SGCP Regional Representative for Scotland report

Douglas Young

Many years ago, after completing my PhD on generalisation in learning, I embarked on a career in organisation development. Over the past two decades I have worked with a range of private and public sector organisations in Europe and the USA.

Most of my work involves running leadership programmes and building coaching capability in organisations. In addition, I have designed and launched an internetbased coaching support tool which is now being used by a number of clients to inform their performance development processes.

In almost every assignment I have been engaged in, whether about organisation change, performance management or leadership development, coaching has emerged as the key variable which unlocks the talent/ capability of the organisation. I have always been struck by the fact that, regardless of the clarity and appropriateness of the strategy, no matter how well engineered may be the processes within an organisation, and irrespective of the quality of the systems, without managers and executives who both value and practice effective coaching, organisations fail to deliver effectively. Coaching is the key.

Over the years, perhaps like many members of the BPS, I have not really engaged in the activities of the Society, sitting on the fringes and being satisfied with a regular read of the The Psychologist. Then I discovered the Special Group in Coaching Psychology. It hasn’t quite changed my life, but it’s relevance engaged me in a way (refreshed the parts?) that other initiatives/ journals had failed to achieve.

When the inaugural meeting in London was announced I decided to make the effort to attend. Being based in Scotland there is some effort involved - two flights and an overnight stay. I had expected a small band of like-minded coaches/psychologists to turn up at the event. I had not anticipated a very large auditorium filled to capacity with people from a very broad range of coaching interests and backgrounds. The level of attendance made it clear that coaching psychology had arrived and there is no doubt that psychology has a major role to play.

Being based in Scotland, I am always conscious that we live in a country which is often dominated by interest groups in SE England and under-represented elsewhere. Consequently, I was delighted to be asked to become Scottish Representative for the Special Group.

I would like to ask you to get in touch and have your say about what you want from the SGCP and how you might like to contribute to that vision. For example, would members in Scotland like to set up networking groups, to share ideas, contact details and practical experiences?

Contact
doug@coaching.uk.com