Coaching
for Researchers
“Leadership rarely fails due to a lack of professional competence, but rather due to poor communication, unclear role definitions, and a lack of self-reflection.”
— Priv.-Doz. Dr. ès sc. habil. Alexander Schiller
Coaching Concept – Executive Coaching for Researchers
Approach & Understanding of Coaching
My executive coaching is designed for academic leaders (group leaders, professors, directors) who wish to reflect on and strengthen their impact in leadership, strategy, culture, and communication. I view coaching as a collaborative development process—dialogic, effective, and values-driven.
I work within the framework of the three generations of coaching (according to R. Stelter / U. Böning):
1st Generation – goal-oriented: addressing concrete challenges, e.g., positioning, team building, leadership clarity
2nd Generation – solution- and resource-oriented: opening up new perspectives, expanding leadership profile
3rd Generation – dialogic and meaning-oriented: individual values, identity, dealing with complexity and transformation
As a Transferstärke® coach (according to Prof. Dr. A. Koch), I place special emphasis on sustainable implementation in everyday work. Transfer effectiveness is not a side effect, but a central component of every session—regardless of the coaching generation. Reflection, personal responsibility, relapse prevention, and constructive self-dialogue are key competencies in this process.
Possible topics in executive coaching
Strategic sparring: positioning the institute & within committees, organizational development & strategy in transformation processes, shaping work and leadership culture, dealing with survey results, transitioning into leadership roles, role clarification & self-positioning, building & leading high-performance teams, developing research groups, self-management, delegation, time & task management, coaching & development of early-career researchers, confident communication, conflict resolution, crisis management, diversity, discrimination, cultural competence, healthy leadership: Resilience & Work-Life Balance, Shared Leadership, Tandem Coaching, Unlearning.
Methodology & Quality Assurance
My method is based on “Flexible Facilitation”: active listening, targeted questioning techniques, introspective process support, experiential learning (“Head – Heart – Hand” according to Pestalozzi), and cooperative solution development. I work with tools from systemic coaching, transfer coaching, narrative methods (e.g., storytelling), visualization, and structured decision-making processes (scenario-based decision-making).
I conduct supervision on a monthly basis. Active membership and compliance with the German Association for Training, Consulting, and Coaching (BDVT) form the basis for my professional development.
Coaching Program – Career Coaching for Postdoctoral Researchers
Approach & Understanding of Coaching
My career coaching supports postdoctoral researchers in refining their professional direction, making well-considered decisions, and developing concrete next steps for their individual career paths. The coaching process is resource-oriented, appreciative, and focused on Transferstärke® (according to Prof. A. Koch). It follows the three generations (according to R. Stelter / U. Böning).
1st Generation – goal-oriented: defining clear steps, preparing applications, developing target profiles 2nd Generation – solution-oriented: comparing options, exploring career paths, strengthening self-efficacy
3rd Generation – value-oriented: designing coherent career paths in harmony with individual values and life plans
In addition, I work with the principles of effectuation (according to Saras D. Sarasvathy), particularly where traditional goal-orientation (as in the first generation of coaching) reaches its limits—such as in cases of uncertainty, lack of clarity regarding the goal, or profound career upheavals:
1) Means-oriented rather than goal-oriented – we start with what is already available: skills, experiences, networks. These determine what is feasible.
2) Acceptable loss rather than expected return – decisions are made based on manageable risk, not on hypothetical gain.
3) Leveraging circumstances and coincidences instead of avoiding them – the unexpected is recognized as an opportunity and integrated.
4) Partnerships instead of competition – early alliances enable the creative co-construction of professional paths.
Effectuation promotes the development of individual, action-oriented career paths, particularly for postdocs – especially beyond established paths or during uncertain transitional phases.
Possible Topics in Career Coaching for Postdocs
Career coaching & career counseling, decision-making, developing a vision for the future, application training & preparation for appointments, profile building & positioning in academia & politics, orientation for international professionals in the German academic system, career exploration: professional options within and outside academia, non-academic career paths & transition to industry, career development in academia, hiring processes & the rules of the game for academic careers, academic presentations & self-presentation, grant writing, self-marketing & networking, time management & balancing academia and family life.
Methodology & Quality Assurance
My approach is based on “Flexible Facilitation”: active listening, targeted questioning techniques, experiential learning (“Head – Heart – Hand” according to Pestalozzi), and solution-oriented visualizations. I combine classic coaching methods (e.g., GROW, inner parts, values clarification) with practical training components (e.g., interview training, storytelling, decision architecture, “What Color Is Your Parachute?” by R. Bolles). New methods are continuously integrated and adapted to meet specific needs. Active membership and compliance with the German Association for Training, Consulting, and Coaching (BDVT) form the basis for my professional development.
“Career decisions are challenging not because of a lack of opportunities, but because of inner uncertainty, a lack of strategic direction, and the courage to take a stand.”
— Priv.-Doz. Dr. ès sc. habil. Alexander Schiller
