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(#1) Submitter Name: Reinhard Stelter, Ph.D.

Submitter Email: rstelter@ifi.ku.dk

Submitter Website: www.ifi.ku.dk/english/staff/profile/?id=157311

Research Question
Understanding coach education: Concepts of developing a professional knowledge base for coach practitioners - The idea is to investigate and compare different educational programs in coaching/coaching psychology. There are a number of questions to be answered:
• On what concept of professional learning is the program based?
• How are theory and practice interrelated?
• How is the basis for coaching skills defined and implemented in the program?

Methodology
The research is based on a multiple-case study of three different educational programs:
• A short training program of a private company
• An ICF or EMCC accredited program
• A University Master program

Data collection includes the following:
• Presentation and evaluation of the theoretical foundation, i.e., the different approaches to developing professional knowledge
• Evaluation of the curricula of each program
• Interviews with the scientific and educational leaders of each program
• Participant classroom observation of each program
• Interviews with the students of each program
• Participant observation in supervisory sessions of each program

Hypothesized Results
New concepts of developing a professional knowledge base for coach practitioners.

Potential Implications
There has been a long-standing discussion on how to develop professional knowledge. In psychology a split between academic research and professional practice has been visible for many years. The result has been the emergence of two paradigms and educational concepts in psychology:

• The academic and research-based concept based in the university system
• The concept of practitioner education, mainly seen in further vocational training in psychotherapy and now also in coaching (see Kvale, 1992)

With the new upcoming Master degree programs in coaching a new trend might come into being, a trend that might focus on greater integration of the research basis and professional training (Hoshmand & Polkinghorne, 1992).

References
Hoshmand, L.T. & Polkinghorne, D.E. (1992). Redefining the science practitioner relationship and professional training. American Psychologist, 47, 55-66.
Kvale, S. (1992). A postmodern psychology. A contradiction in terms? In S. Kvale (ed.), Psychology and postmodernism (pp. 31-57). London: Sage.

(#2) Submitter Name: Reinhard Stelter, Ph.D.

Submitter Email: rstelter@ifi.ku.dk

Submitter Website: www.ifi.ku.dk/english/staff/profile/?id=157311

Research Question
Coach-coachee relationship and its impact on changing processes during coaching - The planned study aims to identify, analyse and disseminate knowledge about the evidence bases of coaching relationships and shall cast light on the following: What factors in the relationship between the coach and coachee and which experiences for the coachee have a positive effect on learning and development in the coaching process?

Methodology
The project can be developed as a collaborative endeavour between several coaching researchers who use different coaching approaches: cognitive behavioural, existential, solution-focused, systemic, narrative, integrated. In that sense the project could be divided into a number of sub-projects that use the same analytical methods.

These sub-projects shall be included in a multiple-case analysis which involves twelve coachees with various backgrounds. The coachees – equally divided between males and females – can be selected among students, employees, executives with substantial leadership experience or participants with special challenges such as stress, illness, unemployment, etc.

Every participant will be coached five times during a two-month period. The total number of participants depends on the number of sub-projects. The coach shall serve both as an external coach and as a research practitioner with a scientific or reflective viewpoint.

The following data collection methods shall be employed:
• All participants will keep a log in which they record their experiences, thoughts, wishes, reflections and visions after each coaching session.
• After the final coaching session, all participants will be interviewed about how they experienced the coaching dialogues, their perceived development, which goals if any were achieved, what changes they experienced, wishes for the future and hopes that may have become more concrete during the period.
• All coaching sessions will be recorded on video to document the process.

Hypothesized Results
Analysis: The contents of the logs and the final interviews will be qualitatively analyzed in order to generate the main characteristics and possible key situations in the coaching process:
• What leads to learning and development in the coachee?
• Which criteria are considered most important in the relationship between coachee and coach?
• What leads to a positive outcome?

The video recordings will be used as contextual validation of the applied methods, compared to other methods. Selected statements in the logs will remain in their original context; specific videos sequences will be revisited to further develop an understanding of specific key situations in the coaching dialogue.

The analyses will be presented in two ways:
• Using a cross-case approach where the main criteria for changing processes are emphasized
• As narratives of single clients to get a grasp of selected cases in their entirety

In the first treatment the different sub-studies with their different focuses on specific coaching approach will be evaluated separately.

