A community of practice or a working psychological group? Group dynamics in core and peripheral community participation

In this article, just accepted for publication in Management Learning, we describe the Silver Academy, a project involving over 100 unemployed and self-employed managers over the age of 50, who came together with the purpose of sharing knowledge and experience in starting up their own businesses. The starting point for the study was whether this group of demoralized managers who had recently experienced traumatic redundancies from highly paid and prestigious jobs could function as a community of practice  – whether, in other words, they could function as a community not only supporting each other emotionally but sharing knowledge, skills and networks in radically restarting their lives outside the corporate world. During the project we noted that the Academy successfully matched the notion of a community of practice, in that participants built mutual relationships, shared engagement in activities and came to regard themselves as a ‘forum’, ‘support network’ and a ‘community of interest’.  However, applying Bion’s (1961) theory of groups, our study challenges the homogenous and consensual notion of a community of practice, illustrating how, through unconscious group processes, some group members exhibited work-group mentality and the capacity for realistic hard work (and leadership), while others were caught in a basic-assumption mentality, prone to feelings of anxiety, guilt and depression, or in the words of one participant becoming  ‘a group of lost souls’.  As a longitudinal, three year study, in contrast to the more commonly undertaken cross-sectional studies, ours reveals many of the intricate dynamics, fissures, splits and conflicts in a community of practice that tend to go unreported.

We believe that our research has considerable value at a time of great dislocations in employment patterns, when automation and artificial intelligence will draw increasing numbers of people (including professionals and managers) to situations similar to those facing the members of the Silver Academy. Forming communities of practice aimed at sharing knowledge may be a first step towards discovering new meaningful work opportunities and restoring their careers. The success of such communities of practice, however, will depend on the extent to which they will manage to channel their energy and creativity to productive ends while managing collective and individual anxieties.

Transforming Farm Health and Safety: The Case for Business Coaching

A. Blackman, R. Franklin, A. Rossetto and D.E. Gray  (2015) ‘Transforming Farm Health and Safety: The Case for Business Coaching’. Journal of Health and Safety. 21(1): 35-46.

Abstract. In the U.S. and Australia, agriculture is consistently ranked as one of the most hazardous industries. The cost of injuries and deaths on Australian farms is significant, estimated to be between AU$0.5 billion and AU$1.2 billion per year. Death and injury in agriculture also place a significant financial and social burden on the family and friends of the injured, the community, and the health system. This article proposes that if farmers were to employ coaching in their businesses, they would benefit from advances in safety practices, resulting in associated improvements in overall farm productivity and a reduction in injury costs to the wider community. A coaching model is presented to demonstrate what an effective coaching process would need to include. An agenda for future research areas is also provided.

Keywords. Business coaching, Coaching, Extension, Farm/agricultural advisory services, Farm/agricultural coach, Farm/agricultural extension, Farm/agricultural innovation.

For a copy of the full articles, please go to:

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/David_Gray15/contributions

Coaching unemployed managers and professionals through the trauma of unemployment: Derailed or undaunted?’

This article, written by D.E. Gray, Y. Gabriel and H. Goregaokar has been accepted for publication by Management Learning.

Abstract: The economic crisis of 2008/9 has increased unemployment amongst managers, particularly older managers, a group empirically under-researched. This longitudinal study assesses the efficacy of executive coaching for a group of unemployed professionals who participated in an intensive coaching programme aimed at reintegrating them into the economy. Results suggest that the majority were positive about coaching, a process that helped them to reflect on and learn from their new circumstances. Findings also contradict other studies, indicating cautious, cool and even hostile responses to coaching. The study highlights the mental fragility of previously successful, now unemployed managers.  From a policy perspective, interventions should start earlier (before employees leave an organisation) and finish later. From a social science perspective, executive coaching represents a modest but sometimes effective initiative to help unemployed professionals to re-write their life stories to make sense of their experiences.

Keywords: Executive coaching, unemployment, executive outplacement, managers, longitudinal design, storytelling

 

Publication of new article: M.N.K.Saunder., D.E. Gray, and H. Goregaokar, (2014) ‘SME innovation and learning: the role of networks and crisis events.’ Journal of European Industrial Training.38(1/2) 136-149.

