What is thought to be Europe’s largest and most ambitious coaching research project is underway, exploring attitudes to coaching and mentoring across the continent.
The project, at Centre for Coaching & Behavioural Change, Henley Business School, UK, is led by Professor Jonathan Passmore, with support from EMCC, along with AC, ICF Global, APECS and ILM, plus nearly 100 coaching and management organisations in Europe.
While other research projects, such as the ICF 2015 survey, have looked at coaching practice on an international scale, these previous studies have tended to be focused on members of professional bodies and delivered in a limited range of national languages.
The project is focused on 51 European countries, from Finland to Turkey and Iceland to Russia, and includes many previously smaller countries, from Moldova to Liechtenstein and Kosova.
The research team consists of practitioners and academics, who are working with their national professional bodies to help promote the research.
According to Prof. Passmore, what’s most distinctive about this research is the commitment to work in local languages and to recognise national differences.
As a result, the survey is being translated into more than 20 European languages and is likely to reach more than 10,000 people involved in coaching delivery, coach training and coaching management.
The survey aims to explore core coaching practices, from contracting to supervision, ethics to decision-making and training to coach behaviours.
A separate survey stream will explore mentoring practices, while a third and fourth stream will examine coach commissioning managers and mentor coordinator practices across Europe.
Small-scale studies will also look at driver coaching and safety coaching practices, areas which have grown significantly in the past five years.
The survey was launched on 1 March at Henley Business School. Coaches, managers and mentors can access the survey at: http://bit.ly/2lpJZDA
By taking part, participants have the opportunity for their voice to be heard in this European conversation, as well as the chance to win an Apple iPad and other prizes in a Prize draw.