In the final phase all the different sub-studies will be cross-evaluated to cast light on possible and unique key criteria of the specific coaching approaches, or possible common criteria for all coaching approaches.

Potential Implications
The planned study aims to identify, analyse and disseminate knowledge about the evidence bases of coaching relationships.

(#3) Submitter Name: Reinhard Stelter, Ph.D.

Submitter Email: rstelter@ifi.ku.dk

Submitter Website: www.ifi.ku.dk/english/staff/profile/?id=157311

Research Question
Health coaching as social empowerment. The research question is: What impact does a community-based health coaching intervention have on the lifestyle of the participants – compared to a traditional advisory service in relation to the activity program at hand (change in physical activity and lifestyle)?

Methodology
The idea is to establish self-help coaching groups as a supplemental intervention while the other intervention groups are involved only in an exercise or health program. In this interventional research both qualitative evaluation (analyses of participant interviews) and questionnaires will be used for assessment.

The theoretical framework is based on the following principles:
• The individual group member as well as the group as a whole set the agenda.
• The health coach does not appear as an expert but as a facilitating participant of the group process.
• The group members must find their own way of acting and speaking about their health challenges.
• Developing social capital through coaching is a process of co-creating meaning.

Hypothesized Results
The aim is to embed the coaching intervention in a community psychological discourse where the main intent is to develop social capital and empowerment of the participants. The French sociologist Bourdieu (1983) has defined social capital as “the aggregate of the actual or potential resources which are linked to possession of a durable network of more or less institutionalized relationships of mutual acquaintance and recognition” (p. 249). The development of social capital, here through self-help groups and social networks that promote health and exercise, is seen as the most decisive factor for the development of healthy living.

Potential Implications
Health, overweight and lack of physical activity are challenges for a growing number of people all over the world. Most campaigns and advisory services have failed. Therefore a new approach in the form of community-based health coaching shall be applied in this project.

Reference
Bourdieu, P. (1985). The forms of capital. In Richardson, J.G. (Ed), Handbook of Theory and Research for the Sociology of Education (pp. 241–258) New York: Greenwood.

(#4) Submitter Name: Reinhard Stelter, Ph.D.

Submitter Email: rstelter@ifi.ku.dk

Submitter Website: www.ifi.ku.dk/english/staff/profile/?id=157311

Research Question
Community oriented group coaching as a new form of sport psychological intervention.

Methodology
Both forms of intervention will be evaluated:
• Through a number of questionnaires measuring self-regulation, state and trait anxiety, goal setting abilities, and arousal regulation
• Through performance assessment (objectively and subjectively)

The evaluation takes place prior to intervention, with a two-month interval during intervention periods, at termination of intervention, two months after intervention termination and six months after intervention termination. The research design for both is more or less identical and will also include some experiential feedback from the participants of both intervention groups. A control group is included.

Hypothesized Results
It will be interesting to see the differences between these two forms of intervention. The first is very much focused on specific functions of the athlete while the coaching intervention is more an invitation to a reflective process that may influence the athlete on the social level: how can I share my knowledge with others and thereby develop my performance? Sport is chosen here, because sport is based on very clear criteria of performance and success.

Potential Implications
Combined with the research project “Development of an evidence-based sport psychological training program for young elite athletes” conducted in my research group by one Ph.D. student, a second form of intervention shall be added, an intervention which has a coaching-related point of departure. While the Ph.D. study is based on individually oriented programs which train mental skills (relaxation, visualization, stress management, goal setting), this second intervention will be based on a community and narrative psychology framework: a group coaching intervention focusing on athletes’ reflections on specific elite sport situations - a group learning process in the athletes’ community of practice, e.g., through outside witness procedures (White, 2007).

Reference
White, M. (2007). Maps of narrative practice. New York: Norton.

(#5) Submitter Name: Reinhard Stelter, Ph.D.

Submitter Email: rstelter@ifi.ku.dk

Submitter Website: www.ifi.ku.dk/english/staff/profile/?id=157311

Research Question
Coaching Survey
• Who receives coaching services in the organisation?
• What are the objectives and organisational goals of coaching?
• How is the success of the coaching intervention or the coaching project defined and evaluated in the organisation?

Methodology
The intention is to develop an online questionnaire with a number of multiple choice questions to be answered by a contact person in the human resource department of the organisation. The aim is to gather knowledge about:
• Who receives coaching services in the organisation?
• What are the objectives and organisational goals of coaching?
• How is the success of the coaching intervention or the coaching project defined and evaluated in the organisation?

