Technology developed for the coaching market needs to support, rather than drive, the coaching agenda while at the same time, coaches need to better understand technology and new types of data, according to participants in a multiple stakeholder debate on disruptive technology.
Coaching think-tank, the Future of Coaching Collaboration (FCC), held its first roundtable on disruptive technology on 11 December, exploring how technology can both support and challenge coaches and coaching practices.
Participants at the event hosted by KPMG in London included providers of technology developed for the coaching market, executive coaches, and organisational coaching buyers, sponsors and internal coaching providers, including from Vodafone, KPMG and LinkedIn.
“We met in the spirit of recognising that all of these stakeholders share an interest in access to practical guidance on what to consider when introducing tech into coaching and potentially replacing some coaching with technology,” said FCC core member, Carol Braddick, one of the representatives of executive coaching.
Participants explored what human coaching could offer that tech is less able to, and what tech offers that human coaches are less able to.
The roundtable also set out to begin to identify possibilities for collaborations among technology providers, buyers of coaching
services and coaches.
The tech startups and providers represented were Saberr, Pro Real, Winning Minds, People Squared Solutions and Daden. Those representing an independent coach perspective included Ingrid Pope, FCC directors Joy Harcup and Sally Bonneywell (formerly of GSK).
The roundtable, facilitated by AI educator and OD consultant Anton Fishman, was also attended by co-founder of the FCC, Coaching at Work editor Liz Hall.
Potential next steps identified by the roundtable included the co-creation with tech providers of an ethical code/set of guidance around what to think about when introducing tech to coaching contexts and purposes, and providing guidance on what to look for and how to make choices on tech for coaches and coaching sponsors.
Within the multi-stakeholder FCC, there are a number of working groups looking at different issues, including one on disruptive tech. The latter working group aims to facilitate conversations that enable tech providers to partner with organisational buyers and coaches – buyers to evaluate tech options, and coaches to decide how they might include some use of tech in their practice.
It’s calling on members of the coaching community, including Coaching at Work readers (coaches and buyers), to get involved, along with tech communities, to jointly develop practical guidance and resources for adopting tech in coaching (see box).
- Contact jessicarobinson@futureofcoaching.org
saying how you’d like to contribute and shape how we make our way in a market full of new options.
Get involved
The FCC Disruptive Tech workstream is looking for interest and availability to contribute in these ways:
- Pilots and ongoing use What tech are you testing or have you adopted for what types of coaching and clients? What can you share about your experience thus far?
- Guidance What can you contribute (for example, scoping, drafting, reviewing, testing) to the development of practical content such as a checklist for tech pilots or employee/user communications materials?