Abstract

Purpose: To contribute to the literature on innovation and entrepreneurial learning by exploring how SMEs learn and innovate, how they use of both formal and informal learning and in particular the role of networks and crisis events within their learning experience.

Design/methodology/approach: Mixed method study, comprising 13 focus groups, over 1000 questionnaire responses from SME mangers, 13 focus groups and 20 case studies derived from semi-structured interviews.

Findings: SMEs have a strong commitment to learning, and a shared vision.  Much of this learning is informal through network events, mentoring or coaching.  SMEs that are innovative are significantly more committed to learning than those which are less innovative, seeing employee learning as an investment.  Innovative SMEs are more likely to have a shared vision, be open-minded and to learn from crises, being able to reflect on their experiences. 

Implications for research: There is a need for further process driven qualitative research to understand the interrelationship between, particularly informal, learning, crisis events and SME innovation.

Implications for practice: SME owners need opportunities and time for reflection as a means of stimulating personal learning – particularly the opportunity to learn from crisis events.  Access to mentors (often outside the business) can be important here, as are informal networks. 

Originality/value: This is one of the first mixed method large scale studies to explore the relationship between SME innovation and learning, highlighting the importance of informal learning to innovation and the need for SME leaders to foster this learning as part of a shared organisational vision. 

Key words: SME, entrepreneur, learning, innovation, network, crisis event, mixed method.

Categorization: research paper.

Ridler Report 2013: Trends in the use of executive coaching

I was fortunate to attend a presentation last week (given by Clive Mann, Managing Director of Ridler & Co) on the latest edition of the Ridler Report.  For those who are unfamiliar with this study, this is the fifth report of its kind, analysing strategic trends in the use of executive coaching from the perspective of users (organisations).  For the latest version of the report, 145 organisations completed the questionnaire including Barclays, the BBC, Boeing, Deutsche Bank, News International and various NHS organisations. The report covers themes such as:

• What qualities do sponsors most value in coaches?
• Trends in the use of internal coaching
• Size of external coaching providers - bigger in not necessarily better
• Contracting arrangements for coaching assignments
• Situations in which executive coaching is used

The report also includes some in-depth case studies.  This is a unique study of its kind, and can be found at:

http://www.ridlerandco.com/ridler-report/?doing_wp_cron=1384781932.1695408821105957031250

Article in Coaching at Work, December 2012

I recently had an article published in the magazine Coaching at Work, looking at a new, growing phenomenon - Flash Mob coaching.  This seems to be 'taking coaching to the people', popularising the art of coaching.  Here is the article:

Flash mob - the future of coaching?[1] – David E Gray, University of Greenwich

A new phenomenon may be about to hit the world of coaching. We are more than familiar with delivering business coaching, executive coaching, life coaching, sports coaching or one of their many combinations or hybrids.  Now enter Flash Mob Coaching (FMC). The flash mob has been with us for a few years. First created in Manhattan in 2003, flash mobs are a group of people who congregate suddenly at a pre-arranged place to perform a brief and seemingly pointless act often connected with entertainment, satire or free expression. The event itself is usually organised via social media sites such as Facebook, or through viral emails (messages that, largely because of their popularity, get passed from one person to another). Flash Mob Coaching gets a group (mob) of coaches out onto a city street to engage people passing by to experience a free, ten minute coaching session. One of the UK's first Flash Mob Coaching events took place in September during the International Coach Federation's international conference. 

The brainchild and inspiration of Shivani Mair, 38 ICF attendees answered the call and turned up to the briefing session. Some were new to the UK and all were certainly new to FMC. Afterwards many talked about being out of their "comfort zone", whilst others commented on being at the "growing edge of coaching". Many felt the sense of danger and personal challenge - "It was an experiment for me".

Shivani briefed the coaches, setting out the aims of the event, one of which was to develop themselves as coaches and to have powerful conversations. Clearly some were petrified by the prospect! However, having pulled on their ICF teeshirts, off they set for Hammersmith Broadway.

Over the next hour and a half, 64 members of the public experienced a ten minute, one-to-one coaching conversation as they stood on a busy UK high street.  Of course, many more people than this we're approached, and all coaches experienced multiple rejections (which some coped with better than others).  But what comes strongly through the feedback from both coachees and coaches is the level of learning and inspiration that resulted for both parties. 

