Executive coaching facilitates the growth of school leaders by providing dedicated time and a supportive environment for reflection, planning, and accountability. In this confidential and judgment-free space, leaders can address challenges, collaborate on strategies, and work with a committed thought partner to enhance their effectiveness and growth in their leadership roles. 

An executive coaching engagement typically starts with a reflection on the leader’s strengths, growth areas, vision, and personal goals. The coach then engages the leader in monthly one-on-one coaching conversations that empower the leader to cultivate new perspectives, skills, and leadership behaviors. 

Executive coaching is distinctly different from formal job training, mentoring, consulting, and performance management. Executive coaches are not mentors that tell leaders how to do their job. Instead, a coach asks questions that help the leader discover new possibilities and develop solutions that will work for the leader’s unique circumstances and personality. A coach serves as a thought partner during the leader’s toughest moments, and an accountability partner to keep that leader on their path to greatness. Through this collaborative and personalized approach to leadership development, leaders and their schools will achieve more than they thought possible. 

No! Thanks to the generous support of the Bainum Family Foundation and their commitment to supporting Seventh-day Adventist Education and its leaders, the Executive Coaching program is being provided to the North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists at not cost to the participants. 

Leaders receiving coaching should make plans to meet with their Executive Coach virtually at least once a month for 1-hour. The Coaching Program is structured to last for up to 2-years during which time participants will engage in a variety of Leadership Assessments, including a Korn-Ferry 360 Leadership Competency stakeholder review, a DiSC Leadership assessment, and more. While these assessments may take some time to complete, the feedback will provide a richer context for personal leadership growth and development as well as provide key launching points for several coaching sessions. 

Early- and Mid-Career leaders with at least two years of experience as full-time administrators are best suited to find success in the Executive Coaching program. 

This program is anchored in the belief that our most talented leaders need more relevant on-the-job support and personalized professional development that challenges them as leaders. Through one-on-one, individualized coaching, we hope to empower leaders to discover their unique leadership strengths, build their confidence, and accelerate their ability to make their visionary dreams a reality in their school building. 

Please note, the Executive Coaching program is not intended to provide remedial or corrective intervention for principals – this program is designed to take emerging leaders to the next level.

Step 1: Review the program materials on the ACE Academy website, participate or view the Coaching for Leaders information session, and complete an application. 

Step 2: A recommendation form will be sent to the applicant’s superintendent. 

Step 3: Applications will be reviewed and considered on a rolling, first-come, first-served basis. 

Step 4: If accepted into the program, the applicant will receive a letter of acceptance and a participation agreement. 

Step 5: The matching process will take place and once both Coach and Leader have completed the matching process, coaching sessions can begin. 

Once all coaches and leaders have been formally accepted into the program, the ACE Academy leadership team will oversee the matching process. This team considers several factors in the matching process, including location, personal leadership needs, school needs, leadership experience, and style. 

Ultimately, the coaching program is meant to help you as the school leader to be more fully equipped and empowered as an executive leader for your school. If at any time there is a concern or issue with your paired coach, we are more than happy to make adjustments as necessary. 

It depends on your coaching goals! You will first develop a coaching plan with leadership goals — both personal and schoolwide — rooted in intentional leadership planning. Coaching sessions are typically centered around these goals, but coaches may also work through other leadership challenges that arise at the school leader’s request. 

It’s important to note that the program focuses on building your leadership competencies, not technical skills. That’s a fancy way of saying that we teach you to think like a leader, rather than train you in the day-to-day duties of being a principal (e.g. not how to balance budgets, lead staff meetings, do classroom walk-throughs, fundraise, etc.). However, whenever you do identify technical skill gaps, your coach helps you act on addressing them effectively. But for the most part, your coach will focus on building your leadership competencies. For example, your coach may help you mentally prepare for a crucial conversation with a teacher or reflect on key takeaways from a difficult board meeting. Your coach will help you develop competencies such as managing complexity, learning situational adaptability, finding courage and confidence, leading change, maintaining resilience, thinking strategically, driving for results, providing powerful feedback, navigating interpersonal dynamics, leveraging people around you, and defining problems accurately and turning them into opportunities. These are just some of the examples of the types of competencies your coaching goals might focus on! 

Coaching sessions are arranged between the Coach and Leader according to available schedules of both participants. Coaching sessions take place virtually (typically via Zoom) and are confidentially and temporarily recorded for the Coach’s own reflection and improvement in effective coaching techniques. Coaching sessions typically last 1-hour and should take place at least once a month (though some coaches and leaders schedule them even more frequently). 

We are ready and able to answer any additional questions! Don’t hesitate to contact Steve Baughman, ACE Academy Program Manager at sbaughman@bainumfdn.org.