Keeping Up With The Cheese!Research as a Foundation for Professional
Coaching
First International Coach Federation Research SymposiumDenver, Colorado, November 2003
Anthony M Grant PhDCoaching Psychologist and Director
Coaching Psychology UnitSchool of PsychologyUniversity of Sydney
AustraliaNSW 2006
[email protected]/coach
www.psych.usyd.edu.au/coach/icf.htm
(c) Anthony Grant 2003 2
Overview
Scientist-practitioner Model (1949 – 2003) The Coaching Journey – The Crossroads Professionalism Is Coaching a Fad? Overview of the Research Implications for Coach EducationWhere to next?
(c) Anthony Grant 2003 3
The Coach’s Journey
The Coach as the Guide in the Woods Coaching and the art of trekking
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The Coach’s Journey
The Coach as the Guide in the Woods Coaching and the art of trekking
Coach’s Own Development as a Journey Tenuous first steps Changing and choosing new paths Self-doubt Self-development & professional development
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A Mental Time Journey
Think of your first ever coaching session
What was the knowledge level that you brought to that first session? Superficial? Unsophisticated? Naive? Over-confident?
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A Mental Time Journey
Think of a recent (successful) coaching session
Compare your current knowledge level to you first session? What is the difference between now and
then?
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A Mental Time Journey
Think of where your knowledge will be in five years time …
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A Mental Time Journey
Think of where your knowledge will be in five years time …
What got us here … … won’t get us there !!
We need much much more …… if we are to keep up with the cheese !
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The Coaching Industry's Journey1: Coaching Industry as Naive Explorer
Coaching as a mixed-group on a day-trip
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The Coaching Industry's Journey1: Coaching Industry as Naive Explorer
Coaching as a mixed-group on a day-trip
2: Coaching Industry as Emerging-Profession Formation of associations – ICF & others
(c) Anthony Grant 2003 11
The Coaching Industry's Journey1: Coaching Industry as Naive Explorer
Coaching as a mixed-group on a day-trip
2: Coaching Industry as Emerging-Profession Cross-disciplinary occupation Formation of associations – ICF & others
3: Maturation of the Coaching Industry Increasing sophistication clients / students University-level coach-specific education Foundational coach-specific research Development of evidence-based coaching
(c) Anthony Grant 2003 12
Why Research (& S-P) is Vital
True professionalism rests on evidence Extend shared knowledge base
Stop selling – start sharing! Ethical practice demands itDemonstrate effectiveness
Human change and ROI $ Basis for coach trainingCritical thinking skills
Is Coaching a Fad?
First mention of Workplace Coaching in academic press in 1937 (1)
A long-standing “fad” !
Genuine interest from business (2)
Business looking for credibility and substance
Coaching touted as a huge growth industry Driven by coach training schools & credentialing mills
Many claim to be qualified coaches (EMAHD Coach Accreditation) – many are not well trained (3)
Do they have an understanding of coaching that goes beyond their own personal “coaching system” and explicitly links to established theory and practice ?
(c) Anthony Grant 2003 15
Four Key Phases of Coaching Research
1937 20031960 19901980
Phase 1 –
Internal MAC
Phase 2 –
PhD & Internal MAC
Phase 3 –
Evaluations of effectiveness
Phase 4 –
Aimed at prof. coach
Human change
N = 128• Articles
• Case Studies
• Group Studies (pre/post)
• Group Studies (Controlled)
Peer-reviewed Coaching Papers from PsychInfo & DAI (1937 – Nov 2003)
2
49
212
1278
110 1 2 2
29
0102030405060
1935
- 19
39
1940
- 19
44
1945
- 19
49
1950
- 19
54
1955
-195
9
1960
- 19
64
1965
- 19
69
1970
- 19
74
1975
- 19
79
1980
- 19
84
1985
- 19
89
1990
- 19
94
1995
- 19
99
2000
- Nov
2003
To
tal
Cit
ati
on
s: (
N =
12
8)
Types of Papers from PsychInfo & DAI (1937 – Nov 2003)
26
0 0 0 0 0 1 1 02
6
23
02 1 1
14
1 1 1 25
86
4
815
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
1935
- 19
39
1940
- 19
44
1945
- 19
49
1950
-195
4
1955
- 19
59