Hypothesized Results
The results shall give a picture of the current dissemination of coaching and its intended and perceived benefits. The survey shall be repeated regularly and will help to elucidate developments in the field.

An intercultural dimension including different countries would be valuable.

Potential Implications
The coaching field in Denmark – probably much like many other countries – is still very diffuse. Some companies and organisations have a very structured approach, where coaching has a clear perspective and goal as part of human resource development. In other areas coaching is more or less outsourced as fringe benefits on the same level as a mobile telephone or broadband at home. With the support of a small group of external researchers and consultants, it is my idea to prepare a survey directed towards a wide-spread and diverse number of private and public organisations with the goal of casting light on coaching as a developmental tool in an organisational context.

(#6) Submitter Name: Reinhard Stelter, Ph.D.

Submitter Email: rstelter@ifi.ku.dk

Submitter Website: www.ifi.ku.dk/english/staff/profile/?id=157311

Research Question
Every novice dreams of being an expert, but the path towards becoming an expert is not straightforward and often complex. Intuition may play a significant role in developing expertise. (Dreyfuss, Anthanasiou & Dreyfuss, 2000). A qualitative multiple-case study which includes a number of well-known expert coaches may help unravel the mysteries of coaching expertise.

The research project aims to investigate the possible specific features of expert coaching and of expert coaches’ dialogical competences:
• How can expertise in coaching be defined?
• What are the central constituents of coaching expertise?
• How can expertise in coaching been developed and learned?
• What is it in expert coaching that ensures unique outcomes?
• What makes experts special?
• How are expert coaches different from novices?

Methodology
The research is based on a multiple-case study design including about eight expert coaches from different coaching traditions. The study includes:
• Video observation of about six coaching session per expert coach
• Logs of expert coaches which captures their reflections after each session
• Research interviews with all expert coaches that aim to elucidate their dialogical strategies, meta-cognitions and reflections

Hypothesized Results
The study might be able to show that developing expertise is a very complex journey. It is not just years of experience and education that counts but more subtle factors that only can be highlighted through case-studies.

Reference
Dreyfuss, H.L., Anthanasiou, T. & Dreyfuss, S.E. (2000). Mind over machine. The power of human intuition and expertise in the era of the computer. New York: Simon & Schuster.

(#7) Submitter Name: Reinhard Stelter, Ph.D.

Submitter Email: rstelter@ifi.ku.dk

Submitter Website: www.ifi.ku.dk/english/staff/profile/?id=157311

Research Question
An empirical study about the extent to which coaches reflect on and are aware of the theoretical foundation that informs their coaching practice:
• How are coach practitioners informed by theory?
• How does this possible theoretical foundation come into being in their coach practice?
• What kind of qualities do these theories have? Are they “personal theories” or in what degree are they based in the research literature (formal theories)?
• How are personal and formal theories interrelated in practice and reflected in their practice?

This research might be enlarged by including practitioners with different educational backgrounds, experience and training.

Methodology
• In-depth interview of practicing coaches about how they are theoretically informed in regard to their practice
• Video documentation of selected coaching session of each coach practitioner included in the study
• Video confrontation of selected moments of their coaching sessions combined with an interview around how their practice is theoretically informed.

Hypothesized Results
The central question is in what degree the coaches’ practice is informed by formal theory – or is it more informed by personal theory? Is there a difference if we look at the coaches’ educational background, experience and training?

Potential Implications
Based on the theory of Practitioner Researcher (Jarvis, 1999), we know that practitioners with little experience are mainly informed by personal theory.

What changes ensue when practitioners have a longstanding coaching experience?

(#8) Submitter Name: Margaret Moore, MBA

Submitter Email: margaretm@wellcoaches.com

Submitter Website: wellcoaches.com

Research Question
Can having a professional health coach be a part of a physician’s office team reduce hospitalizations, exacerbation visits, and complications by keeping in regular contact with the chronically ill patient population?

Physician office visits are often limited in time. Patients are acutely aware of how busy their physician are. The patient’s questions often do not get answered because the patient doesn’t feel it is important enough to take up the physician’s time. Calling the nurse and having her call back is time consuming. On the other hand, coaches can check in periodically with chronically ill patients and address the patient’s concerns before they become an exacerbation or a complication.

