Relational Coaching: Journeys Towards Mastering One-To-One Learning

Manfred Kets de Vries, Professor of Leadership Development, INSEAD: “The author takes us on an exciting journey to explain what coaching is all about, providing us with a roadmap that is second to none. Anyone interested in better understanding what coaching is all about, would do well to have a serious look at this book.” David Megginson, Professor of Human Resources Development, Sheffield Hallam University: “From a vivid personal story just before the first chapter to the fascinating mass of data in the appendices, this book is a captivating read about the concrete particulars of coaching and the theoretical perspectives we can use to make sense of them. Erik de Haan makes a case for relational coaching and prescribes clearly what his research and the tradition within which it is embedded can tell practitioners in the field.” Bruce E. Wampold, Professor of Counseling Psychology, University of Wisconsin: “I am thrilled that there is a coaching book that emphasizes the coachee and the relationship. In Relational Coaching, Erik de Haan places the emerging profession on a strong foundation that emphasizes the interpersonal aspects of the endeavour.” Relational Coaching is a radically different way of looking at coaching that puts the relationship, from the perspective of the coachee, at the centre. Exploring both age-old tradition and reliable studies in recent decades, Relational Coaching gives the modern executive coach ten commandments to help improve his or her practice. The book demonstrates how each of these commandments is underpinned by sound quantitative research. The book begins by giving a complete overview of the profession and the latest developments in coaching. The second part of the book presents new quantitative and qualitative research into effects and experiences of coaching. Part three contains an introduction to the activities that make a good coach and the mechanisms used to verify coaches’ understanding of their profession. Other topics covered include training, accreditation, supervision and recommended literature.