1960
- 19
64
1965
- 19
69
1970
- 19
74
1975
- 19
79
1980
- 19
84
1985
- 19
89
1990
- 19
94
1995
- 19
99
2000
- No
v 200
3
Tota
l C
itati
on
s: N
= 1
28 Articles Empirical Studies
Coach-Specific PhDs from PsychInfo & DAI (1937 – Nov 2003)
0
4 52
0010
5000 0
16
02468
1012141618
1935
- 193
9
1940
- 194
4
1945
- 194
9
1950
- 195
4
1955
- 195
9
1960
- 196
4
1965
- 196
9
1970
1974
1975
1979
1980
- 198
4
1985
- 198
9
1990
- 199
4
1995
- 199
9
2000
- Nov
2003P
hD
Cit
atio
ns
(N
= 3
3)
(c) Anthony Grant 2003 20
My Own Research Journey 2001 - Comparing cognitive and
behavioral approaches to coaching (5)
Cognitive only group• Increased well-being – no impact on
performance Behavioural only group
• Small impact on > well-being• Short-term increase in performance
Combined group• Increased well-being• Long-term increase in performance
(c) Anthony Grant 2003 21
My Own Research Journey
Life Coaching Study #1 (Grant 2003) (6)
Solution-focused CBC approach (N = 20) Group-based coaching (Pre/post only) Pre/post increase in goal attainment (d = 2.85) Decrease in depression, anxiety, stress Decrease in “Self-reflection” Increase in “Insight”
(c) Anthony Grant 2003 22
My Own Research Journey
Life Coaching Study #2 (Green, Oades & Grant 2003) (7)
Intervention / Control group study (N = 46) 10-week group life coaching SF/CBC Increases in goal attainment Increase in well-being Impact measured over 40 weeks
(c) Anthony Grant 2003 23
My Own Research Journey
Life Coaching Study #3 (Spence & Grant 2003) (8)
Individual / Group / Control study – (N = 64) 10-week life coaching SF/CBC All coaching > higher levels of purpose in life,
personal growth, openness to experience & goals
Increase in EI (Emotion perception facet) Individuals benefited more than group
(c) Anthony Grant 2003 24
My Own Research Journey
Problems with Organisational Research Life Coaching easier to run studies
Clinical issues in coaching populations Screening for mental health impacts on
outcome measuresMeasurement issues
Use positive psyc measure – and othersCaught between several “worlds”
(c) Anthony Grant 2003 25
So, What Does The Literature Tell Us About Coaching Effectiveness?
Level 1: Reactions ☺☺☺☺☺
Level 2: Learning ☺☺☺☺? Level 3: Behaviour ☺☺☺? ? Level 4: Results ☺☺?? Level 5: ROI ☺???Kirkpatrick (1998); Phillips (2003) (9 & 10)
We Need Evidenced-Based Coaching
If there is so little coaching-specific research how can we have evidenced-based (11)
coaching?
Evidenced-Based Coaching ?
If there is so little coaching-specific research how can we have evidenced-based coaching?
Use the broader body of coaching-related knowledge
The Body of Knowledge1. Philosophy – Critical Thinking Skills
Critical thinking skills, Socratic Method, Philosophical insights
2. Behavioral Science How we think, feel and act in the way we do
3. Adult Education Principles How adults best learn
4. Economics & Business How business runs and economic systems function
Personal Development Genre Popularized, un-verified notions of motivation and change
Issues for ProfessionalisationThe Body of Knowledge Underpinning Coaching
BehaviouralScience
PhilosophyThinking Skills
AdultEducation
Economics& Business
PersonalDevelopment
Coaching ProfessionFad !Evidenced-based Coaching
University-level EducationCoach-specific Research
I read-it-somewhere-and-it-feels-right-to-me
EMAHD Credentialing(EveryManAndHisDog)
Evidenced-Based CoachingEducation and Professionalism
Need to explicitly link theory to practice Need critical thinking skills No “Gurus” – established body of testable
& shared knowledge Linked shared knowledge base means
greater credibility and a real future
Evidenced-Based Coach Education Explicitly drawn from all four areas Mental health issues – Coaches need basic
diagnostic skills 25% - 50% of Life Coaching clients have mental health issues (11)
Basic training in psychometrics Some coaching assessment / development tools are very poor Little or no critical appraisal of tools
Less focus on marketing More solid theory and evidenced-based education
Less USA-influenced coaching – OK for the USA – but not for all
More local cultural flavour
(c) Anthony Grant 2003 33
Avenues for Future Research
Impact on EI and psych constructs Impact on personality traits Workplace performance / culture / wellbeing Executive / leadership skills Cognitive and behavioural change RIO and many others ….
