Coaching

As a chief administrative officer for many years, I get the trepidation to partner with an executive/leadership coach for purposes of personal growth and professional development. CAOs, good ones at least, are sort of built to lead and do stuff individually and get things done by themselves. Seeking assistance on matters such as these are often foreign concepts.

That being said, the clients I coach almost universally tell me - I needed this type of arrangement. Why? CAOs of local governments are high performers. To excel they need supports just like anyone else does, to further refine talents, to recognize weakness areas, and to hone developmental skills. A competent executive coach can work with a willing and engaged CAO to tap into areas of growth and to get over humps and obstacles that were initially seen, with the CAO in their solo lens, as impenetrable.

Lastly, and related to our specific consultative service offerings, CAOs want to talk and be coached by someone who has done this type of stuff before, who has walked the walk so to speak. Someone who has negotiated dicey labor agreements and dealt with a political board. Someone who has been challenged with both hiring and firing decisions, and big and small picture planning processes at the local government level. You would want your ski instructor to have skied before right?