How Coaching Builds Asian Pacific American Leadership

Some of the most successful individuals are those who work with coaches regularly. Just think about Steph Curry and Klay Thompson. They’re good basketball players, but they wouldn’t be as great at their game without Steve Kerr. So why aren’t more of us Asian Pacific American (APA) leaders using professional coaches, especially when it comes to our careers?

Earlier this year, I facilitated a workshop on salary negotiation and moving up the career ladder. I asked the group of APA professionals, “How many of you think that by just working hard, you’ll get a higher salary or a promotion?” I was surprised at the number of hands that went up. It was over 90% of the room. In the APA community, we often hear messages about needing to do well in school, going to college, and getting a good paying job. But only a few of us have grown up with messages related to job promotion or salary negotiations. I know I didn’t. In fact, my immigrant parents told me I should just be grateful that I have a steady job.

It wasn’t until I was in LEAP’s Executive Directors program that I had a coach for the first time. With his support, I became more confident in my role as an Executive Director. I learned how to better manage my staff. I understood how cultural issues affected decision making even within the same Asian community. I recognized how to leverage my soft skills to become a stronger leader.

“A coach is someone who tells you what you don’t want to hear, who has you see what you don’t want to see, so you can be who you always knew you could be.” - Tom Landry

Coaches can help you develop your leadership skills, recognize your blind spots, serve as a sounding board, and help you maximize your potential so that you are ready for that next challenge or promotion at work. Hiring a coach is an investment in yourself and your own career - especially if your long term goal is to grow into a better leader, director, or manager.

While bias and stereotypes certainly play a role in why so few APAs are promoted into executive leadership positions, we also need to realize that we all have a role to play in our own career trajectory. Just as our parents pushed us to go to SAT classes or hired tutors so we could get an A+ in class, what are we ourselves now doing to continue our own professional growth and development? What’s holding us back in making an investment in ourselves?