Methodology
Set up a 6 month comparison of two practices matched on size and composition of patient population. One will have a coach assigned to work with patients with chronic hypertension and obesity, diabetes and obesity, or asthma and obesity. The other practice will follow their regular protocol with matched subjects. An assessment of demographic variables, inclusion criterion parameters and other psychosocial variables will be administered at baseline and at 6 months. A review of all of the patient charts will determine number and kind of visits (exacerbation or well checkup) in the previous year to the physician, and to the hospital. This will be repeated for the year that includes the 6 months of the study and 6 months post coaching.

Hypothesized Results
Coached group will have fewer exacerbation visits and more well checkups that non-coached group.

Potential Implications
There is the potential of major cost saving if chronic patients are better managed and have fewer exacerbations and complications that require immediate visits or hospitalizations.

(#9) Submitter Name: Margaret Moore, MBA

Submitter Email: margaretm@wellcoaches.com

Submitter Website: wellcoaches.com

Research Question
Does coaching improve a client’s hope, optimism, social functioning and perceived availability of support?

Methodology
The following four instruments are validated measures.
• The Hope Scale is a 12-item measure assessing two aspects of hope: agency and pathways (Snyder, et al., 1991). Life Orientation Test.
• The Life Orientation Test (LOT) is a 10-item measure of optimism (Scheier, Carver, & Bridges, 1994).
• Social Provisions Scale (SPS). The SPS is a 24-item self-report questionnaire that assesses various social functions that relationships with others provide (Cutrona & Russell, 1987).
• Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey (MOS SSS). The MOS SSS is a brief, self-report instrument that assesses perceived availability of support (Sherbourne & Stewart, 1991).

These instruments would be administered pre and post 3 months of wellness coaching.

Hypothesized Results
There would be a positive improvement in all scores.

Potential Implications
This would produce a concrete measurement of some of the key developmental benefits of coaching.

(#10) Submitter Name: Gabrielle R. Highstein, Ph.D., RN

Submission appreciation to Mary Lou Galantino, PT, Ph.D. & Pam Schmid, BS, CWC

Submitter Email: gabe.highstein@gmail.com

Research Question
Does wellness coaching for cancer survivors improve and sustain health related outcomes such as improved quality of life, reduced depression, and an increase in healthy lifestyle behaviors that reduce risk of recurrence as compared to other common interventions?

Methodology
Eighty cancer survivors randomized into either a control or intervention group. One group would engage in 3 months of wellness coaching bi-weekly, followed by two-three follow up sessions over 6 months. The control group would receive healthy lifestyle information or participate in a cancer.

specific social support group.
Survey measures at baseline and at the completion of the program:
• Biomarkers such as height, weight, body fat, and others TBD
• “WellCoach” well-being assessment
• Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (Zigmond)
• Quality of Life Patient/Cancer Survivor (Ferrell, City of Hope)
• Exercise, Behavior and Daily Activity Self-Efficacy Scales (Bandura)
• Exercise Stage Assessment (Nigg)
• Qualitative questions for narrative impact of program
• Steen Happiness Index (SHI)

Hypothesized Results
Further validation of the results found in the pilot study.

Potential Implications
Wellness coaching is a comprehensive approach that has demonstrated significant impact in multiple areas for cancer survivors in our pilot. If results are confirmed in a randomized controlled trial with longitudinal results (up to a year) showing sustainability of the effects, reimbursement may become a reality. Cancer costs our country $250 billion dollars each year. Reducing its impact both to insurers and the survivor make wellness coaching a viable intervention that will benefit all.

(#11) Submitter Name: Margaret Moore, MBA

Submission appreciation to Tina Crane.

Submitter Email: margaretm@wellcoaches.com

Submitter Website: wellcoaches.com

Research Question
Can wellness coaching have a positive impact on adolescents’ general health, well-being, and perceptions of self-efficacy?

