Behind the Coaching Relationship: Marshall Lancey & Dr. Joel Pérez | S2E10

Behind the Coaching Relationship - Part 2: Marshall Lancey & Dr. Joel Pérez | S2E10 What does it actually take to shift from managing the details to leading at a strategic level? In this episode, Dr. Tim Jansa goes behind the scenes of a real coaching engagement to find out. Marshall Lancey, Assistant Vice President for Student Experience at Curry College, recently stepped into a senior leadership role and needed more than a mentor. He needed a coach. Dr. Joel Pérez of Apoyo Coaching and Consulting brought a strengths-based, client-centered approach that helped Marshall clarify his leadership identity, rethink how he empowered his team, and develop the mindset of a true senior leader. In this episode, you will learn: ✳️ How a leadership transition became the perfect entry point for a coaching engagement ✳️ Why framing coaching as strength-based from day one changes everything for the client ✳️ How StrengthsFinder, a values exercise, and a personalized operating manual helped Marshall discover how he leads ✳️ What triangulation looks like in higher ed and how coaching helps leaders navigate it ✳️ The powerful difference between setting expectations and building agreements ✳️ How a shared language between coach and client accelerates growth and self-reflection ✳️ What it means to shift from co-directing to truly empowering a team This is a candid, practical conversation for professional coaches, higher ed leaders considering coaching, and anyone curious about what the real work of a coaching engagement looks like from both sides of the relationship. CHAPTERS: 0:00 – Introduction: Demystifying Successful Coaching Engagements 0:35 – Meet the Guests: Marshall Lancey and Dr. Joel Pérez 1:29 – How the Coaching Engagement Came About: A Leadership Transition 2:35 – Why Marshall's Supervisor Chose Coaching as a Developmental Tool 3:28 – First Impressions: What Marshall Knew (and Didn't Know) About Coaching 4:22 – How Joel Structures a Coaching Connection Call 6:46 – What Marshall Wanted to Get Out of the Engagement 8:41 – Flexibility vs. Structure: Staying on Track Across Seven Months 10:13 – Joel's Framework: Questionnaires, Goals, and the Gallup Strengths Approach 11:51 – The Operating Manual: Helping Leaders Know How They Lead 14:19 – How StrengthsFinder Created a Shared Language 15:37 – The Values Exercise: Harder Than It Looks, More Useful Than Expected 17:32 – Changes Joel Observed in Marshall Throughout the Engagement 19:09 – Managing Up, Down, and Across: Navigating Complex Leadership Roles 20:24 – Marshall's Before and After: A Fundamental Mindset Shift 22:21 – From Directing to Empowering: Rethinking What Leadership Means 25:09 – Common Patterns Joel Sees in Higher Ed Leaders in Transition 27:48 – The Triangulation Moment: A Turning Point in the Engagement 28:52 – Agreements vs. Expectations: A More Effective Way to Lead 30:22 – The Question That Stopped Marshall Cold 33:05 – What Joel Learned as a Coach From This Engagement 34:28 – Marshall's Advice: Why Coaching Is Worth It 🎙️ Guests: Marshall Lancey — Assistant Vice President for Student Experience, Curry College Dr. Joel Pérez — Executive Coach, Apoyo Coaching and Consulting & Author of "Dear White Leader" 📚 More resources: 🔗 higheredcoaching.us 🔗 leadershipimagined.com/podcast Disclaimer: The views and opinions shared in this conversation are for educational and informational purposes only and do not constitute legal, financial, or mental-health advice. All guests speak from their own experience and do not represent the official position of any institution.