Evaluation through emails and video clips (a film crew were on hand to elicit immediate feedback) provided powerful stories and testimonies of impact.  As one coachee commented, "Just keep doing whatever it is you are doing 'cos you have no idea how deep what you are doing  is. It's amazing". Others talked about boosting confidence and gaining the inspiration to take action. For others, the coaching brought out something that they had been holding back for some time. The session provided insights and the opportunity to reflect.  Let's remind ourselves - these changes were achieved in ten minutes or less!

And what about the coaches? There was a strong air of realism in the responses.  One commented that "street coaching is not for me", while another reflected on how constant rejection drained her energy levels. But others found that people would tell them their deepest thoughts within 3 minutes! They learned to overcome their fear of approaching people. "Stop worrying and just do it". The session has inspired participants to commit to launching FMC in Belgium, Sweden, the USA, Germany and Ireland.

Coaches spend a lot of time marketing themselves, hoping clients will come to them.  Perhaps in FMC we have found the vehicle for taking coaching to the people.

 

 

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[1] This article appeared in Coaching at Work, December 2012.

 

Social media and research

For those interested in promoting your coaching and mentoring research, I would recommend the following web sites:
Www.academia.edu
Www.scholar.google.com
Www.researchgate.com
Www.mendelay.com

Academic articles

You can download many of my academic articles on coaching and other subjects at:
http://gre.academia.edu/DavidEGray

On the move

I have now moved from the University of Surrey to take up the post of Professor of Leadership and Organisational Behaviour at the University of Greenwich. My new email address is: d.e.gray@gre.ac.uk

Y. Gabriel, D.E. Gray, & H. Goregaokar (2013): 'Job loss and its aftermath among managers: wounded, fragmented and flexible'

I am pleased to announce that this article is to be published in early 2013 in Work, Employment and Society.

Abstract: 

Based on longitudinal fieldwork with unemployed managers and professionals in their 50s, the article examines the meaning of job loss to these people and charts their subsequent efforts to restore their lives. The article identifies core similarities in their experiences and discerns different narrative strategies through which they have tried to make sense of their dismissal and sustain their selfhood. For all, job loss was a considerable trauma leading to a fragmentation of identity; this was compounded by subsequent rejection and perceived discrimination. Few were able to resume their earlier careers; the majority had to adjust their expectations downwards and opt for either virtual deskilling in less well paid and less demanding jobs or for an assortment of part-time, casual and voluntary work. Best ‘adapted’ (and least fragmented) were those who were prepared to forsake hopes of a return to high-powered jobs and display flexibility, resourcefulness and opportunism in adapting to their reduced circumstance.

New article: International Journal of Selection and Assessment

I'm please to announce that an article entitled: A Five-Dimensional Model of Attributes:
Some precursors of executive coach selection is to be published in the above journal in December 2011. Here is a copy of the abstract:


The purpose of this study was to specify a set of attributes, identified as important precursors
to coach selection. Executive coaching has grown exponentially, but there have been few
studies as to the efficacy of coaching, including the factors that influence a manager’s choice
of coach.This study sought to identify these factors.The 45-item, online survey produced 267
useable responses. Results of the principal component analysis suggested a five-factor solution,
with women showing a statistically significant preference over men for coaches who have
the Ability to Develop Critical Thinking and Action, the Ability to Forge the Coaching Partnership ,and Coach Experience and Qualifications.The impact of coachee age was not significant in selecting executive coaches.The findings show a statistically significant relationship between coach attributes and the intention to continue with coaching. The implications of these
findings for the selection of coaches, and for the coaching profession are discussed.

Article: Professionalisation of coaching

I am pleased to announce that my latest article: 'Journeys towards the professionalisation of coaching: Dilemmas, dialogues and decisions along the global pathway' has just been accepted by the journal: Coaching: An International Journal of Theory, Research and Practice. The article should appear early in 2011.

Team Coaching and Action Learning

The Leadership Academy (http://www2.surrey.ac.uk/leadershipacademy/) held another successful event on 27th May, this on the theme of action learning. Designed and facilitated in collaboration with the International Foundation for Action Learning (http://www.ifal.org.uk/) the event explored definitions of action learning (the ‘classic’ Revans model compared with more flexible approaches) and included a number of experiential sessions.