Methodology
Following the identification of my sample (please see below), in-depth interviews will be conducted to gather baseline information which will measure students’ self-reported self-efficacy and self-esteem. The interviews will also be used to gather information on nutritional and exercise habits. At the completion of the study, the students will be interviewed again. Quantitatively, body mass indices (BMIs), weight, and body measurements will be gathered at predetermined times throughout the study. Finally, a questionnaire that has been proven both reliable and valid will be used to measure levels of happiness. The convenience sample will consist of approximately 30 high school students, both male and female, of any ethnicity, from 2 different high schools in Kanawha County, West Virginia—one high school in an urban setting, one in a rural setting. An introductory letter will be given to the principals of the 2 high schools, explaining the purpose of the proposed research and asking permission to involve willing high school students in the study. Once permission is granted, I will visit each of the high schools and present basic information to the students about my study, asking for volunteers. A permission slip that must be signed by parents and students will be sent home with the interested students. Students must also pass physicals administered by their physicians or by the local health department. The students who agree to participate, present signed permission slips, and pass their physicals will constitute my sample.

Hypothesized Results
The null hypothesis is that wellness coaching will not have a significant effect on adolescents’ health, well-being, and feelings of self-efficacy. The alternate hypothesis is that wellness coaching will have a significant positive effect on adolescents’ health, well-being, and feelings of self-efficacy.

Potential Implications
Improving adolescent health could stop the growing trend toward unhealthy adults.

(#12) Submitter Name: Gabrielle Highstein, Ph.D., RN

Submission appreciation to Mary Lou Galantino, PT, Ph.D. & Pam Schmid, BS, CWC

Submitter Email: gabe.highstein@gmail.com

Research Question
Physical therapists are in a unique position to foster healthy lifestyle behaviors, but in the U.S. this may be limited given various health care insurance plans.

Methodology
Working specifically with a musculoskeletal population with chronic low back pain, which typically receives 6-12 visits for PT intervention, this proposal would take the same approach of 1 year to determine changes over time with and without coaching. Using Oswestry Disability Index, SF-36; Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale; Functional Capacity Evaluation (FCE) and return to work outcomes. This proposed research would be a randomized

clinical trial (RCT) where one group would receive continued coaching after initial PT intervention while the other group would not receive the continued coaching sessions for one year. Comparative analyses would take place at the end of one year with additional cost effective considerations inherent in the study design.

Hypothesized Results
The results may show improvement in perceived health status and muscle strength one year after the rehabilitation intervention.

Potential Implications
This work may have impact on health care costs. If proven effective, potential reimbursement through insurance companies may foster widespread use of coaching for various chronic diseases.

(#13) Submitter Name: Gabrielle R. Highstein, Ph.D., RN

Submitter Email: gabe.highstein@gmail.com

Research Question
We believe that coaching builds good health habits but we need to quantify the process to convince others that clients make progress when working with a coach.

Methodology
Creation of a database that documents client progress by using a simple measure of progress. This is way to build a habit.

A metric of progress could be made up of three components:
• Recording a weekly goal
This is a methodology that allows you to implement a series of small steps to lead you to a bigger goal. Habits drive good health.
• The score from a confidence ruler
On a scale of one to ten, how confident are you that you will be able to do your weekly goal? We are looking for at least a 7. Why? Because Bandura’s circular theory says that small successes can lead to greater success but failures can lead to more failure. If the client gives a score lower than 7 ask the client to tweak or change the goal to raise the confidence level. This allows us to do everything we can to ensure our clients have a successful week
• Judging the success of the goal by using stage of change
When you check in with your clients, you want to know how they did on their weekly goal. I want you to think in terms of Stage of Change.
o If they have been doing the goal for a long time and it is now automatic then they are in the Maintenance (I still am stage) worth 5 points.
o If they did the goal perfectly meeting all the parameters they had set then they are in Action (I am stage) worth 4 points even if the goal was a thinking goal like making a list of their three most troublesome barriers.
o If the clients did not do the goal, then we have to ask why? If they fully intended to do it but life temporarily got in the way but fully intend to do it this week then provided we think that they have a strong motivator, know their primary barriers and have come up with some possible solutions, they are in the Preparation (I will stage) worth 3 points.

o If the coach doesn’t feel that the clients have a strong enough motivator, or don’t have a good handle on their primary barriers or haven’t come up with some possible solutions then they are in the Contemplation (I may stage) worth 2 points.
o If the coach feels that the clients are still bogged down by barriers then they are in the Precontemplation (I can’t stage) worth 1 point.
o If the coach feels that the clients has gone all the way back to the Precontemplation (I won’t stage) worth 0 points then they will be accepting, supportive, and back off leaving them with a way to contact them if things change..

