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Knowing Why Coaching Works: It Matters
Janet M. Harvey,
MCC, ICF Global
Past President
With 30 years of experience
as both a corporate and
entrepreneurial business
executive, Janet is a leader,
business owner, coach,
mentor of coaches and trainer
of coaches at inviteCHANGE,
an ICF Accredited Coach
Training Provider.
16 Coaching World
The benefit of a scientific approach for coaching is that we
accelerate learning, adapt learning processes to diverse populations
of learners and expand the scope of impact possible across diverse
populations of clients. The ICF accreditation and credentialing
systems provide a framework for curriculum standards and
associated assessment approaches that invite coaches to demonstrate
their knowledge of coaching and practical grasp of coaching skills
and behaviors. High client satisfaction and the adoption of coaching
interventions by individuals and organizations of all sizes suggest
that what we are doing works. Yet, how do we know for sure without a
scientific discipline?
The point here is not to determine whether coaching works; we know that it does all
over the globe. Rather, it’s that a commitment to systematically understanding why
coaching works, which interventions are best suited to specific clients domains and
contexts, how to best support and accelerate coaches’ development (e.g., reflective
practice, mentor coaching and coaching supervision), and what hinders achieving
sustained, positive impact with clients is essential in order to improve education,
training and, ultimately, the health of the field over time.