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Good to Great Coaching: Accelerating the Journey

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Abstract

This chapter explores what coaches can do to accelerate their journey towards great coaching by examining what differentiates good coaching from great coaching; why it is relatively easy to become a good coach, why it is relatively difficult to become a great coach, and what is known about how experts in a variety of fields develop mastery and how that applies to coaching. For the purposes of the chapter, good coaching refers to the work of competent coaches who have successfully completed at least thirty coaching engagements. Great coaching refers to coaches who demonstrate mastery and deep expertise. Executive coaching

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У статті висвітлено особливості використання коучингових технологій у розвитку Я-концепції дорослих, які переживають самотність. Позитивний і негативний аспекти самотності, причини її появи, теоретично обґрунтований вплив самотності на систему саморегуляції дорослої людини (Я-концепцію), зокрема на інтенсивність і насиченість переживань, самовідчуття, самоцінність, самооцінку, самоповагу, здатність до розвитку особистості, вибір життєвого шляху, активність особистості, поведінка, здатність навчитися вчитися тощо. Встановлено, що Я-концепція людини дорослий як сукупність установок і прагнень, спрямованих на власну особистість, забезпечує (або перешкоджає) досягненню внутрішньої цілісності та злагодженості, визначає ставлення до себе. Наголошується, що сучасні кризові умови сприяють посиленню невизначеності та розвитку почуття самотності навіть без ситуації ізоляції. Представлено основні принципи коучингових технологій та засоби їх реалізації в розвитку Я-концепції дорослих, які переживають самотність. Визначено перспективи дослідження, які полягають у розширенні та поглибленні комплексного вивчення Я-концепції дорослих, які переживають самотність, та врахуванні його результатів при розробці та затвердженні програми її підтримки та відновлення. Ключові слова: Я-концепція, самотність, переживання самотності, відчуття самотності, доросла особистість, стрес, копінг-стратегії, коучингові технології.
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There is a considerable body of literature on goals and goal setting in the psychological literature, but little of this has found its way into the scholarly coaching literature. This article draws on the goal-setting literature from the behavioural sciences. It discusses a range of approaches to understanding the goal construct, presents a definition of goals relevant to coaching, and details a new and comprehensive model of goal-focused coaching that can be helpful both in teaching and in applied coaching practice. It also outlines new empirical research that highlights the vital role that coaches’ goal-focused coaching skills play in determining successful coaching outcomes. This preliminary research suggests that the use of a goal-focused coaching style is more effective than a ‘common factors’ or person-centred coaching style in facilitating goal attainment in coaching. It is argued that, by understanding the different types of goals and their relationship to the process of change, professional coaches can work more efficiently with their clients, helping them to achieve insight and behavioural change that enhances their workplace performance, their professional working lives and, most importantly, their personal well-being and sense of self.
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“The DNA of VUCA: A Framework for Building Learning Agility in an Accelerating World” presents a practical guide to building learning agility and resilience for leaders to thrive in the face of crisis, disruption, complexity, and exponential change. It decomposes the term VUCA into two elements — volatility and complexity (which are best understood and addressed rationally) and uncertainty and ambiguity (which typically generate strong emotional reactions such as fear, stress, and anxiety and are best addressed by communication, emotional support, and human connection). Preparing leaders to thrive in VUCA times requires that they increase their exposure to diverse, novel, and adverse experiences (DNA) so they build capabilities and comfort in making decisions and taking decisive action under conditions of uncertainty and risk and projecting confidence and clarity in leading people through times of doubt and distress. In addition, leaders need to build their capacity to reflect on their experiences to see meaningful patterns and make informed choices about the best course of action going forward.
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Barbara, Manager of Talent Development for a business-to-business sales operations outsourcing company, was badly underperforming. Her manager had received complaints about the quality of her customer service and collaboration with peers. Her manager endorsed coaching to improve critical skills and related performance. Barbara enthusiastically accepted the chance to be coached. Client and coach co-designed an individual development plan with goals. The client completed self-assessments and the coach structured 360 interviews and debriefed the data. Client and coach refined the development plan and goals. Coaching calls were held regularly, with learning assignments made and regular reviews done for progress, challenges, and lessons learned. Overall, the client progressed in several emotional intelligence skills, delivered better customer service, and collaborated better. When reassigned to an individual contributor role, she adapted well, led, and contributed to two critical projects.
