Michael Cavanagh & Stephen Palmer

We have another interesting and informative edition of the ICPR for you this issue. The first paper by Stewart, Palmer, Wilkin and Kerrin, builds on Baldwin and Ford’s (1988) model of transfer of training to develop a model of the factors that impact on transfer of successful coaching outcomes in the workplace. Using both qualitative and quantitative methods, Stewart and her colleagues have found evidence for a bidirectional and iterative model of coaching outcomes that include both work related and personal outcomes.

The second article, Yu, Collins, Cavanagh, White and Fairbrother, presents a coaching outcome study which shows evidence for enhancing core task performance, and importantly, for enhancing proactivity in the workplace. This is the first piece of research to provide empirical support for the claim that coaching is able to facilitate proactive workplace behaviours by coachees.

In a theoretical piece, Otto Laske outlines his developmental assessment tool, the Cognitive Developmental Framework. Building on the work of Piaget, Kegan, Freud and others, Laske has developed and assessment instrument for identifying coaching needs and guiding the coaching process from a developmental perspective. Though complex, this work is well worth a careful reading.

Klockner and Hicks take us back into the world of empirical research with their exploration of the relationship between personality and intervention seeking. They find that individuals seeking psychosocial interventions had elevated scores on features such as Openness to Experience, Extraversion, Adult Dispositional Hope, Personal Growth Initiative, and Goal Setting. This research significantly adds to the small body of work exploring the characteristics of coachees.

Cortvriend, Harris and Alexander present an interesting mixed-method empirical paper looking at the impact of coaching on the coachee’s performance using local government as the context. They also considered the impact of coaching on the client base of the local government executives - the public. They found that leadership skills increased between pre- and post-measurement, and that the executive surveyed believed that outcomes for the public had been enhanced as the result of the coaching. Also self report data only, this study provides some qualitative data to guide future research into the impacts of coaching beyond the coachee and the organisation.

We should also mention the vibrant array of activity going on the wider coaching psychology world. In Australia the third Biennial Symposium of the APS Interest Group in Coaching Psychology is scheduled for 22-23 August in Sydney. It looks like it will be a very stimulating and informative event, with the British Psychological Society Special Group in Coaching Psychology’s Chair, Dr Alison Whybrow, as guest speaker. Later this year the British Psychological Society Special Group in Coaching Psychology are holding the First European Coaching Psychology Conference (London, 17-18 December). This promises to be an exciting event with well known coaching psychologists from many European countries giving papers and facilitating masterclasses. For further information about both of the conferences, see the advertisements in this issue of the ICPR.

Michael Cavanagh
Coaching Psychology Unit,
Department of Psychology,
Sydney University,
Sydney, Australia.
E-mail: michaelc@psych.usyd.edu.a

Stephen Palmer
Coaching Psychology Unit,
Department of Psychology,
City University,
Northampton Square,
London, UK.
E-mail: dr.palmer@btinternet.com

Reference

Baldwin, T.T. & Ford, J.K. (1988). Transfer of training: A review and direction for future research. Personnel Psychology, 41, 63-105.