The coach stages their clients so they can know what stage of readiness they are in and what appropriate strategies to use with them.

Using a system like the WellCoaches computer platform and WellCoaches training we could accumulate a very large database of coaching encounters which I believe would help us start documenting the progress being made by coaching clients.

Hypothesized Results
We would accumulate a list of weekly goals, confidence scores and documentation of forward movement through the stages of change.

Potential Implications
We could prove to people that clients move forward using coaches.

(#14) Submitter Name: Sunny Stout Rostron

Submitter Email: express@iafrica.com

Research Question
Organisational transformation - What is being transformed within organisations as a result of the coaching intervention (e.g., corporate culture, old vs. new paradigms, values, perceptions, assumptions, power, control and relationship issues), and how can coaching build positive and sustainable organisations through its impact on these dimensions?

It is important to understand the mechanisms through which coaching interventions can make a positive, sustainable impact on critical dimensions of organisational structure and performance, including diversity issues, corporate culture, leadership and talent development, behaviour change and competence.

Methodology
A phenomenological approach will study the results and impact of coaching inside the organisation to understand how behaviour has changed, culture has been impacted, and leadership style affected. This would include case studies of individuals and teams, and would feature action research undertaken by ‘insider researchers’ managing coaching interventions through team coaching, interviews, questionnaires and reflective journaling.

Hypothesized Results
Results will be an understanding of the impact of coaching on corporate culture, performance and behaviour at individual, team and organisational levels.

Potential Implications
This study would help to clarify the impact of the coaching intervention on the organisation in terms of transforming culture, behaviour and/or performance.

(#15) Submitter Name: Sunny Stout Rostron

Submitter Email: express@iafrica.com

Research Question
Critical self-reflective practice - How will the development of critical self-reflective practice impact on the development of the emerging profession of coaching (including building the required body of professional knowledge), for example in regard to ethical issues?

It is critical that the coach practitioner develops self-awareness with the ability to self-regulate. Awareness of ethical situations that arise is a first step; the second step is to manage them. Without self-awareness, integrity and the ability to manage complexity and ethical decisions may prove difficult or even remain in the unconscious. Coach practitioners are not yet in the habit of critically reflecting on their coaching practice, engaging in supervision to develop self-awareness and critical reflection skills, or necessarily even understanding the need for critical self-reflective practice. This study would analyse the role and importance of the development of critical self-reflective practice in the professionalisation of coaching, using coach practitioners’ handling of ethical issues as a specific area of focus.

Methodology
This study will be conducted by interviewing coach practitioners to understand the breadth and depth of their self-reflection, e.g., whether through supervision, coaching, therapy, co-coaching, coaching forums, or even writing up their learning in articles or peer-reviewed journals. It will include both quantitative and qualitative analyses to determine the nature and extent of critical self-reflection in the following dimensions:
• In the early years of coaching, as well as among coaches with two or more years’ experience;
• Among coach practitioners who coach for a specific/certain number of hours per month, and practitioners with variable practice hours; and
• Among business coaches as opposed to life coaches.

Hypothesized Results
To clearly identify the understanding of self-reflective practice on the part of coach practitioners, and the percentage of coach practitioners within specified market segments who undergo reflective practice and to what degree. This would be useful in specific marketplaces (e.g., South Africa, the UK, Canada, USA), within a market segment such as large organisations, or within a specific industry.

Potential Implications
One implication will be to understand which practitioners are beginning to work with greater knowledge, depth, skills and competence as a result of critical self-reflective practice. Other implications of this research can help to promote the need for more self-reflective practice on the part of practitioners, and to encourage coach training programmes to address this issue in their education and development programmes.

(#16) Submitter Name: S. Grace Russell

Submitter Email: srussell@fas.harvard.edu

Research Question
Across the entire spectrum of social science disciplines, what research studies already exist that might have significant relevance for coaching andpositive psychology?

Methodology
Coordinate a methodical review of all current fields of research, to be conducted by subject matter volunteer representatives from each field who are proponents of coaching and/or positive psychology. Define guidelines and criteria for each literature reviewer to follow in re-assessing their affiliated body of research from a coaching and positive psychology applicability perspective.

Establish an internet database where the volunteers can register the bibliographical information from studies that they find, along with their rational regarding relevance and potential value for advancing the fields of coaching and positive psychology.

Also have each reviewer document the body of research they have reviewed, in order to facilitate methodical tracking of assessed versus non-assessed areas.

