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Effective coaching: podcast from Institute for Employment Studies

21 January 2010

The Institute for Employment Studies (IES) has published a podcast on what makes for effective coaching. This free to use resource for HR, L&D and coaching practitioners as well as educators brings together a sequence of short interviews with a group of world leaders in the coaching field.

The podcast was recorded during the second International Coaching Research Forum organised by the IES and the Institute of Coaching at McLean Hospital, a Harvard Medical School Affiliate, and held in London on 10-11 November 2009.

Some key findings from the interviews found in the podcast include:

• Coaches who have a range of techniques they can use – acquired through training and good supervision – become more confident and able to focus on their clients rather than on what question they should be asking next. Supervision can also help coaches to reflect on their practice.
• Coaching for moments of insight rather than solutions emerged vividly as a theme. Effective coaches are aware of crucial moments in a coaching conversation where real breakthroughs are possible. Too heavy a focus on goals or solutions can prevent important insights from occurring at such moments. It is these insights which lead to solutions. This means organisations should avoid trying to over-control what a coaching relationship will discuss.
• Effective coaches and their clients ‘co-create’ insights, develop and solve the problems. It is crucial that the coach is sincere in his or her intent and can develop a trusting dialogue within which the client can be open. It is also important that the client comes willingly to this relationship, knows what to expect from coaching and has the skills to participate effectively in it.

• download the podcast

Further information

The second International Coaching Research Forum was held in London on 10-11 November 2009. It was organised jointly by the Institute of Coaching at McLean Hospital, a Harvard Medical School Affiliate, and the Institute for Employment Studies.

Dr Alison Carter, co-chair for the Forum, is available for interview on the contact details below. Dr Carter is Principal Research Fellow at IES, with extensive experience in HR and management development. She leads the Coaching Area of Expertise at IES, conducting a growing portfolio of empirical coaching research and in-company coaching programme evaluations.

Podcast speakers:

• Dr Alison Carter, IES, UK (introduction)
• Dr Sunny Stout-Rostron Resolve Encounter Consulting, South Africa
• Professor Reinhard Stelter , Copenhagen University, Denmark
• Dr Janet Baldwin, JBA Coaching Services, LLC, USA
• Professor Peter Hawkins, Bath Consultancy Group, UK
• Professor Robert Garvey, Sheffield Business School, UK
• Dr Carol Kauffman, Assistant Professor, Harvard University, USA
• Professor Roland Foucher, Université du Québec en Outaouais (UQO), Canada
• Professor David Clutterbuck, Clutterbuck Associates, UK
• Timothy So, University of Cambridge, UK
• Dr Susan David, Harvard University, USA
• Dr Thomas Hellwig, INSEAD, France
• Dr Daniel Doherty, University of Bristol, UK
• Professor David Gray, Surrey University, UK

For further information or comment, contact Alison Carter or call +44(0)1273 763 411, or the IES press office, or on 01273 763414.