Conclusion: If the profession of coaching is to avoid being reduced to a fad, it is imperative that it lies upon a solid, evidence-based foundation. Grant provides clear distinctions among the typologies and services of coaching in an effort to ground the profession with clear purpose.
Reference: What is Evidence-Based Executive, Workplace and Life Coaching? by Anthony M. Grant. Email Ashley Hollweg, Ph.D. at sales@batrushollweg.com for a copy.
Why This Article Is Important: Currently, a wide variety of individuals with ranging occupational backgrounds tout their coaching abilities and the profession of coaching continues to gain in popularity. Coaching, as asserted by Grant, is about helping people to create change so that they can realize their potential. In this chapter, Grant provides a comprehensive definition of coaching and distinguishes the various types of coaching that exist in today's marketplace. As the line between executive coaching and life coaching becomes increasingly blurred, it is particularly important for individuals seeking a coaching engagement to become well-educated on that which distinguishes the two.
Major Findings: Grant defines coaching as a systemized and goal-directed process that fosters self-directed learning and personal growth in an effort to facilitate change. Three typologies of coaching exist: skills coaching (developing a specific skill set), performance coaching (improving performance over a specified period of time) and developmental coaching (strategically approach to personal and professional development). Executive coaching and life coaching both fall within the realm of developmental coaching. While an executive coach uses a variety of behavioral techniques to achieve a mutually identified set of goals, life coaching delves predominantly into personal issues and is generally not conducted in the workplace.
What Does It Mean To You? a) In order to glean the most out of coaching, it is imperative that individuals educate themselves on the myriad of coaching theories that abound in today's marketplace; b) Philosophy is at the heart of many coaching issues; as such, it is important for individuals seeking coaching to be mindful of each unique coaching approach in order to determine the best and most appropriate fit and c) At this point, there is very little peer-reviewed literature in the coaching arena, which suggests that coaching, as it exists today, has very little empirical evidence to support it.
