Applied Coaching Research Journal Research Journal 3 | Page 16

APPLIED COACHING RESEARCH JOURNAL 2019, Vol. 3
Conference Reflections
Beth Thompson
Head of Insight and Learning, UK Coaching
Almost immediately after our first research
conference at the Manchester Museum of Science
and Industry in February 2018, we embarked
on planning our second event. The Manchester
conference was a sell-out, and with 100% of
delegates rating it good or excellent, we knew it
would be difficult to beat.
It was a long 12 months in planning. We visited
hotels, sporting venues and university campuses,
trying to find an optimal environment for learning;
and we reviewed many research proposals from
academics and coaching practitioners, trying to find
inspiring speakers with engaging content. Our vision
for the conference, as for this journal, was to ensure
the practical application of research into coaching,
so trying to find the right balance between theory
and practice was key.
It was important for us to create an event that
not only provided people with access to coaching
research material, but that the event itself
provided a great learning opportunity. We aligned
the conference to our new strategic approach to
coach learning and development, Transforming
Learning, Transforming Lives, connecting individual
experiences, communities, people, content and
organisations. We listened to feedback from 2018
and we planned the content and the schedule of the
day around delegate needs. We included traditional
keynote presentations, theory-based sessions,
and active and practical workshops. We provided
longer breaks and more time for building social
connections, with some unstructured free-time for
networking.
16