Coaching

Coaching psychology is closely affiliated with positive psychology (a movement which started in the late 1990s and early 2000s) and was popularised and championed by psychologist, Martin Seligman. Central to coaching is the aim to facilitate goal attainment, increase wellbeing, and focus on strengths to illicit widespread positive change. The Association for Coaching have defined coaching as “… a collaborative, solution-focused, results-orientated and systematic process in which the Coach facilitates the enhancement of work performance, life experience, self-directed learning and personal growth of the Coachee.” 

• For more information, please access our Coaching Factsheet by clicking here. 

• To download a poster advertising our Coaching offer, which you can display in your establishment, click here.

Coaching psychology, particularly in education, is still a young area of interest and research. With that said, findings have shown that there are numerous benefits linked to coaching practice. These benefits are listed below:

• Self-reported increased practitioner confidence and wellbeing

• Third-party sponsor reports of increased practitioner confidence of the Coachee (e.g. reports based on Head Teacher observations)

• Increased collaboration at whole-school level

• Improved leadership and management performance

• Reduced stress level

• Increased resilience and goal attainment

You should know that there are multiple factors that influence the success of coaching. While the EP you work with will employ specific psychological models and techniques to facilitate your coaching session(s), this only accounts for a small percentage (15%) of the variance responsible for positive outcomes. Murphy and Duncan (2007) suggest that 40% lies with the coachee and what they bring to the interaction (e.g. has appropriate goals, prepared for coaching session). 30% lies in the perceived quality of the relationship the coach and coachee establish. The remaining 15% lies in placebo/expectancy effects. What is clear from these findings is that for coaching to be effective and work, agreement and alignment of goals between coach and coachee is paramount.