Chapter
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We propose that I/O psychologists who coach executives have overlooked psychotherapy outcome research as a source of information and ideas that can be used to improve our executive coaching practices. This research, based on thousands of studies and many meta-analyses, has converged on the conclusion that four ''active ingredients'' account for most of the variance in psychotherapy outcomes. We describe how this literature has identified four primary ''active ingredients'' that account for most of the variance in psychotherapy outcomes: 1) Client/extratherapeutic factors (40%), 2) The relationship or alliance (30%), 3) Placebo or hope (15%), and 4) Theory and technique (15%). Working on the assumption that psychotherapy and executive coaching are sufficiently similar to justify generalization from one domain to the other, we describe these four active ingredients at length and explore how they may be at work in the executive coaching process. We also suggest that I/O psychologists have training and experience that allows us to leverage some of these active ingredients in our executive coaching (e.g., understanding of client individual differences related to coaching outcomes). But we also have areas of weakness (e.g., building a strong working relationship with an individual client) that may need to be bolstered with additional training and development experiences.
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This article addresses the conceptual and methodological issues involved in measuring the business impact of executive coaching. A framework is introduced for identifying the business impacts of coaching. An application of the framework is presented using exploratory study data from 12 matched coach-coachee pairs showing varying degrees of impact of the coaching on business-related outcomes. The primary conclusion is that the degree of business impact likely is related to complexity of the executive’s role, and to the relationship between the organizational environment and individual performance. The implication is that coordinating executive coaching with other leadership development, performance improvement, and rewards initiatives should increase business impact. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
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Coaching and coaching psychology offer a potential platform for an applied positive psychology and for facilitating individual, organisational and social change. Experts from around the world were invited to comment on the emerging discipline of coaching psychology and the commercial coaching industry. Several key themes emerged including the potential of coaching to contribute to health promotion, social change and organisational development. There was unequivocal consensus for the need for an evidence-based approach to coaching. A review of the psychological coaching outcome literature found there have been a total of 69 outcome studies between 1980 and July 2007: 23 case studies, 34 within-subject studies and 12 between-subject studies. Only eight randomised controlled studies have been conducted. This indicates that coaching psychology is still in the early stages of development, and can be understood as an emerging or protoscientific psychological discipline. A languishing-flourishing model of coaching is described. To flourish, coaching psychology needs to remain clearly differentiated from the frequently sensationalistic and pseudoscientific facets of the personal development industry while at the same time engaging in the development of the wider coaching industry.
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The theoretical framework presented in this article explains expert performance as the end result of individuals' prolonged efforts to improve performance while negotiating motivational and external constraints. In most domains of expertise, individuals begin in their childhood a regimen of effortful activities (deliberate practice) designed to optimize improvement. Individual differences, even among elite performers, are closely related to assessed amounts of deliberate practice. Many characteristics once believed to reflect innate talent are actually the result of intense practice extended for a minimum of 10 yrs. Analysis of expert performance provides unique evidence on the potential and limits of extreme environmental adaptation and learning. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
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Whilst there is growing interest within the emerging coaching psychology literature in exploring specific coaching methods and their relative efficacies, little attention has been afforded the investigation of the relationship itself that is formed between coach and client. In addition, any exploration of the personality, psychodynamic and cognitive-behavioural constructs unique to the coach herself and the potential impact, both facilitative and detractive, of these factors, has remained largely unaddressed. This paper seeks to begin this process of exploration and highlights the importance for ethical and professional executive coaching practice in coaches establishing robust and accountable supervision relationships. The paper provides a theoretical framework for operationalising this supervisory relationship and facilitating coaches own process of introspection and continuous development.