One question which arose was: what is the difference between action learning and team coaching? Both, it would seem, are growing in popularity, but are they just different ways of describing the same thing? The answer which emerged from the event was probably not. In action learning, the role of the facilitator is to help the group give ‘space/air time’ to the person presenting their problem and to ensure that other members of the set ask open, insightful questions (not closed questions, or observations/opinions). The task of the set is focused on helping the presenter of the problem to gain insight into the problem and to formulate action. In team coaching, the facilitator’s role is that of coach. Here, the coaching conversation may be held with and between all members of the group, with the coach (rather than the set members) posing questions.

It is probable that both approaches offer powerful opportunities for learning. An interesting research question would be: does a combination of coaching and action learning work more effectively as a catalyst for learning than each intervention experienced separately?

Becoming a First-time Coach: some voices of aspirants, ‘newbies’ and ‘old hands’

This post describes the first stages in a new research study which will be completed by summer 2010.
Introduction
Like any expanding industry, coaching is drawing in new entrants from other occupations. In a survey, for example, the International Coach Federation (2007) found that 32 % of coaches had less than 2 years coaching experience. While many of these new entrants bring with them knowledge and experience from their original sectors (including human resource development, academia, teaching, counselling and the police, to name but a few), for most, the experience of becoming a coach is novel and brings with it the unique challenges of learning new skills, gaining confidence and building a new business. Coaching is also provided within organisations by internal human resource development (HRD) professionals, supervisors and managers, and by external HRD and management development consultants (Hamlin et al., 2008). Although on the payroll of an employer, even in these circumstances, novice coaches face the challenge of establishing their confidence, and credibility. In contrast to these new entrants are those for whom coaching has been a central part of their working lives and business for many years. So, and especially in current challenging business conditions, what kinds of help and advice can the more experienced coach offer to their first-time colleagues? Knowing what they know, is the coaching industry worth joining? If it is, what kinds of strategies should new coaches adopt in order to survive and flourish? What kinds of pitfalls are best avoided? What are the kinds of first steps that should be taken?

This article does not claim to offer a global, universal picture, or to give definitive answers on this issue, but attempts to illuminate some key themes that new entrants might like to consider. The inspiration for writing the article came from one of the authors attending the 2009 International Coach Federation (ICF) conference in Orlando, Florida. What was surprising about the conference was not just the number of coaches attending (of course), but the significant number of people who are currently in full-time employment (for example, in human resource development, information technology or consultancy) who see coaching as their next career move. They were attending the conference to learn more about the coaching industry, to discover new coaching approaches and techniques and to locate suitable training programmes and qualifications that they might wish to undertake. In a sense, this article is written for them, and for those who have recently made ‘the jump’ into the coaching profession.

First-timers: some lessons from other helping professions
In the ‘helping professions’ such as psychology, counselling and psychotherapy, the pathway from ‘aspirant professional’ to ‘professional in practice’ is, typically, accomplished by a number of stages and activities. These include: long periods of higher education and training, and a period of socialisation into professional values and skills development (in part delivered by supervision both in initial training and post-qualifying) (Webster, Hingley and Franey, 2000). According to Eraut (1994), however, the period in which novice professions have to develop their proficiency continues well after their qualification, with the first two or three years vital for acquiring personalised patterns of competent practice. It is at this point that novice professionals are most vulnerable and exposed. As Schon (1987, 1996) argues, a key is helping new practitioners to deal with real-world practice and how to problem-solve in situations of uncertainty, uniqueness and conflict. Hence, he recommends the development of the ‘reflective practicum’ (Schon, 1986: 16-17) in which new professionals learn to acquire skills in situations where there are no wrong or right answers (a situation not too dissimilar to coaching!). Indeed, he recommends that this process is coached by a more experienced practitioner. Within the practicum, the learner performs set tasks, with the role of the expert practitioner being to demonstrate skills, provide advice, question and criticize.

