Our annual Coaching at Work Awards took place virtually on 26 November. The event celebrated the many contributions to coaching in these extraordinary times.
Liz Hall reports
The Coaching at Work Editor’s Awards 2020 recognised high quality articles, and contributions to both leadership coaching and to climate coaching (a new award category). Here we highlight who won what and why, and what the editor Liz Hall, and the award recipients had to say about their awards.
The winners of Coaching at Work Editor’s 2020 Awards are Richard E Boyatzis, David B Peterson, Erik de Haan and Joanna Molyn, Emma Donaldson-Feilder, Catherine Wade, Neil Scotton, and the Climate Coaching Alliance and its co-founders, Eve Turner, Josie McLean and Alison Whybrow.
Lifetime Achievement Awards
The winners
For Contributions to Leadership Coaching
- Richard E Boyatzis
- David B Peterson
Richard E Boyatzis
Richard Boyatzis is a distinguished university professor at Case Western Reserve University, and a professor in the departments of organizational behavior, psychology, and cognitive science.
As Prof. Boyatzis has shared in numerous influential articles and books, including in his international bestseller, Primal Leadership (with Daniel Goleman and Annie McKee) and 2005’s Resonant Leadership: Renewing Yourself and Connecting with Others Through Mindfulness, Hope, and Compassion, also with McKee, his research highlights the importance in coaching of establishing a deep emotional connection with clients called resonance, creating and nurturing these resonant relationships through mindfulness, hope, compassion, and playfulness.
Using his Intentional Change Theory, he’s been researching helping and coaching since 1967, and his latest book, Helping People Change: Coaching with Compassion or Lifelong Learning and Growth, with Melvin Smith and Ellen Van Oosten, shares the results of his research in this field. In leadership coaching, the combined effect of vision-based coaching and resonant relationships with the client results in dramatically more effective coaching experiences.
His work also highlights the importance of renewal experiences, of techniques to reverse the effects of stress and revive ourselves, neurologically, hormonally and emotionally. These renewal experiences help us become more cognitive, perceptually and emotionally open, innovate and learn, and motivate others to learn, develop and innovate, which is the ultimate purpose of coaching, says Boyatzis.
Presenting the award, Coaching at Work Editor, Liz Hall, said, “Richard Boyatzis’ many pioneering contributions to leadership coaching have included decades of research into emotional intelligence and what makes for effective coaching, including, unusually for coaching research, dozens of longitudinal studies as well as hormonal and neuro-imaging studies. … He’s been researching helping and coaching since 1967… . His books are highly influential in the field of leadership, leadership coaching and beyond. A very well-deserved award!”
Accepting the award, Prof. Boyatzis said, “There’s no greater honour in life than to be recognised by one’s peers. I started my work when working as a research and aerospace scientist, and I couldn’t understand how poorly the managers helped people. So my first empirical research in 1967 was on helping people in 1966-7. Most of us are well-intended and we want to help others but unfortunately most of the time we go about it in a way which most of the time means our desire to help overwhelms the setting. And that’s really been at the heart of the research I’ve done and with my colleagues Melvin Smith, Ellen van Oosten and legions of others. The research around coaching with compassion feels like a much better way to move ahead, and for a worldwide society that has rampant narcissism this is possibly the one way we can step outside of ourselves and reach out and care for others.”
David B Peterson
David Peterson is an executive coach, and has been a thought leader in executive development for more than 25 years.
He left Google in September 2020, having led its executive coaching & leadership team for 10 years, building one of the world’s most innovative, high-impact coaching programmes. While at Google, he coached more than 400 senior leaders, including half of the company’s vice presidents and senior vice presidents, and provided on-boarding coaching to all newly hired vice presidents. He led the agile organisation design team to help prepare Google to address emergent and disruptive leadership challenges, and designed and facilitated highly rated workshops on organisational design, coaching skills, scaling your leadership and decision-making in complexity.
