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Fall 2008 will be remembered for many events including a low time for global financial markets and a high time for coaching research. In addition to my passion for coaching history, I also am passionate about living an active legacy. Coaching researchers are indeed living an active legacy as September and October 2008 saw three firsts in coaching research.
“Coaching: A New Horizon,” was held September 26-27 and was hosted by the Harvard Medical School and McLean Hospital with the focus on coaching theory, emerging evidence and practice. The first coaching conference at Harvard was well attended by 450 scientists, medical doctors, psychologists and coaches from across the globe, with 100 people on a waiting list.
Program directors Carol Kauffman, Margaret Moore and Christopher Palmer created an agenda that delivered an overview of the field of coaching, including executive, life, health, and wellness coaching from the perspective of theoretical perspectives and emerging research literature, in addition to observation and practice of coaching. Ruth Ann Harnisch was the recipient of the first “Vision of Excellence Award” for her professional, personal and philanthropic gifts to the coaching profession.
The International Coaching Research Forum (ICRF) was held September 28-29 at the Harvard Faculty Club in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Sponsored by the Foundation of Coaching, a project of the Harnisch Foundation, and The Coaching and Positive Psychology Initiative, Harvard Medical School and McLean Hospital, this event was chaired by Mary Wayne Bush, Director of the Research Division for The Foundation of Coaching, and Carol Kauffman, Director and Co-Founder, Coaching & Positive Psychology Initiative, Harvard Medical School, McLean Hospital.
Forty global coaching researchers and other professionals attended for the purpose of creating a coaching research agenda and identifying a minimum of 100 coaching research proposals that could be shared among researchers and coaching students globally. The Foundation of Coaching has both a coaching research mentor program and a grants program with an award fund of $100,000 to be awarded within that fiscal year.
I attended the ICRF and captured the conference in pictures, which you can view at: http://picasaweb.google.com/vikkigbrock/20080928Boston?authkey=jiptUTNcpqQ#
Notice how engaged the attendees are, the animation in their eyes and the talking with their hands. Though some of the researchers knew each other and most had heard of each other, what was discovered at this event was the commonalities they shared in research focus.
The conference started with three minute video taped statements from each attendee about what important research questions need to be addressed in order to advance the emerging profession of coaching. Sunny Stout Rostron from South Africa expertly facilitated the event with breakout assignments and exercises which resulted in completion of over 100 coaching research proposals. (Read these 100 proposals at http://www.coachingresearchforum.org/)
For those of you who looked at the pictures, you might be asking yourself ‚Äö√Ñ√∫What are the three pitchers?’ They were part of the experience ‚Äö√Ñ√¨ we drank a lot of water, were well-fed, and enjoyed stimulating conversation. Relationships were created that will continue and advance coaching research.
The Society of Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP) is holding its first Consortium on “Executive Coaching for Effective Performance: Leading Edge Practice and Research” (http://www.siop.org/lec/default.aspx) October 17-18, 2008 in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Topics to be covered during this event include psychology, effectiveness, ethics and practice of coaching in addition to coaching women leaders and an open space for networking.
From a historical perspective, these three milestone research events will be remembered as significant contributions to the field of coaching. Let us know if you agree…..
Vikki G. Brock, Ph.D.
Director of History and Archives
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