A study of the induction journey taken by 53 educational psychologists, found that their motivation for becoming a professional could be characterised by four clusters. First there were the pragmatists, those who wanted to use their new skills and knowledge to ‘make a difference’; then there were the ‘philanthropists’, those seeking to improve the lives of their clients; next came the ‘passionate psychologists’ who were fulfilling a strong (and emotional) career commitment to the profession – an overwhelming desire to do this kind of work; and finally, there were the ‘career psychologists’ with the role offering more status, autonomy and better working conditions (Webster, Hingley and Franey, 2000). Most were aware that professional training would have to continue well after the end of formal training, and that good quality supervision was essential. The research found that, for those in paid employment (as opposed to freelance consultancy) induction programmes that included shadowing senior colleagues (including opportunities to see demonstrations of professional techniques) and feedback from senior staff were all seen as vital. A review of critical incidents identified skills and knowledge gaps, interpersonal disagreements and ethical conflicts as areas of professional concern requiring further support.

As this description of induction into educational psychology shows, even where the profession is well established with formal training programmes, placements and arrangements for supervision, new entrants can still find the entry process daunting. So how much more difficult must this be for those wishing to enter the coaching profession? As Wilson (2007) points out, one of the advantages of becoming a coach is that it requires only a small financial outlay to start a business – essentially a business card, a telephone, a headset (if coaching is to be over the telephone) and the ability to create rapport. Some even start their own coaching business without having to give up their day job – gradually building up a set of clients before ‘taking the plunge’. Some also make the move into coaching by undertaking some training and then becoming an in-house coach (Wilson, 2007). However, while many of the professional coaching associations (such as the ICF and the European Coaching and Mentoring Council) offer training programmes or accredit training, none of these are compulsory, nor is membership of any association, or linking up with a supervisor. Hence, while many coaches undertake a professional training programme prior to entering the profession, or at least soon afterwards, many do not.

Then, there is the challenge of building a new (coaching) business. As Gray (in print) comments, many new or aspirant coaches lack both coaching experience and the ability to manage their own business. They face challenges such as identifying their own coaching niche or brand, designing and producing marketing material, networking and achieving referrals, finance and cash flow, and managing their time between coaching, marketing and other activities. Vilas (2005) advises that new coaches need to focus on building up their own networks of prospective clients, offer pro bono coaching at first if necessary and launch an e-newsletter. Intriguingly, she also suggests that coaches should also seek to improve the quality of their own lives – a personally content coach will be more effective in offering their services.

This research study, then, will seek to evaluate the hopes, fears and anxieties of coaches as they enter the industry, and the strategies they employ for survival and success. To provide a perspective on these findings, the study also seeks to explore the experiences of established coaches, to examine their journey to ‘sustainability’ to see what lessons can be learned.

References
Gray, D.E. (in print) ‘Towards the lifelong skills and business development of coaches: An
integrated model of supervision and mentoring’. Coaching: An International Journal of
Theory, Research and Practice.
Hamlin, R.G., Ellinger, A.D. and Beattie, R.S. (2008) ‘The emergent ‘coaching industry’: a wake-
up call for HRD professionals’. Human Resource Development International 11(3) 287-305.
Jabri, M. and Pounder, J. (2001) ‘The management of change: a narrative perspective on
management development’. Journal of Management Development 20(8) 682-690.
Schon, D. (1987) Educating the Reflective Practitioner. London: Jossey-Bass.
Schon, D. (1996) The Reflective Practitioner: How Professionals Think in Action. Hants: Arena.
Vilas, S. (2005) Becoming a Coach. Steamboat Springs, Colorado: Coach U Press.
Webster, A., Hingley, P. and Franey, J. (2000) ‘Professionalization and the Reduction of
Uncertainty: a study of new entrants to educational psychology’. Educational Psychology in
Practice, 16(4) 431-448.
Wilson, C. (2007) Best Practice in Performance Coaching. London: Kogan Page.

International Coaching Research Forum 2: Measure for Measure

I have just had the good fortune to attend this two-day London conference. There is really too much to report in just one blog post, so I'll start by focusing on one issue. More posts may follow.