Before joining Google, he served as senior vice president of worldwide executive coaching services at PDI Ninth House (now part of Korn Ferry), where he coached senior executives at Microsoft, Salesforce, Intel, Hewlett-Packard, Sonos, SanDisk, American Express, Walmart, Target, Shell, Chevron, Mayo Clinic, Stanford University, Harvard University and Genentech, as well as Silicon Valley tech startups. He provided consultation and thought leadership to dozens of leading organisations on how to design and manage organisational coaching programmes, how to develop high potential leaders and critical talent, and how to accelerate learning and leadership development at all levels.
Most recently, he’s co-founded 7 Paths Forward, helping seasoned executive coaches raise their game and prepare for the rapidly evolving leadership landscape by developing new mindsets and advanced coaching capabilities. He’s published dozens of articles and chapters on coaching, is co-author of Development First: Strategies for Self-Development and Leader as Coach, with more than a million copies in print, and co-editor of the Handbook of the Psychology of Coaching and Mentoring.
He’s a co-founder of the Institute for Contemporary Leadership, focused on accelerating the development of high potential leaders and equipping them to deal with disruption, complexity, and transformational change.
Presenting the award, Liz Hall said, “David Peterson is what we might call a mover and shaker, a thought leader and influencer, influencing the emergence of executive coaching in the early days, and continuing to shape the field today. As Vikki G Brock says in her book on the history of coaching [Sourcebook of Coaching History, 2012], “he’s on the cutting edge of the profession, doing and saying surprising and thought-provoking things.”
David B Peterson, accepting his award, said: “An award from my peers has such meaning. Today is Thanksgiving in the US and I have been reflecting on what I have gratitude for, especially in these times of disruption and stress. Thank you. And thank you to my wife, she makes my life better, she makes me better and is responsible for so much goodness in my life. And as I was reflecting, I realised I am particularly grateful to friends and colleagues, especially those who are artists, who are in the creative profession, people who are pushing the boundaries and innovating.”
He cited one in particular, a friend from college, an art professor: “He really impacted my thinking and my willingness to explore unknown territory.
He shared two quotes, one from André Gidé, who says, “One does not discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the shore for a very long time”.
“And that drove me to a point of saying, there are researchers and searchers. I am a searcher, searching for those new lands, searching for the meaning behind the meaning.”
He also cited a quote by Oliver Wendell-Holmes: “I wouldn’t give a fig for the simplicity this side of complexity but I would give my life for the simplicity the other side of complexity.”
There are so many people running around trying to make sense of this side of complexity, but you have to go and grapple with it, and you come out the other side better so that is what I’ve been doing, stepping into unknown territory, looking for the underlying dynamics, looking for the truth behind the half-truth. And finally, I want to thank my clients. They have taught me so much. They have challenged me, they have enriched my life, and I love watching the impact they’re having on the world as they go out and continue to lead and to grow and make things happen. What are you grateful for? How will you test your assumptions and explore new territory, discovering better lands?”
Best (co-authored) article
The winners
Erik de Haan and Joanna Molyn
(joint award)
- ‘Active Ingredients’ (Vol 15, Issue 1). Read the winning article: https://www.coaching-at-work.com/2020/01/04/active-ingredients/
This article, by Erik de Haan, director of Ashridge Centre for Coaching at Hult International Business School, and Joanna Molyn, senior lecturer, business faculty, University of Greenwich, proposes that potential active ingredients in coaching are more general than previously suggested: something to do with optimism and stamina on the client’s side, including positive feelings about techniques and the relationship.
The authors highlight, for example, the importance of resilience in the client as a driver of outcome – statistically, tough top leaders are expected to do well in coaching, as well as the beneficial effect of coaching on ‘personality derailers’ in leadership, the kind of personality overdrives that get leaders into trouble with their staff and their mission. The article concludes that executive coaching seems highly relevant at top levels of organisational leadership.