Prioritize for review those fields of research that hold the most promise and those where volunteers are readily available.
 
Hypothesized Results
This effort should yield a great deal of research value in a relatively short period of time, for very little cost, especially if the most promising 20% of research is reviewed first and it yields 80% of the overall potential value.

Many very applicable studies probably exist. In fact, researchers affiliated with each of the social science areas may be aware of these studies and their applicability to coaching. However, there is no central repository for all of the studies, hence no opportunity to assess the potential value of the entire body of existing research as a whole.

Potential Implications
Even in the unlikely event that few directly applicable studies are identified, there should be many studies that provide indirect insights into coaching and positive psychology, and/or suggest valuable coaching research methodologies, and/or prompt intriguing coaching hypotheses.

(#17) Submitter Name: S. Grace Russell

Submitter Email: srussell@fas.harvard.edu

Research Question
What research do practicing coaches believe is important and what do they most want from researchers?
• What research findings do coaches benefit from now, if any, and in what ways?
• Do coaches make a point to incorporate evidence-based methods?
• Given that a sizeable number of coaches have advanced psychology degrees and either are or were therapists, do they base any of their coaching methods on evidence-based research from the psychology field?
• To what degree do coaches embrace and incorporate Positive Psychology principles into their coaching practices?
• What kinds of research studies would coaches find most beneficial? Are they most interested in research findings that they can use:
o To be more effective as coaches and achieve enhanced results for clients?
o To attract more clients by virtue of the proof of coaching efficacy?
o Other reasons?
• To what degree do coaches perform their own efficacy research via before/after client surveys, and to what extent do coaches use the results in order to tune their practice methods?

Methodology
Create a survey with:
• Coach-specific questions such as practice specialty; professional credentials; # of years in coaching practice; # of years of therapeutic experience, if any; average # of weekly coachee sessions; coach demographics; etc.
• Relevant coaching practice and coaching research questions such as the ones above.
• Appropriate quantitative and qualitative response mechanisms.
• Requests for the coach to opt in to a ‘future research survey’ mailing list and to encourage their colleagues to both participate in the survey and join the mailing list.

Install the survey in an easily accessible, user-friendly format on the web.

Partner with one or more organizations that have access to representative coach populations and can canvass them via email or through their periodic mailed bulletins.

These groups might be:
• Members of professional coaching organizations such as:
o International Coaching Council (ICC)
o The International Coach Federation (ICF)
o The International Association of Coaching (IAC)
o The Certified Coaches Federation (CCF)
o The European Coaching Institute (ECI)
o The International Guild of Coaches (IGC)
o Worldwide Association of Business Coaches (WABC)
• Coach members of the American Psychological Association (APA)
• Attendees of the 2008 Harvard Coaching Conference
• Members of the Harvard/McLean Coaching and Positive Psychology Initiative mailing list

Have the cooperating coaching organizations ask their affiliated coaches to go to the web site and complete the research survey. To facilitate participation, a link to the survey could be included in emails and on cooperating organization web sites.

After the survey results have been assessed, release the research findings to the cooperating organizations and, through them, to the coaching populations they represent.

Hypothesized Results
This effort should yield meaningful insights into, among other things:
• The nature, degree, and frequency of use of research findings among practicing coaches.
• The perceived value of research findings among coaches.
• What questions coaches most want researchers to address and why.
• Whether there are any notable research-related differences among coaches of varying age groups, experience levels, credentialing, geographic locations, areas of specialty, etc.

Potential Implications
The results of this research should help inform many decisions of coaching stakeholders:
• Coaches might decide to use research differently if they understand how their peers have been leveraging the benefits of research findings.
• Coaching researchers might adjust research priorities based on how or why coaches use findings, or based on what coaches think would be of most value.
• The survey in and of itself could raise coaches’ awareness of research, possibly prompting them to learn more about research findings, subscribe to research journals for informing their practices, etc.
• The incidental ‘future research survey’ mailing list could be leveraged for all manner of research studies in the future.
o Coaches could be targeted for participation in studies based on demographics, experience, credentials, specialty, etc.
o Coaches could be asked other questions about their opinions, practices, and outcomes.
o Coaches could be vetted for participation in other types of research studies.

