Executive Coaching emerged out of the management changes in the for-profit sector during the closing decades of the twentieth century. The goal was to raise performance through enhanced engagement and collaboration. Companies discovered the power of Executive Coaching as a complement to training or as a separate function. Initially, hired to work with senior management, it expanded to include younger high-potential employees and middle managers. The goals largely remain to raise individual, team, and organizational performance. The article exemplifies the prospects of Executive Coaching for nonprofit organizations through brief case studies of two for-profit males and two nonprofit women, one of whom is a minority. While women make up 75% of the nonprofit workforce, they are severely underrepresented in leadership positions. People of color are an even smaller percentage. Here is where Executive Coaching could play a pivotal role. It is an excellent moment for nonprofit leaders to provide opportunities for individuals with diverse backgrounds. This change would enhance management and organizational performance while achieving greater gender and racial equity.