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Paper presented at the 1st European Coaching Psychology Conference, December 2009. This study will investigate how coaching psychologists have managed the coaching process when dealing with narcissistic personalities. It explores some of the problems that coaching psychologists might encounter in working with narcissists and how they have addressed these in order to facilitate effective psychological coaching. It will also address the paradox that while often attracted to coaching, narcissists can present difficulties in that they do not see much area for improvement. The primary objective is to explore the psychological coaching process from the coach’s standpoint. The narcissist profiles include traits such as charm, confidence, a strong sense of self-belief. Narcissistic personalities are often highly confident, charming, exploitative and with an overbearing sense of entitlement (DSM-IV, 1994). Such strengths, however, can often combine with a lack of empathy for others, a failure to recognise their shortcomings and an inability to reflect on their mistakes This study considers two different data collection methods to assess for narcissistic personality profiles; 360° feedback and psychometric test scales. The hypothesis is that individuals with narcissistic personalities profiles (indicated by 360° feedback ratings) and high scores (>90th percentile) on the Narcissistic cluster (Moving Against profile) of the Hogan Development Survey (HDS) will be most resistant to coaching, particularly towards those aspects which challenge the person’s self view. Interviews with coaching psychologists will also be conducted to explore the psychological coaching process from the coach’s perspective , and determine what difficulties, if any, they found in coaching Narcissistic personality types and how they address these.
Chapter
Professionals such as medical doctors, aeroplane pilots, lawyers, and technical specialists find that some of their peers have reached high levels of achievement that are difficult to measure objectively. In order to understand to what extent it is possible to learn from these expert performers for the purpose of helping others improve their performance, we first need to reproduce and measure this performance. This book is designed to provide the first comprehensive overview of research on the acquisition and training of professional performance as measured by objective methods rather than by subjective ratings by supervisors. In this collection of articles, the world's foremost experts discuss methods for assessing the experts' knowledge and review our knowledge on how we can measure professional performance and design training environments that permit beginning and experienced professionals to develop and maintain their high levels of performance, using examples from a wide range of professional domains.
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Objectives: Research shows that self-concordant goals are more readily pursued, better achieved, and their attainment can lead to increases in well-being. This study assesses whether executive coaching in turn affects self-concordance. Design: We hypothesised that the heightened awareness produced by coaching leads to changes in self-concordance (type of motivation) and commitment (a measure of the amount of motivation). A single group design with repeated measures was used. Method: 26 participants – all senior managers in business – identified three goals and then received a one-to-one coaching session focused on one goal, but received no coaching on the remaining goals. Results: The hypothesis was supported, with significant changes (increases) in self-concordance and commitment for the coached goal. There were also significant increases in self-concordance and commitment for some of the other non-coached goals. Conclusion: These results are discussed with reference to the goal attainment and coaching literature, and suggestions made for further research.
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Malcolm Gladwell; род. 3 сентября 1963, Хэмпшир) — канадский журналист, поп-социолог. В 2005 году «Time» назвало Малкольма Гладуэлла одним из 100 самых влиятельных людей. Книги и статьи Малкольма часто касаются неожиданных последствий исследований в социальных науках и находят широкое применение в научной работе, в частности в областях социологии, психологии и социальной психологии. Некоторые из его книг занимали первые строки в списке бестселлеров «The New York Times». В 2007 году Малкольм получил первую премию Американской Социологической ассоциации за выдающиеся достижения по отчетам в социальных вопросах. В 2007 году он также получил почетную степень доктора филологии Университета Ватерлоо. Малькольм Гладуелл описывает эксперименты, которые показывают, что человеку с поврежденными эмоциональными центрами крайне трудно принимать решения. Он рассказывает про одного такого пациента, которому было предложено прийти на прием либо во вторник, либо в пятницу. И пациент два часа решал во вторник ему прийти или в пятницу — в столбик выписывал плюсы и минусы, их сравнивал, группировал по разному, всяко переставлял. И в жизни своих домашних он просто убивал вот этим. Если его спрашивали, ты что хочешь: омлет или салат? — это задача минут на сорок. Обычный человек очень просто поступает. Он видит омлет, что-то чувствует и говорит: Хочу! Все. Выбор сделан легко и быстро.
