Coaching Services: A Look at Coaches, Clients, and Practices

Liljenstrand, Nebeker, 2008

Short summary: Although, of course, somewhat outdated (ed: since 2008 the service provision around coaching may have changed a lot), the study nevertheless provides a number of interesting insights into various aspects of coaches’ professional practice’. A digital questionnaire was conducted among 2231 coaches. The coaches were questioned on a large number (42) topics (120 items). One of the questions the researchers asked themselves was whether an academic background of the coaches would lead to a different professional practice.
See the study for a complete overview of the results.
In terms of the ‘academic background’, the researchers did indeed find differences with other groups of coaches. Academically trained coaches (mostly psychologists) worked more than other coaches in ‘corporate settings’, presented themselves as Executive Coach, Consultant or comparable. They were less interested in specific certifications for coaching, possibly because they perceived coaching more as an ‘extension’ of their normal activities. This group also experienced more competition in the ‘sector’ in which they worked.

Link: https://bit.ly/3s1Jm5o

Published in: Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice and Research Vol. 60 No. 1 2008

Research type: Quantitative

Number of participants: 2231

Control group: No

Keywords: Coaching practices, Coaching markets

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