The Coaching Case
Advancing the
Conversation:
A Q&A with
Leslie Hamilton
Leslie Hamilton,
M.Ed., MBA
20
Coaching World
Leslie works with senior
leaders and their
organizations to create
satisfaction and success
using executive, group, team
and feedforward coaching.
She combines her formal
training, life experience,
continuous learning (often
gained from the ICF Coaching
Science Community of
Practice) and unconventional
perspective to engage clients
in lighthearted, deeply
meaningful conversations
that lead to personal
transformation. Her mission
is to support others to honor
their past, rejoice in the
moment, create their future
and take pride in their legacy.
As a U.S. expatriate living in
New Zealand, she is grateful
for her lifestyle as a coach in
Middle Earth.
As the co-leader of ICF’s Coaching
Science Community of Practice
(CP), with Kent Mayo Blumberg,
PCC (USA), Leslie Hamilton, M.Ed.,
MBA (New Zealand), has a frontrow seat to current conversations
on coaching science and research.
She sat down with Coaching World
to discuss the ongoing evolution of
the science of coaching and share
her vision for its future as ICF
Global celebrates 20 years.
CW: You began coaching 22 years ago.
How have you seen the science
of coaching and practitioners’
understanding of it evolve in the
last two decades?
LH: When I first started, and throughout
my coach-specific training in
the early 1990s, we only talked
about the psychological principles
coaching was based upon. There
wasn’t coaching-specific research.
When coaching research did take
hold, its primary focus seemed
to be on defining and defending
the profession. We’ve moved
beyond that. Today’s research
explores meatier topics, and
it’s no longer emanating solely
from a few academic institutions.
Coach-training schools, individual
practitioners, coaching companies
and professional organizations are
all conducting and disseminating
research on coaching.
In my role as co-leader of ICF’s
Coaching Science CP, I’ve also seen
more practitioners show an interest
in learning about and conducting
research on the science of coaching.
It’s no longer the sole province of
students and scholars.
CW: As co-leader of the Coaching
Science CP, you have a front-row
seat to current conversations
around the science of coaching.
What topics are on the minds of
Coaching Science CP members?
LH: Our members always want to
discuss topics deemed to be
cutting-edge, such as neuroscience,
mindfulness and the meeting of
traditional and alternative strategies.
We also explore leadership
and organizational issues that
are frequent topics in coaching
conversations, such as leadership
success and specific competencies
(e.g., emotional intelligence).
Measurement and methods are
also popular subject areas for
exploration. Regardless of the
specific topic we’re discussing, the
goal is always the same: to inform
practical application of coaching
research to enhance our practice
and support new ways of coaching.
CW: How can individual
practitioners advance their own
understanding of the science of
coaching? How can they advance
the science of coaching as it
relates to our industry?
LH: The first step practitioners can take is
to familiarize themselves with current
coaching research and engage in
discussions of it via the Coaching
Science CP and at ICF Chapter
meetings and events. It’s important
for coaches to be discerning as they
explore what’s out there: Not all
research is equal.
I also encourage coaches to learn
more about research methodology
so they can do research within
their own coaching practice and
partner with client organizations to
research processes and outcomes.