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Based on his highly competent work and business ethic, Bill A. was recently promoted to chief financial officer (CFO) at a global chemical reprocessing company. His C-level peers (CEO, COO, CIO), looked to him to provide insights and solutions at meetings, but Bill contributed little to discussions. His modus operandi, keeping a low profile and speaking only when asked, was "just how he was." In fact, throughout Bill's progression in the company his quiet nature had not been of concern to most in the organization. Until now… Assisting executives like Bill and the
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A theory of leadership development is advanced, suggesting that changes in leadership skills may be viewed from the perspective of a general theory of learning and expertise, with consideration of the associated changes in information processing and underlying knowledge structures that occur as skill develops. More specifically, we propose that leadership performance is organized in terms of a progression from novice to intermediate to expert skill levels. At each skill level, the emphasis is on qualitatively different knowledge and information processing capabilities. In addition, because leadership skill development requires proaction on the part of the leader, we propose that identity, meta-cognitive processes, and emotional regulation are critical factors in developing the deeper cognitive structures associated with leadership expertise. Finally, expert leaders may develop unique skills in grounding their identities and leadership activities in coherent, self-relevant, authentic values.
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Highly intelligent, confident, and successful, alpha males represent about 70% of all senior executives. Natural leaders, they willingly take on levels of responsibility most rational people would find overwhelming. But many of their quintessential strengths can also make alphas difficult to work with. Their self-confidence can appear domineering. Their high expectations can make them excessively critical. Their unemotional style can keep them from inspiring their teams. That's why alphas need coaching to broaden their interpersonal tool kits while preserving their strengths. Drawing from their experience coaching more than 1,000 senior executives, the authors outline an approach tailored specifically for the alpha. Coaches get the alpha's attention by inundating him with data from 360-degree feedback presented in ways he will find compelling--both hard-boiled metrics and vivid verbatim comments from colleagues about his strengths and weaknesses. A 360-degree assessment is a wake-up call for most alphas, providing undeniable proof that their behavior doesn't work nearly as well as they think it does. That paves the way for a genuine commitment to change. In order to change, the alpha must venture into unfamiliar--and often uncomfortable--psychological territory. He must admit vulnerability, accept accountability not just for his own work for others', connect with his underlying emotions, learn to motivate through a balance of criticism and validation, and become aware of unproductive behavior patterns. The goal of executive coaching is not simply to treat the alpha as an individual problem but to improve the entire team dynamic. Initial success creates an incentive to persevere, and the virtuous cycle reverberates throughout the entire organization.
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Annual spending on executive coaching in the United States is estimated at 1 billion dollars. Yet information about coaching's effectiveness is scarce and unreliable. No one has yet demonstrated conclusively what qualifies an executive coach or what makes one approach to executive coaching better than another. Barriers to entry are nonexistent--many executive coaches know little about business, and some know little about coaching. The coaching certifications offered by various self-appointed bodies are difficult to assess, and methods of measuring return on investment are questionable. But strategic coaching can provide critical help both to individuals and to organizations. In this article, Stratford Sherman, a senior vice president of Executive Coaching Network, and Alyssa Freas, the founder and CEO, explore the popularity of executive coaching and investigate ways to make the most of the experience. They argue that coaching is inevitably a triangular relationship between the client, the "coachee," and the coach. Its purpose is to produce behavioral change and growth in the coachee for the economic benefit of the client. The best way to maximize the likelihood of good results is to qualify all the people involved. Even so, many triangular relationships continue to generate conflict among all three parties. At the most basic level, coaches serve as suppliers of candor, providing leaders with the objective feedback they need to nourish their growth. Coaching gets executives to slow down, gain awareness, and notice the effects of their words and actions. On a larger scale, the best coaching fosters cultural change for the benefit of the entire organization. It provides a disciplined way for businesses to deepen relationships with their most valued employees while also increasing their effectiveness.
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Excellence in coaching: The industry guide
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Handbook of coaching psychology
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Psychological dimensions of executive coaching
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The Cambridge handbook of expertise and expert performance
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Coaching, mentoring and organizational consultancy: Supervision and development
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Psychotherapy relationships that work: Therapist contributions and responsiveness of patients
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The complete handbook of coaching
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Mastery: The keys to success and long-term fulfillment
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Executive coaching: Practices and perspectives
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Coaching: A faster way to lose money than burning it
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