I am so fortunate to have been hired to coach an executive director as she reconsiders the structure, purpose, and values of the nonprofit she founded. She is thoughtful, creative, and insightful in her medium -- and in her organization. Strictures that bind many nonprofits are chafing and she is considering how to best loosen the bonds, if not cast them off altogether .
Coaching in this instance consists of my listening deeply, asking questions, and reflecting themes, contradictions, and overlaps. I also tap my own experiences with and observations of nonprofit organizations and leaders, and organizational and leadership development over time. Homework consists of writing to go deeper about a subject raised in a session, development of an image to clarify a thought, or a trial of new behavior or practice.