President's Corner
Leveling Up Leadership
By Deborah L. Kerr/School Administrator, September 2019


SERENA WILLIAMS. Mia Hamm. Jackie Joyner-Kersee. Bonnie Blair. Annika Sorenstam. Danica Patrick. Lindsay Vonn. Billie Jean King. Mary Lou Retton. Babe Didrikson Zaharias.

These women are some of the most influential athletes to ever compete in their respective sports, and for each, one person contributed much to her overall success: her coach. Today, the role of coaching has transcended the sports world to the professional fields of business, health care and education. How can we become more effective leaders by being effective coaches?

A beneficiary of Title IX, I had the opportunity to participate in interscholastic athletics in high school, college, and beyond. I was fortunate to have quality coaches who understood and taught the skills our teams needed to improve. They provided continuous feedback, created a sense of community and promoted a growth mindset to excel. They used the psychology of working with individuals with just the right blend of high expectations, inspiration and encouragement to create winners and champions.

We are the “head coaches” of our organizations with a vision to provide the very best learning opportunities for our staff as well as our board members.

Coaching is a critical aspect of transformational leadership in education. As we embrace continuous improvement, we should explore multiple strategies to achieve our goals, and that includes coaching not only others but coaching ourselves as well, regardless how long we’ve been in our leadership positions. We are never too experienced to stop learning.

Leadership is complex work that demands we be adaptable to thrive and excel. Coaching can be a lever to advance our practice, an invaluable tool to develop ourselves and further the expertise in our organizations. An investment in coaching is an investment in talent development.

Research confirms the many benefits of coaching. According to the Institute of Coaching, 80 percent of people who receive coaching report increased self-confidence and more than 70 percent say they benefit from improved relationships, work performance and better communication skills as a result of coaching.

Essential questions to consider about the importance of coaching include:

» Why are leadership coaching and mentoring essential for today’s leaders?

» What are the key characteristics of coaching and mentoring models that best fit various styles of leadership?

» How does an executive coach work with leaders to help clarify and attain goals, strategically solve problems and inspire them to lead effectively?

Mentoring and coaching also make available opportunities for us to give back to our profession by supporting new leaders as confidants and encouragers. Engaging in a coaching or mentoring relationship is a critical pathway to inspiring others, including women and colleagues of color.

Most importantly, implementing best practices of coaching and mentoring helps eliminate barriers to career advancement, especially for women leaders and colleagues of color.

Being coached as an athlete, engaging in coaching for my own professional growth and being a coach for others has empowered me to level up my leadership. I have learned much about myself and my colleagues through these personal experiences. Coaching can inspire others to accomplish their greatest goals, embark on a path to self-discovery and unlock their greatest potential.

Inspire and innovate through coaching to lead greatly!


DEBORAH KERR is AASA president in 2019-20. Twitter: @DrDLKerr