(c) Anthony Grant 2003 34
Barriers to Future Research
Few places to publish – uniformed reviewers
Poor training in research skillsCoach schools don’t teach application of
research / evidenced-based approachNeed a new model of coaching
- Scientist-practioner model
(c) Anthony Grant 2003 36
The Four Key PlayersCoach Training Schools
Gatekeeper’s responsibility Shift from propriety systems Cite and reference teaching materials
ICF Push for evidenced-based links Sponsor good quality research Foster critical thinking skills
(c) Anthony Grant 2003 37
The Four Key Players Students & Practitioners
Demand more sophistication Get cross-disciplinary training Hold no Gurus - Scientist-practitioner Model
Researchers and Us Here Today Take up the challenge Remain coachable – not the expert Conduct good quality research Collaborate ….
(c) Anthony Grant 2003 38
What’s The Take Away ..? Draw on a wide body of knowledge
University-level education is vital
Research and theory development is crucial
Evidence-base will lead to professionalism
We all have a role to play
… What’s yours going to be ?
(c) Anthony Grant 2003 39
What’s The Take Away ..?
Enjoy coaching … conference
… and keep up with the cheese
… or be eaten by the mouse!!
Keeping Up With The Cheese!Research as a Foundation for Professional
Coaching
First International Coach Federation Research SymposiumDenver, Colorado, November 2003
Anthony M Grant PhDCoaching Psychologist and Director
Coaching Psychology UnitSchool of PsychologyUniversity of Sydney
AustraliaNSW 2006
[email protected]/coach
www.psych.usyd.edu.au/coach/icf.htm
References(1) Gorby, C. B. (1937). Everyone gets a share of the profits. Factory Management &
Maintenance, 95, 82-83.(2) Wales, S. (2003). Why coaching? Journal of Change Management, 3(3), 275-282.(3) Brotman, L. E., Liberi, W. P., & Wasylyshyn, K. M. (1998). Executive coaching: The need for
standards of competence. Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice and Research, 50(1), 40 -46.
(4) Bullock, A., Stallybrass, & Trombley, S. (Eds.). (1988). The Fontana dictionary of modern thought. London: Fontana Press.
(5) Grant, A. M. (2001). Coaching for enhanced performance. Comparing cognitive and behavioural coaching approaches. Paper presented at the 3rd Spearman Conference, Sydney, Australia.
(6) Grant, A. M. (2003). The impact of life coaching on goal attainment, metacognition and mental health. Social Behavior and Personality, 31(3), 253-264.
(7) Green, L. S., Oades, L. G., & Grant, A. M. (2003). An evaluation of a life coaching group program: Preliminary findings from a wait-list control study. Poster presented at the International Positive Psychology Summit, Washington DC.
(8) Spence, G. B., & Grant, A. M. (2003). Individual and Group Life-Coaching: Initial Findings from a Randomised, Controlled Trial. 1st Australian Evidence-Based Coaching Conference.
(9) Kirkpatrick, D. (1998). Evaluating training programs (2 ed.). San Francisco CA: Berrett-Koehler.
(10) Phillips, J. J. (2003). Return on Investment in Training and Performance Improvement Programs. New York: Butterworth-Heinemann.
(11) Sackett, D. L., Haynes, R. B., Guyatt, G. H., & Tugwell, P. (1996). Evidenced based medicine: What it is and what is isn't. British Medical Journal, 13, 71-72.
Keeping Up With The Cheese!Research as a Foundation for Professional Coaching
First International Coach Federation Research SymposiumDenver, Colorado, November 2003
Anthony M Grant PhDAbstract
The next five years (2003-2008) will be a critical and a fascinating time for professionalcoaches. The coaching industry has outgrown its existing theoretical and empirical researchknowledge base. Those that employ coaches and potential students of coaching are becomingmore sophisticated and better informed, demanding evidence for the effectiveness of differenttypes of coaching, and seeking an articulation of the underpinning theoretical frameworks.Consequently, many professional coaches have moved away from reliance on the proprietarycoaching systems taught in many commercial coach training schools, and are seeking to workwithin the scientist-practitioner model as both producers and consumers of coaching-relatedresearch. This is a fascinating time, because research into coaching offers far greateropportunities than just calculating effectiveness or return on investment. Evidence-basedcoaching interventions are an ideal means for investigating the personal and systemicmechanisms and processes involved in real-life human change in individuals andorganisations. Furthermore, the increase in coaching-related research marks a new stage inthe maturation of the coaching industry, and the adoption of the scientist-practitioner modelwill be a critical factor as coaching seeks to further establish itself as a respected, cross-disciplinary means of facilitating human and organisational change. This paper discussesthese issues, presents an overview of the key themes and emergent patterns in the peer-reviewed literature on coaching since 1937, and highlights the relevance of research toevidence-based coaching practice.