Coaching, which is sometimes preceded by the word leadership, executive, career, professional, and even life has become the leading tool for successful, intelligent people to
acheive greater effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction in their careers, relationships, and lives in general.
Historians face the same types of challenges as other professionals. Government historians, Tenured Professors
and Department Chairs, Professors seeking tenure, High School teachers, and Graduate students might ask these kinds of specific
questions that lend themselves to coaching:
Government Historians:
I want to be a GS-15 -- how do I get there?
My office staff is inefficient -- how can I be a better leader?
My office is stuck in the past -- how can I effect change?
How do I stay above the politics?
Government bureaucracy makes me feel ineffective and powerless. How can I do quality academic work in this setting?
Why do I care if I do a good job or not -- there seems to be no accountability for performance?
What can I do about it as just one against the system?
I don’t like what I do, but the pay is too good to leave. What kind of career alternatives would I have?
It seems like sometimes I care more about how things turn out than my boss does. Does that serve me?
I like my job — how do I advance?
Tenured Professors and Department Chairs:
My department is so political, we can’t achieve any consensus. How can I assume a greater leadership role
to attain the results I think are right?
Why do I have so much difficulty managing and organizing the department?
I don’t have any time left for my own teaching and research. How can I reach a good balance?
Why do I have to do it all myself and why won’t anybody help me?
Why do I find I have such a hard time delegating duties?
The Dean asks me to do things I don’t agree with; how can I say no, or negotiate a compromise?
The new hire is doing a lousy job. How can I turn their performance around?
Another committee meeting, another waste of time. Why is it that we can’t get anything done?
I want to make curriculum changes—but my department is so political. How can I build support?
Professors Seeking Tenure:
How can I be happy living in small town when I am a big-city person?
How can I be balanced and happy before I have tenure?
I feel more at home with books than people. How can I connect with people better?
How can I say no to another committee even though I don't have time for it but I'm really being pressured to participate?
People outside academics don’t understand — so how can I find friends outside my department or school?
How can I balance my research and teaching?
How do I deal with the pressure of getting tenure when my book isn’t out yet?
Why can’t I finish writing my book?
My students don’t appreciate me — why am I doing this?
I studied at a high powered department, but am teaching at a smaller college. So how can I be happy?
The chair of the department is a difficult personality — how do I get along with my colleagues?
I don’t have any power to change things: its all up the tenure committee, the publishers, the chair. How
can I empower myself?
My book got a bad review that was not fair. How do I get past it?
Can my significant partner and I manage a relationship and both have academic jobs, or live in different cities?
I want a baby but don’t know how it will affect my career. How do I decide what I want to do?
How can I balance my family life with my academic productivity?
High School Teachers:
Should I get my MS?
I feel the students have more power than I do. What can I do about parents who feel super-empowered to micro-manage
my teaching?
My principal doesn’t support me. How can I navigate through the politics and just teach?
So many students lack basic reading and writing skills. How can I teach history and not remedial English?
Sometimes it seems like I don't make a difference. Would some other career option be the best thing for me?
But what career would that be?
Graduate Students:
Why can’t I finish my dissertation?
Why can’t I get along with my advisor?
I haven’t had any success on the job market. Is there something wrong with me?
I am bad at interviews/public speaking. How can I improve?
How can I negotiate a better job/salary offer?
If any of this resonates with you - consider signing up for a free coaching session and
explore a new way to find answers to old questions.