Methodological and Measurement challenges in coaching research
How might you respond when you see a research article that claims that:'75% of coached respondents reported that thier relationships with others in their team had improved by 50%. At first sight this looks like a 'good result' for coaching, and adds further data to just how great coaching is. But does it?
Here are a number of questions we should ask before accepting this study at face value.
1 What was the quality of the inputs (e.g time, quality of the coaches)
2 What exactly was improved?
3 Did the respondents merely move from being 'Very ineffective' to just 'Ineffective'?
4 Who reported the changes - were these self -reports, with all the inherent biases of this approach.
One of the challenges faced by coaching researchers is defining what we actually mean by coaching - the precise nature of the intervetion. We also need proof that coaches actually do what they say they do or think they do. Furthermore, one of the most common research designs that we use, pre-post is inherently weak as a design; most of the measures that we use are not sensitive to detecting change. The impact of coaching may even work in a reverse direction (even though the intervention is effective!) For example, take a manager who is highly unreflective and rates herself quite highly on a trait; the effect of coaching might be to improve her reflection, with the result that she now rates herself lower on the trait because she has more self-understanding!
A better design than pre-post is the use of repeat measures both pre and post. Hence: AAABBB
In this design a series of repeat measures on the same person are taken (AAA); then repeat post measures are taken on this person (BBB). This allows for some stability of measurement.

Is coaching a profession?

The term ‘profession’ derives from the Latin word ‘profiteor’ meaning to profess. It implies, therefore, that a professional is someone who possesses knowledge (theoretical and practical) about a particular field. Professionalisation, is the process whereby a gainful activity moves from the status of ‘occupation’ to the status of ‘profession’ (Emener and Cottone, 1989). The literature offers three alternative models of professionalism. First, the Process Model explores the process through which an occupation becomes a profession (Ritzer, 1977). Professionalisation, then, is the sequence of stages of organisational change that must occur before an occupation can call itself a profession (Pickard, 2009; Wilensky, 1964). Second, the Structural-Functionalist Model which focuses on the characteristics that distinguish a profession from other occupations. These characteristics include: (a) a theoretical body of knowledge; (b) long specialised training for members to master the body of knowledge; (c) a service of altruism; (d) authority over clients; (e) professional autonomy; (f) community sanctions of professional norms are transgressed by a member; (g) the existence of a professional culture (Cullen, 1978; Ritzer, 1977). Third, the Power Model defines a profession in terms of its ability to obtain a set of rights and privileges from societal groups that might not otherwise be granted to them (Ritzer, 1977).

In a seminal paper, Goode (1960) outlines a range of features that an occupation acquires for it to become a profession, including:
• The profession determines its own standards of education and training
• Professional practice is often legally recognised by some form of license to practice
• Licensing and admission boards are manned by members of the profession
• Most legislation concerned with the profession is shaped by members of the profession themselves
• The practitioner is relatively free of lay evaluation and control
• The norms and practices enforced by the profession are more stringent than legal controls
• Members strongly identify with the profession and are affiliated to it
• Members see themselves as ‘tied’ to the profession and have no plans to leave it.

So, is coaching an occupation or profession? A glance at the web sites of some of the coaching associations suggests a claim for the latter. Certainly, there have been extensive moves over recent years, for example, to ensure that most of the associations have a written code of ethics that members are required to adhere to. There is also extensive education and training, including the creation of standards for coaching programmes.

Problems, however, remain. It would be difficult to argue that within coaching there is a'body of knowledge' that is widely accepted. Indeed, it could be argued that there are at least two strongly contested bodies of knowledge between psychological/therapeutic approaches to coaching and the more business focused approaches - to name but two.

At Surrey, we are currently completing the analysis of a major online survey (with 267 responses) that sought the views of managers (as beneficiaries of coaching) as to what they were looking for in a coach. Personal factors such as the coach's ability to listen, provide empathy and constructive support came out highly positively correlated with decisions to select a coach. However, criteria such as the possession of qualifications, including coaching qualifications, were negatively correlated with the decision to select a coach. So, far from coaching qualifications being seen as factor in choosing a coach, they tend to put people off! This finding is not good news for the coaching associations who see qualifications and credentialing as one of the cornerstones of the push towards professionalisation of the industry.

There is, however, an alternative perspective. Rather than placing the emphasis on formal qualifications, professionalisation could be nurtured through other forms of personal development. Mentoring by more experienced coaches would be just one possibility.
More details on the results of our survey will be provided in later reports on this site.

Do you have a view on whether coaching is, or should be a profession? If so, do post a comment.