Table of Contents:
Preface vii Part I: The Ways of Coaching 1 Introduction: the paths towards coaching 1 1. From intake to intervention: the outlines of a profession 5 1.1 Coaching: a new trend? 5 1.2 Developing a coaching relationship 8 1.3 The organisation coach 12 1.4 The coach’s playing fi eld 13 1.5 A coach from inside or outside the organisation? 16 1.6 What works for whom? 17  2. From stigma to status: the growth of a profession 21 2.1 The exponential growth in coaching practice 21 2.2 Underlying social trends 24 2.3 What can we learn from these trends? 28 3. From prize-fi ghting to prizes for all: the active ingredients 31 3.1 Ample evidence of great effectiveness 34 3.2 No difference in effectiveness between approaches 34 3.3 The active ingredients are common to all approaches 37 3.4 Working alliance, therapist and client are the most effective active ingredients 39 3.4.1 The quality of the relationship 39 3.4.2 The person of the therapist 40 3.4.3 The person of the client 43 4. From intervention to interaction: relational coaching 47 4.1 Ten commandments for the executive coach 47 4.2 Effective coaching means relational coaching 52 4.3 The coaching relationship as a succession of critical moments 56 4.4 Relational coaching makes a difference at critical moments 61 Part II: The Ways Of Research 65 Introduction: the paths towards research 65 5. Coachees have their say: which interventions work for us? 69 5.1 Introduction 69 5.2 Description of the study 74 5.2.1 Participants 74 5.2.2 Questionnaires 74 5.2.3 Procedure 78 5.3 Quantitative results: helpfulness appears to be a generic experience 79 5.4 Qualitative results: evaluating the importance of the coaching relationship 86 5.5 Conclusion 89 6. ‘I doubt therefore I coach’: critical moments of less experienced coaches 93 6.1 Introduction 93 6.2 Initial classifi cation of the 80 moments 94 6.3 Summary in the form of a ‘doubtful’ story 95 6.4 How to handle these critical moments and doubts? 97 6.4.1 Analysis 97 6.4.2 Synthesis 102 6.5 Conclusion 106 7. ‘I struggle and emerge’: critical moments of experienced coaches 109 7.1 Introduction 109 7.2 Initial classification of the 78 moments 112 7.3 Summary in the form of a ‘doubtful’ story 114 7.4 How to handle these critical moments? 115 7.4.1 Analysis 115 7.4.2 Synthesis 122 7.5 Conclusion 126 8. Coaches have their say: how to handle critical moments? 131 8.1 Introduction 131 8.2 Description of the study 132 8.2.1 Comparison with previous study of critical moments of experienced coaches 133 8.2.2 Study method: the temporal process and supervision 135 8.3 The temporal patterns of the critical moments 137 8.4 How to handle these critical moments: the use of supervision 143 8.4.1 Analysis 143 8.4.2 Synthesis 148 8.5 Conclusion 150 Part III: The Ways of Excellence 155 Introduction: the paths towards excellence 155 9. Training and accreditation of the executive coach 159 9.1 Areas of competence of the coach 159 9.1.1 Convictions and values of the coach 159 9.1.2 Attitude of the coach 161 9.1.3 Knowledge of the coach 161 9.1.4 Strategic skills of the coach 162 9.1.5 Specifi c interventions of the coach 163 9.2 Coach education 164 9.2.1 First year of a masters programme 166 9.2.2 Second year of a masters programme 168 9.2.3 How coach education addresses the various areas of competence 171 9.3 Coach accreditation 172 9.3.1 Accreditation criteria 173 9.3.2 Accreditation process 176 9.3.3 How coach accreditation addresses the various areas of competence 181 10. Continuing professional development of the executive coach 185 10.1 Individual professional development: reflective practice 187 10.2 Co-coaching and peer consultation 187 10.3 Coaching supervision 189 10.3.1 Process of individual supervision 195 10.3.2 Process of group supervision 197 11. Library of the executive coach 203 11.1 Introduction: coaching and reading 203 11.2 A historical overview in fi ction 204 11.2.1 Homer’s Odyssey: the triumph of mentor-coach Athena 204 11.2.2 Plato’s Meno: the encounter with the numbfi sh 207 11.2.3 Yalom’s When Nietzsche wept: the mid-life crisis 209 11.3 Milestones in the coaching literature 211 11.3.1 Stroeken’s Kleine psychologie van het gesprek: a vade mecum for helping conversations 211 11.3.2 O’Neill’s Executive coaching with backbone and heart: the coach as partner 214 11.3.3 Peltier’s The psychology of executive coaching: systematic inspiration 216 11.4 Milestones in psychotherapy 218 11.4.1 Heron’s Helping the client: specific helping interventions 218 11.4.2 Rogers’ On becoming a person: sharing something of me 221 11.4.3 Malan’s Individual psychotherapy: the science of coaching 223 11.5 Books about care for the coach 225 11.5.1 Miller’s Das Drama des begabten Kindes: how did we actually become coaches? 225 11.5.2 Foucault’s Fearless speech: the care of the self 228 11.5.3 Hawkins’ & Shohet’s Supervision in the helping professions: and who takes care of the coach? 231 12. Future of the executive coach 235 12.1 The role of research in coaching 237 12.2 The role of coaching in organisations 238 Appendix A: 80 Critical Moments of New Coaches 243 Appendix B: 78 Critical Moments of Experienced Coaches 261 Appendix C: Case Study: Tamara 291 Appendix D: Verbatim Transcript: Ken 303 Appendix E: Code of Conduct for Executive Coaches 311 1. General principles 311 2. Code of ethics 312 3. Code of Practice 313 Appendix F: Intake Instruments and Checklists 315 1. For the recipient of coaching 315 2. For the coach 317 3. For triangular contracts 318 Literature 321 Index 329

About the Author :
Erik de Haan is the director of Ashridge's centre for Coaching and a senior organisation development consultant for Ashridge Consulting near London. He is also an executive near London. He is also an executive coach, supervisor and accreditor of other coaches. In his role as programme director of the Ashridge masters in Executive coaching, he draws on the content of this book in the second year of study. His previous books in English include the Consulting Process as Drama (2003) Learning with colleges (2004), Coaching with colleagues (2004) and Fearless Consulting (2006). these books have all been published in Dutch, and the latter also in Russian. Ashridge is one of the world's leading providers of executive education. established in 1959, it has acquired an outstanding international reputation in helping to make a difference to both individuals and organisations through its combination of executive development, research and consultancy expertise. Its activities include open & tailored executive education programmes, MBA, MSc & Diploma qualifications,organisations consulting, applied research and online learning. Clients include leading organisations in the private and public sectors in the UK and across the globe.

Review :
"... a finely assembled case for an emphasis on the whole relationship in coaching... an intensely practical manual." (Coaching at Work, November 2010) "... drawing on much quantitative and qualitative research... it has a very different focus from most of the mainstream books on coaching." (People Management, 29 May) "De Haan's masterful and impressive book gives a complete overview of the coaching profession." (Training & Coaching Today, April 2008)