Ricki Frankel

Ricki Frankel is a lecturer in management at Stanford Graduate School of Business (GSB), and an executive coach and consultant in private practice. Over the last twenty years, she has developed an expertise in coaching people to create meaningful work (and lives), and catalyzing change and transformation. In her role as lecturer and coach at Stanford GSB, Ricki facilitates MBA and MSx students’ learning in leadership, interpersonal dynamics, organizational power and influence, and management coaching skills. The programs and courses with which she is involved include the Arbuckle Leadership Fellows program, the Leadership Labs, Paths to Power, and Interpersonal Dynamics (aka “touchy feely”). Drawing on her coaching expertise, she recently designed and began teaching a new elective called “Leadership Coaching,” in which MBA students learn skills needed to become coaching managers.

Ricki maintains a boutique private practice, where she works with individuals and organizations as they navigate through transitions. Her typical clients are senior professionals and entrepreneurs who have achieved a level of success, and are now seeking “more”: more meaningful engagement, more impact, more business, more purpose — even more fun! Her coaching style combines well-honed professional coaching skills with sharp insight, organizational experience, intuition, compassion and laughter. She is passionate about helping others make “work work” for themselves and the people who work for them. Several years ago, she was part of a small team that developed and delivered “Beacon: the GSB Life Transition Initiative”, targeted at alumni looking to create the last third of their lives.

Prior to becoming a coach more than 20 years ago, Ricki gained firsthand experience of the transition process through her own career transitions. She started her career as a software programmer, writing municipal bond trading systems. After earning an MBA, she made the “logical” transition into technology marketing, working at Apple Computer, Sun Microsystems and Autodesk, Inc. She ultimately realized this career path was not the right one for her, and embarked on a transition journey that brought her to where she is today.

Ricki earned a BA (magna cum laude) in computer science from Dartmouth College, and an MBA from The Wharton School of Business. She holds coaching certifications from the International Coach Federation (PCC) and the Coaches Training Institute (CPPC). She is the Special Editor for the books How to Survive Your First (or Any) Job and Life After College.