"The most effective higher education leaders don't just lead from the top down; they listen to, learn from, and empower the people they work with. In short, they coach. But who will coach the coaches? Experienced department chair and faculty development coach Susan Robison has stepped up to the plate with this energetic, empathetic, and eminently useful book, a research-grounded guide for anyone who aspires to lead from the heart as well as with the mind."

Helen Sword, Former Director of the Centre for Learning and Research in Higher Education at the University of Auckland, Founder and Director of WriteSpace Ltd., USA

"Having so enjoyed – and learned from – the workshop progenitor of this book, I’m delighted that Susan’s model for coaching faculty is now available in this accessible reference. Coaching Skills for Academic Leaders will help higher education leaders of all stripes improve the health of their organizations through serving people well – by enacting compassion, listening deeply, asking powerful questions, and helping people reveal visions of a positive future."

Ella L. Ingram, Associate Dean for Professional Development at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, USA

"If you have ever been in a position of leadership in higher education, you have probably experienced the stress and emotional disruption of interpersonal conflict that can result in discouragement and even demoralization. Susan Robison’s Coaching Skills for Academic Leaders will show you a better way to lead. This positive, practical look at effective academic leadership grew out of Dr. Robison’s 20 years as a coaching practitioner and outlines a simple-to-learn model for creating a visionary educational culture with colleagues. Whether you are brand new to leadership or looking to foster better relationships in your work as a leader of many years, this book will help you build confidence in your ability to assess needs and set agendas for personal and faculty success."

Hillary Hutchinson, Career Coach to Academics in Higher Education, Co-author of Scaling the Ivory Tower: Your Academic Job Search Workbook, USA

"As a brand-new department chair, I attended a leadership conference for deans and chairs where Susan Robison offered a wonderful workshop on coaching. I have put her suggestions into practice and have found them to be a necessary addition to my leadership toolkit as I embark on coaching faculty. I am pleased - and grateful - that her workshop Coaching Skills for Academic Leaders has been published in book form so I, and others, can benefit from the skills and practices she embodies. She is dynamic, down to earth, and passionate about helping academic leaders thrive in the world of higher education. Her natural empathy and ability to break things down into small sustainable actions makes this book easy to read and adopt into practice for everyone trying to lead from the heart."

Denise Demers, Associate Professor and Chair of Health Sciences at University of Central Arkansas, USA

1. Introduction  2. Empowering Heart – Part 1  3. Empowering Heart – Part 2  4. Assessing Motivation  5. Setting an Agenda  6. Keeping Success on Track  7. Stages of Change  8. Applications of Coaching Skills to Groups  9. Maintaining Your Work-Life Balance as a Coaching Leader

Susan Robison is a faculty development seminar leader and coach, as well as a former Professor of Psychology and Department Chair at Notre Dame of Maryland University, USA.