Presenting the award, Liz Hall said, “Erik de Haan is a leading voice in the coaching profession, provoking us with his thought leadership and rigorous research to radically challenge our understanding of the impact of the coaching relationship and the role of the client on coaching effectiveness. This article, with Joanna Molyn, draws conclusions from two large-scale randomised controlled trials on the active ingredients in coaching effectiveness. It’s well-written, thought-provoking, challenging and pioneering.”
De Haan, accepting his joint award, thanked the 115 Ashridge-accredited coaches who had contributed to the research. “It’s been a very exciting piece of research, which I enjoyed doing, and writing up.”
Molyn said, “I feel very honoured and grateful, and happy this research into coaching effectiveness has been acknowledged. It was, indeed, a very fascinating innovative project.”
Highly commended
Emma Donaldson-Feilder
Relational mindfulness series (Vol 15, Issue 2, 3 and 4)
Read the highly commended series here:
- https://www.coaching-at-work.com/2020/02/29/mindfulness-a-magical-shift/
- https://www.coaching-at-work.com/2020/05/05/relational-mindfulness-part-2-an-anchored-connection/
- https://www.coaching-at-work.com/2020/06/29/developing-leadership/
Dr Emma Donaldson-Feilder is a coaching psychologist, relational mindfulness teacher, coach supervisor and occupational psychologist. In her three-part series on relational mindfulness – a set of practices taking mindfulness into the interpersonal sphere – first she explores the reason for the enthusiasm and describes the concept, then what it means for coaches, mentors and coaching supervisors, and finally, what it means for leadership development.
Presenting the award, Liz Hall said, “I can personally attest to the fact that Emma Donaldson-Feilder really walks the talk when it comes to mindfulness and compassion, including intentionally bringing the practice of mindfulness into the arena of relationships. Pragmatic, clear, and thought-provoking, her series brings to life the concepts, key principles and applications of the pioneering work of relational mindfulness in coaching and leadership.”
Donaldson-Feilder, accepting the award, said, “I’m so delighted and honoured to be accepting this award. I really enjoyed writing these articles and was very grateful to be given that opportunity…relational mindfulness has got so much to offer to us as coaches, supervisors, mentors and us personally as fellow human beings. It’s really helped me grow professionally and personally. So I’m just hoping the articles spark some interest in the field and that others can learn to be present in relationship, bring that compassion and wisdom.”
Highly commended
Catherine Wade
Spot the difference (vol 15, Issue 6)
Read the article here:
Catherine Wade is an HR interim and coach at ClearZone Consulting.
This year has been pivotal for many of us in so many ways, including shining a spotlight on the issue of unconscious bias. Media coverage after the death of George Floyd in the US, Black Lives Matter demonstrations, and the unease around race in the US and beyond, have prompted more of us, as Wade says, to reflect on our own unconscious bias, attitudes and behaviours when discussing issues around race, diversity and inclusion, for example.
Seeing a lack of research around the coaching profession and the level of self-awareness coaches have around their own unconscious bias and the impact this has on their coaching practice, Wade undertook her own research, which she shares in her article.
Presenting the award, Liz Hall said, “Faced with a scarcity of research on unconscious bias in coaching, Catherine Wade’s research and article on unconscious bias is timely, provocative and practical, challenging us to think about how we can adapt our coaching practice.”
Wade, accepting her award, said: “I’m so excited to receive this award. The research and the article are asking people to think more broadly about how they’re approaching coaching sessions with their clients and what considerations they’re bringing and what assumptions they’re making…I thought I was pretty self-aware but in doing the research, I realised as coaches we’ve still got a lot to learn.”
She thanked her tutors at Henley Business School, having done the research as part of her Masters in Coaching & Behavioural Change.
Contributions to Climate Coaching
The winners
Neil Scotton
Neil Scotton is co-founder of the One Leadership Project with Dr Alister Scott, co-author with Scott of The Little Book of Making Big Change Happen (Troubador, 2017), a former columnist for Coaching at Work, writing in the ‘Three Minutes to Midnight’ column about responding to the climate emergency and other systemic issues. He’s a former UK ICF president, and the developer of Neil’s Wheel (see Toolbox, pages 50-51).
