By Liz Hall
Responding to current challenges, such as the economy and demonstrating ROI/value for money (VFM), are top of the agenda for 2012, according to this year’s Coaching at Work annual readers’ survey.
Some 49.2 per cent of respondents cited responding to challenges including the economy as the most or second-most important priority, including coaching clients to cope with uncertainty, and making sure coaching is fit for purpose (13.2 per cent).
Meanwhile, 27.7 per cent of you say evaluation/demonstrating ROI/ VFM is the number one/two priority. It’s the third year running this has been high on the agenda; last year it was top priority, the year before it was at number two.
The emphasis is unsurprising given the current backdrop, with some economists predicting a double-dip recession in the UK. Some of you fear rising pressure to stay relevant.
“Generally, I think coaching is going to enter a tough period next year, where the need for coaches to distinguish themselves from the competition will be greater than ever,” said Julie Starr, director of Starr Consulting.
Andrew Armatas, coaching psychologist and trainer in Greece, said: “These times present an opportunity to separate the wheat from the chaff and to focus on demonstrating both scientific and practical value so that coaching will be considered an investment.”
More than 50 per cent of you think coaching is changing – 68.4 per cent agree it is becoming more aligned with business needs, 49.1 per cent that it is becoming more integrated into other initiatives, 24.6 per cent that we are seeing more brief coaching and 17.5 per cent that it is moving more towards consultancy.
Standards/professionalism/accreditation were top or second priority for 19.2 per cent of you.
“The top priority this year will be professional standards and ethics – how to ensure that we keep raising the bar and how we communicate the value of professional coaching standards to buyers of coaching,” said Deborah Price, president of the UK International Coach Federation.
l See pages 12-15 for more results. The Coaching at Work Coaching Person and Mentoring Person of the Year Award results will be announced in the next issue. The survey is now closed, but you can still nominate people by emailing liz@coaching-at-work.com
Top of the agenda for 2012
Coaching’s priorities (%)
- Responding to economic challenges: 1st/2nd priority – 49.2
- Evaluation/ROI/value for money: 1st/2nd – 27.7
- Standards/professionalism/accreditation: 1st/2nd – 19.2
- Team coaching: 1st/2nd – 13.2
- Health/wellbeing coaching: 1st/2nd – 10.8
- Supervision: 1st/2nd – 9.6
- Widening its reach: 1st/2nd – 7
- Focusing on line managers and leaders: 1st – 4.8
- Careers coaching: 1st – 3.6
- More collaboration between professional bodies – 3.6, and more creative thinking: 2nd – 3.6
Mentoring’s priorities (%)
- Talent management 1st/2nd – 18.9
- Responding to economic climate – 15.5
- Working with youths – 6.8
Coaching at Work, Volume 7, Issue 1