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HEIDI MOLLER — KATRIN OELLERICH — DENISE HINN — SILJA KOTTE
Coaching as a profession and representations of coaching
Further proposals related to professionalisation and concept research. On the
one hand there still is a need for clarification concerning the occupational
image of a coach in contrast to other counselling and consulting formats. In
the long run, the experts’ aim is the protection of the job title “coach”. The
clarification of a potential discrepancy between the self-image of the coaches
and their actual conduct also seems to be of interest. There is a desire for clearly
defined and certified training curricula with standardised content which will
be accompanied by research. The social representations of coaching also occupy
the experts: how is the coaching product perceived and rated by customers?
Research approaches
In addition to self-reports by coaches and coachees by means of questionnaires,
experts desire research results with ‘hard facts’ such as field observations,
written documentation or video analysis. The research methods should also
be broadened - there should be single case-oriented, interdisciplinary, holistic,
methodologically diverse and internationally oriented approaches as well as
control group designs.
Desirable features of the scientific literature
Experts want the scientific literature to “speak the language of the customers —
from initial investigation to publication”, meaning that the publication should
be aimed at the target audience of consumers and research should provide
added value for the customers. “Who exactly is meant to benefit from the
coaching research?”
IN LINE WITH PSYCHOTHERAPY RESEARCH
The practitioners’ research ideas and desire for further knowledge which
resulted from the workshop relating to science as a service provider show
that practitioners have differentiated interests in science which exceed pure
legitimation research.