(#18)  Submitter Name: Henry Marsden

Submitter Email: henrymarsden@meylercampbell.com

Submitter Website: www.meylercampbell.com

Research Question
What are the best practices in supervision of coaches?

There is increasing demand from the consumers of coaching services and from coaches to be involved in some form of supervision. What form should this supervision take? How frequently should supervision occur? What approaches are the most appropriate to use in supervision (e.g., psychological, psychodynamic, transactional analysis, business)?

Methodology
Option A – Supervisors’ Perspective
Survey current coach supervisors on the services they provide, their approach to supervision, and their view on the future of supervision. Identify the key themes that emerge.

Option B – Coach’s Perspective
Survey coaches to determine their current form and level of supervision, what they are looking for from supervision and what trends they notice in terms of supervision. Identify the key themes that emerge to draw conclusions and recommendations on coaches gaining supervision.

Option C – Experimental Comparison
Analyze the performance of a group of coaches in an organization. The purpose would be to contrast an unsupervised group with a psychologically supervised group (e.g., psychodynamic, transactional analysis) with a business supervisor (e.g., experienced coach with no psychology background).

The measures may range from outcome of the coaching contract (e.g., performance, 360 feedback, performance reviews, integration etc.) and measures of the coach themselves (e.g., self-confidence, awareness, and challenge).

Hypothesized Results
This project should determine the impact, benefits and limitations of coaching supervision. It should also identify which forms of supervision are best suited to coaching relative to unsupervised areas of practice (e.g., consultancy) or heavily supervised areas of practice (e.g., health professionals).

Potential Implications
This research may support:
• the development of supervisors for coaching
• the coaches in selecting and working with a coach
• the consumers of coaches – what to look out for when engaging a coach
• accrediting bodies for coaches to making recommendations to their communities and to regulators

The recommendations may cover different supervision issues. For example, the type of coaching supervision to enter, the basis on which the supervision may take place and the frequency of supervision.

(#19) Submitter Name: Henry Marsden

Submitter Email: henrymarsden@meylercampbell.com

Submitter Website: www.meylercampbell.com

Research Question
What is going on during chemistry?

Matching and selection of coaches to the client’s agenda and preferences is a key issue. What is it that clients are looking to establish with the coach at the beginning of the relationship? What are coaches basing their decision on when determining whether to work with a client? Is chemistry an unnecessary part of the coach arrangement?

Methodology
Option A
Conduct a laboratory study where participants meet experienced coaches to determine who they would like to work with. Analyze the decisions made during the selection process by outcome, personality variables and observing the process. Participants may also be interviewed on the basis of their decision and coaches will make a decision as to whether to continue the coaching with the client.

Option B
Contrast the outcome and impact of coaching in an initiative where half the group is assigned a coach (no choice) and half the group choose the coach after meeting 3 coaches (chemistry).

Hypothesized Results
• That chemistry is more about rapport and a connection than any conscious decision on the definition of coaching or the content of chemistry proposals.
• That there will be no significant impact on the outcome of the coaching process whether clients are assigned or choose their coach in a chemistry process.

Potential Implications
May lead to recommendations around:
• the purpose of chemistry meetings for the client and coach
• what coaches and clients are looking for in a successful chemistry meeting
• whether chemistry is necessary in terms of matching coaches to the client’s context

(#20) Submitter Name: Henry Marsden

Submitter Email: henrymarsden@meylercampbell.com

Submitter Website: www.meylercampbell.com

Research Question
What is the business of coaching? To track the business trends in this important and growing sector will be important to many coaches entering or working in the area.

How much do companies and individuals spend on coaching? What are the typical contractual arrangements for coaching? What pricing models do coaches use? How many coaches are there? What trends do we see in the coaching market?

Methodology
Combination of desk research, data collection, telephone interviews and questionnaire studies. Research should target two main groups, the consumers of coaching (organizations and individuals) and the suppliers of coaching (organizations and individuals). This research should also reflect sector differences (e.g., corporate, professional services, services, government and charity) and the international nature of coaching (e.g., regions and countries).

Hypothesized Results
• Map of the coaching territory in relation to professional arrangements, supply of and demand for coaching. • Identification of trends in the coaching market and what may be anticipated or prepared for.

Potential Implications
Many implications for experienced coaches and those entering the coaching market as well as those looking to purchase coaching services. Will also support the ability to target development internationally and support countries or sectors that have yet to take up coaching activities.

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