Liz Hall said, “[This award acknowledges] just how much Neil Scotton has been doing for years, both behind and front of scene in climate coaching [and beyond]. [During his eight years of writing his Coaching at Work column, sometimes with colleague Alister Scott], his was often a lone voice amidst the baffled cries from most coaches of, ‘but what about sticking solely to the coachee’s agenda?’
He’s been patient with us as we caught up, and has always sought to collaborate, to give space to many voices from different quarters, but not to let us off the hook, at the same time….He’s been a leading, driving force for collaboration of coaches working for social change…Recently he’s developed a simple yet powerful tool for systemic change, Neil’s Wheel. And he’s a wonderful human being.”
Scotton, accepting his award, said, “I want to thank everyone here for making this such an amazing profession, that does so much good in the world, and is not afraid to challenge itself as part of that moving forwards.”
He also thanked the late David Gray, who received a posthumous Lifetime Achievement award in 2019: “without him, I wouldn’t be here.”
“It’s lovely, that sense of collaboration that’s coming along…. and while [the award says] climate coaching, I think the big thing for me is that climate, social, racial equity are all so combined, the same essence. And
Josie McLean has that beautiful phrase, moving from exploitation to nurture.”
The winners
The Climate Coaching Alliance (CCA)
and co-founders: Eve Turner, Josie McLean, Alison Whybrow
Eve Turner, Alison Whybrow and Josie McLean co-founded the CCA in November 2019. The CCA now has over 600 members around the world, and has inspired systemic shifts in the coaching profession and individual practice. The CCA has made happen two 24-hour marathon international conversations about climate change, among other initiatives.
Dr Josie McLean is visiting research fellow at the Yunus Social Business Centre at the University of Adelaide, principal consultant and founder of the Partnership, and the author of Big Little Shifts (Partnership Pty Ltd, 2020). She was president of ICF Australasia in 2003. McLean has long taken a systemic lens to the world, and much of her work is informed by the concept of living systems. She feels passionate about taking action in the face of the existential crisis we face.
Eve Turner is a highly accomplished coach, mentor, supervisor and facilitator, working with clients in the public, private, education and not-for-profit sectors. Eve is a leading contributor to industry research, is active within the various UK coaching bodies and has volunteered for coaching and supervision charity projects like CoachActivism, which supports refugee workers, and EthicalCoach, which is bringing world-class coaching to nonprofit organisations in Africa. She is chair of the Association for Professional Executive Coaching and Supervision, and founder and lead of the Global Supervisors’ Network. She describes herself as passionate about how we’ll leave the world for future generations. Her recent co-authored book, with Peter Hawkins, Systemic Coaching: Delivering Value Beyond the Individual (Routledge, 2019), considers Earth as a stakeholder.
Alison Whybrow is a highly experienced facilitator, coach and consultant. As a chartered psychologist, registered occupational psychologist and coaching psychologist, she’s spent 20 years focusing on building individual and organisational capability. With Professor Stephen Palmer, she co-edited the Handbook in Coaching Psychology: A Guide for Practitioners (Routledge, 2007). She has been on a quest to discover what might be possible as long as she can remember.
Liz Hall said, “This award can be seen as a birthday present to the CCA, which celebrates its birthday this month (November 2020). Typically, when I singled out its three co-founders, they said they didn’t feel right accepting the award themselves so it’s for all at the CCA. But here are some words which describe this dynamite trio of three wise women: compassion, passion, integrity, generosity, collaboration, community, determination, community, wisdom and vision.”
Eve Turner, co-founder of the CCA, said: “I’d like accept this on behalf of all at the CCA, including Gosia Henderson [who organised the second 24-hour climate coaching marathon] and those who support the CCA, including the professional bodies, and Coaching at Work.”
To mark the award, she shared a video accompanying a reading of Hieroglyphic Stairway, a poem by poet and activist, Drew Dellinger: https://bit.ly/3qXmxzg
- You can view the awards video here: http://bit.ly/2LRZvd4