During Virginia Edelstein‘s annual review last year, it was decided that for the purpose of her professional development, she would work at identifying her next steps. Project director at Volunteer Vancouver, Edelstein had grown a bit restless recently. Discerning more clearly where her true interests and potential lay seemed a logical pursuit. But reaching that goal wasn’t simply a matter of clicking her sequined shoes.

Enter Brian Fraser, an executive coach and one of the reasons Edelstein today talks clearly, confidently, about her decision to move in a different direction come this fall. It wasn’t an easy process. It came with a lot of tough questions, challenging self-reflection and some even tougher answers. But, meeting with Fraser every two or three weeks for six sessions made a huge difference. “I found it incredibly helpful,” Edelstein says.

Gaining ground

And she’s not alone. Whereas coaches in the corporate world have been popular for a while now – some even calling them “status symbols” – the same could not be said for the nonprofit sector. Until recently, that is. There are a number of signs indicating a change in attitudes.

Part of that evolution is a reflection of the maturing of coaching as a profession, says Fraser. The creation of the International Coaching Federation, for one, on whose Vancouver chapter board Fraser sits, helped “establish the credibility of coaching, making it a worthwhile investment for organization,” he explains. There was also the tendency among some in the sector to view anything flouting “business” techniques as suspicious. But with the adoption of a number of corporate influences into the nonprofit arena, the view seems outdated.

Another obstacle to overcome is cost. Coaches don’t typically come cheap, some charging more than $150 for an hour of service. Yet, a number of coaches are willing to charge nonprofit rates. And with a growing number of organizations appreciating the return on investment, those concerns appear to be diminishing. “You pay experts to buy your house, make a will and do other legal transactions, so why wouldn’t you hire a coach to help with your career, your quality of life,” asks coach Martin Buckland, rhetorically.

What’s your goal?

Of course, whether an organization or individual pursues coaching is dependent on the individual agency itself, its budgets and viewpoints. “It needs to come from the top down,” says human resource consultant and coach, Sarah Gayer. “But sometimes the top needs it most, so it really has to come from the board.

She adds that some nonprofits could benefit from coaching more than others, particularly those boasting leaders who’ve been at the helm for a couple of decades or more. “The agency may have grown but leadership hasn’t,” she says, explaining why it’s vital for them to move forward.

Most organizations simply want to pursue their mission and objectives more effectively and need help getting there. Enter Volunteer Vancouver’s Leadership Coaching Program. After 18 months in development, the program is finally launching this fall. At its heart are the collaborative efforts of an executive director and board chair who must commit to the coaching process together. The unique approach stems from research conducted by nonprofit consultant Mary Hiland on what distinguishes ordinary nonprofits from successful ones. She found that a strong relationship between EDs and board chairs is critical to the success of an organization.

Working in collaboration with the Vancouver chapter of the International Coaching Federation, the program hopes to assist leaders who completed Volunteer Vancouver’s professional development program and are taking their next steps. As program director Maria Turnbull explains, “Sometimes after attending sessions, leaders recognize they need to make change but it’s hard to do.” Implementation coaching can help. Fraser, who helped design the program, elaborates. “Implementation coaching is designed to help you really think through, in positive terms, how to change the way you show up in an organizational system to bring about the changes you want to see,” he says.

Participants are expected to devote 10-12 hours of their time to coaching and should ideally complete the program in six months. Volunteer Vancouver is hopeful about the reach and potential of their newfound program. “As our programs evolve and deepen in terms of our interactions with leaders in the sector, there is a ‘what next?'” Turnbull explains. “This program seems a solid solution for many organizations in terms of how they can move forward.”

Time of transition

While some organizations benefit from coaching to get them “unstuck” or to meet their mission, individuals also pursue coaching during transitional phases in their lives, to help determine where and how they can most satisfactorily reach their potential. The sessions often involve discussions on how to rebrand themselves and reformulate resumes and cover letters, making them more reflective of this next stage. Buckland, a coach for more than 18 years, says a growing contingent of his client base is made up of for-profit executives at the latter phases of their career looking to give back by transferring to the nonprofit sector.

But not everyone is so clear on their transitional expectations when they hire a coach. Take Jan Neundorf, a veteran of the corporate sector who spent the last 20 years in call centre management, with stints at ING Direct and Grand and Toy, to name a few. After a recent layoff, Neundorf found herself looking for another position but grew frustrated with her search. She eventually turned to career coach and speaker, Curt Skene, after attending one of his workshops. The partnership proved not only fruitful but revelatory and life-changing.

Besides helping her with interview skills and job-search techniques, Skene suggested Neundorf rethink her focus. With her extensive experience in people development, management, and community outreach, Skene explained Neundorf’s transferable skills would be highly valued in the nonprofit sector. Neundorf was unsure but finally had an “aha moment” while interviewing for yet another call centre position. “I thought if I have 10 years left [of my career] is this how I want to spend it?” she asked herself. “I decided what I wanted to do was help others in some capacity and find out if I can get paid for that somewhere,”

Today, Neundorf is the new manager of employment programs at the Learning Enrichment Foundation. And she couldn’t be happier. But without those sessions, she says with emphasis, she would not be on this path. Coaching helped her figure out who she was and “the heart of my value.” The insight was indispensable.

Making it work

To be sure, every coaching relationship is different, but many who’ve gone through the process profess similar benefits. “He was good at listening to what I said and challenging many of the assumptions I made about myself, about the way I was doing my work and what was holding me back,” explains Edelstein of her work with Fraser. “It made me identify what I was really feeling, how I contribute to the situation, and how I could own fixing it.”

In order to achieve similarly positive results, however, certain elements need to exist in a successful coaching relationship. For one, “It’s important to go in with an open mind and be willing to challenge assumptions and some of the decisions you’ve made,” says Edelstein. “If I was closed off to that kind of challenge, it would probably not have been as effective.”

Another is fit. The connection and chemistry that existed between Edelstein and Fraser made the coaching path an easier one, she says. “His way of responding didn’t make me defensive; you need to feel comfortable speaking about things you may not normally be comfortable speaking about,” she adds. In fact, Fraser encourages those in search of a coach to interview two or three prospects before hiring one. And it works both ways. “I’ve turned down clients because I didn’t think it was working,” he explains.

One should also never discount the power of free will. “The coaching relationship really does rely on the client taking a significant amount of initiative and having a real will and desire to bring about change,” says Fraser. Coaching doesn’t work, therefore, if it’s imposed. Organizations will benefit most by offering coaching for their employees as an optional service.

Of course, to reach a satisfactory outcome, clients must ensure their expectations are realistic. “You can’t expect a coach to solve your problems,” explains Gayer. “I’m a true believer that people have the answers inside of them and the role of coach is to bring it out.” The coach, she continues, is there to direct, guide, ask questions and challenge. Fraser would agree. Coaches should not be seen as having all the answers. “I’m not an expert who is telling them what to do,” he says. “I’m a thinking companion, helping them think through what they are most concerned about, and helping make the best use of their talent and abilities.” As such, Fraser always asks his clients first if they want input or suggestions and ensures the agenda is set by them, not him. “Coaches, the good ones, anyway, are not into fixing; they are into achieving potential.”

Elisa Birnbaum is a freelance journalist, producer and communications consultant living in Toronto. She is also president of Elle Communications and can be reached at: info@ellecommunications.ca.

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