the right coach: Janet Carter shares what she believes is the single most important criteria for picking a coach to work with. (1:44) WATCH VIDEO
Coaches ask good questions: Janet Carter talks about how, from the start, her coach helped her build a framework for what she would work on in coaching. (0:56) WATCH VIDEO	Multiple coaches in an organization: David Kakishiba gives advice on what to consider when bringing in coaches to work with a number of people within an organization. (1:03) WATCH VIDEO
Multiple coaches in an organization: Gail Ginder talks about the challenges and benefits of having multiple coaches and how best to manage communication and confidentiality. (1:40) WATCH VIDEO	Advice for other leaders: Gilda Gonzales gives her input to other Executive Directors who are considering coaching, and talks about how to know if it’s working. (1:32) WATCH VIDEO
Role of supervisor: Janet Carter describes the importance and value of the supervisor being included in setting coaching goals. (0:47) WATCH VIDEO

Encouraging leaders to invest: Bill Ryan discusses the unique role that funders can play in overcoming the "scarcity mentality" that stops leaders from investing in coaching. (1:05) WATCH VIDEO	Advice for funders: Gail Ginder shares three considerations for funders who are thinking about investing in coaching over, or in addition to, other leadership support. (1:18) WATCH VIDEO
Advice for funders: Janet Carter offers thoughts on how to approach coaching in a comprehensive way that will benefit every level of the organization. (0:33) WATCH VIDEO	Haas, Jr. Fund's journey with coaching: Bill Ryan describes the FLA program's initial approach to coaching and how it evolved into a major strategy for leadership development. (1:14) WATCH VIDEO
Evaluating impact: Bill Ryan talks about the process the Haas, Jr. Fund has taken to assess the impact that coaching has had for FLA participants.(1:39) WATCH VIDEO	Return on investment: Bill Ryan proposes an approach to evaluation that mirrors the way businesses think about their investment in coaching. (1:27) WATCH VIDEO
Goals of the FLA: Bill Ryan describes the goals and key elements of the FLA program and its focus on leadership development that strengthens organizations. (1:13) WATCH VIDEO