Ho Law, Sara Ireland & Zulfi Hussain

Chichester: John Wiley, 2007.
245 pages. Hardback. £34.99.
ISBN: 978-0-470-02844-5

Reviewed by Conal Platts

The Psychology of Coaching, Mentoring and Learning is a thorough and thoughtprovoking reference text. It provides an indepth review of the science underpinning the practice of individual and organisational learning. In doing so, a ‘Universal Integrated Framework’ (UIF), applicable across cultural contexts, is described. This framework is the product of a three-year programme of research and practice undertaken by the authors.

The book is written with practitioners, academics and purchasers in mind. Its depth of inquiry and academic rigour suggests that the former two groups will be particularly provoked by its content.

The introductory chapter provides clear and useful signposting to help the reader pick and choose chapters of relevance. Each chapter, or pair of chapters, stands independently in terms of content and focus. Chapters 2, 3 and 4 explore coaching and mentoring in the context of the psychology of learning; Chapter 5 discusses the learning organisation, with Chapter 6 focussing on exploration of the authors’ UIF. Chapters 7 and 8 provide the experienced practitioner with a number of perspectives and practical tools to broaden technique, focus and impact, whilst Chapters 9 and 10 provide case study evidence exploring the UIF and broader issues of impact measurement. In Chapter 11, the text concludes with an overview of future priorities in the emerging evidence-base supporting the science of learning as applied to coaching and mentoring.

In combination, the book is much more than a thoroughly researched text on coaching and mentoring. At one level it tells the story of a journey made by three seasoned practitioners making sense of the evidence-base underpinning their practice. It is very evident to the reader that on this journey the authors have not been satisfied with pragmatic science, but instead, have taken a robust, academically-driven approach to refining their skills and their clients’ experience. Given the diversity of their experience, I would have valued learning more of their experiences applying these tools and frameworks, with particular focus on cross-cultural practitioner concerns.

Beyond the story, the text provides the reader with an in-depth synthesis of the research relating to both individual and systemic learning. In this respect the authors have been generous in sharing insights, conceptualisations and practical tools. Paradigms and coaching models are explored and linkages are repeatedly made with the UIF. The breadth of this review is vast; from Whitmore’s GROW, to Gestalt principles to Narrative Psychodrama. As with earlier sections, given the authors’ vast and eclectic experience, I would have personally valued a greater focus on this section, supported with a clearer linkage between paradigms (i.e. points of convergence and divergence) and a smoother flow in transitioning from section to section. The UIF features throughout the text, building in complexity as the story unfolds. Whilst I valued the conceptual purity of the model, I personally needed to read and re-read the supporting explanation to understand its full implications. A little more guidance on how to use and get the best from the model would have helped me personally.

The book contains a great many reminders, prompts and punchy research reminders. Having read the book from cover to cover I found myself dipping back in and out of sections and I am sure I will continue to do so. As a practitioner interested in the science underpinning the area of practice I would have appreciated even more discussion on some of the practical conundrums facing coaches; matching, contracting, rapport, scoping, structuring, action planning, etc. The exception to this relates to the powerful section on needs analysis and review. Here a powerful framework is proposed which will be of interest to academics, practitioners, and purchasers alike.

This book is a welcome addition to the coaching literature. Individual sections will appeal to different reader groups, but academics, practitioners and purchasers alike will be struck by the rigour and sophistication of the book.