Applied Coaching Research Journal Volume 1 | Page 39

APPLIED COACHING RESEARCH JOURNAL 2018, Vol. 1
Given that there are over three million
coaches in the UK, and six million people have
coached within the last five years 2 , these are
considerable benefits that are being missed.
This article suggests that more should be done
to promote the health benefits of being a coach
– an approach that could, in turn, improve both
the recruitment and retention of coaches.
Theories of motivation
One of the more systematic approaches to volunteer
motivations was undertaken by Ram Cnaan and
Robin Goldberg-Glen in the early 1990s. Their
review of different volunteer motivation studies
identified 28 significant motivations.
After empirically testing these motivations they
concluded that volunteers act on a number of
motives rather than one. In effect, coaches are both
altruistic and egotistic; they not only give but they
also get back some type of reward or satisfaction.
Within coaching, motivation research has tended
to follow similar lines with research about intrinsic
and extrinsic motivations most common. Again, the
results show coaches are generally motivated by a
mix of both; they appreciate the values inherent in
the act of coaching but also the benefits of taking
part in that act.
However, more focus tends to be given to
intrinsic values when considering coach
motivation. This probably reflects the larger
body of knowledge around motivational climate
for participants and positive development
cultures that promote intrinsic values (player
development) over extrinsic values (results).
The six functions are a mix of altruistic and egotistic
benefits that explain why people volunteer. These
are:
• Protective motives – a way of protecting the ego
from the difficulties of life
• Values – a way to express one’s altruistic and
humanitarian values
• Career – a way to improve career prospects
• Social – a way to develop and strengthen social
ties
• Understanding – a way to gain knowledge, skills
and abilities
• Enhancement – a way to help the ego grow and
develop.
To test their theories, Clary and colleagues created
six different volunteer recruitment advertisements
to match the six functions within the inventory.
They found that the most effective messages to
encourage volunteering were those that matched an
individual’s own motivation function.
Similarly, they examined the effects of matching
functions sought by volunteers with actual benefits
received. This found that when functions and
benefits match then volunteers were more satisfied
and more likely to continue volunteering.
Importantly, the research showed that not everyone
experiences these benefits in the same way.
The six functions play different roles depending
on the person, the volunteer’s activity and the
volunteer’s level of experience. They also found that
a volunteer may be motivated by different reasons
simultaneously, and these motivations may change
over time.
The impact that someone’s motivation has on
recruitment and retention was tested by American
psychologists Gil Clary and colleagues with their
Volunteer Function Inventory. This model assumes
that individuals are motivated to volunteer
when six psychological and social functions are
anticipated or satisfied through volunteering.
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