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Coaching: An International Journal of

Theory, Research and Practice
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A warm welcome to this second issue

for 2013 of Coaching: An International
Journal of Theory, Research and
Practice
Alanna O'Broin & Almuth McDowall
Published online: 22 Aug 2013.

To cite this article: Alanna O'Broin & Almuth McDowall (2013) A warm welcome to this
second issue for 2013 of Coaching: An International Journal of Theory, Research and Practice,
Coaching: An International Journal of Theory, Research and Practice, 6:2, 99-101, DOI:
10.1080/17521882.2013.824144

To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17521882.2013.824144

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 Coaching: An International Journal of Theory, Research and Practice, 2013
Vol. 6, No. 2, 99
101, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17521882.2013.824144

EDITORIAL
A warm welcome to this second issue for 2013 of Coaching: An
International Journal of Theory, Research and Practice

Building on the evidence-base for coaching and coaching effectiveness

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A recurring theme of previous editorials and a key aim for this journal is building on
the evidence-base for coaching. This emphasis reflects the message from our
readership of the value of contributions from across the spectrum of research and
practice for building on the evidence-base for coaching and coaching effectiveness.
In response to this call, we introduced the research corner, a home for short, user-
friendly articles assisting our readers in acquiring tools for conducting research in
their various environments. The submissions in this issue demonstrate that the
message has been enthusiastically taken up, in presenting a collection of papers
offering a diversity of means and approaches for building on the evidence-base for
coaching effectiveness.

In this issue
The theme of evaluating the effectiveness of coaching is addressed from differing
perspectives in all four of our papers in this issue. Anthony Grant and Margie Hartley
review practical tools and techniques making a contribution to our knowledge of
coaching. Their paper ‘Developing the leader as coach: insights, strategies and tips for
embedding coaching skills in the workplace’ looks at establishing leadership work-
place coaching skills through leadership development programmes and concludes
with seven practical tips for encouraging leaders’ daily use of coaching skills.
In reviewing the research literature on team coaching, Jacqueline Peters and
Catherine Carr’s paper, ‘Team Effectiveness and Team Coaching: Review of the
Literature’, highlights the synergistic relationship between research and practice in
team coaching, noting the emphasis of case studies on interpersonal and commu-
nication benefits from team coaching, whereas other empirical studies tend to
highlight improvements in team performance.
Julie-Ann Tooth, Sharon Nielson and Hilary Armstrong’s paper, ‘Coaching
effectiveness survey instruments: taking stock of measuring the immeasurable’, then
briefly reviews the literature on instruments designed for measuring coaching
effectiveness, highlighting the need for reliable instruments and suggesting that
surveys can be a useful starting point in this task.
In different vein, Manfred Kets de Vries’ article considers tipping points, those
‘Aha!’ moments at the far end of the change spectrum from those of incremental
change, in coaching. In a far-reaching argument invoking concepts including
corrective emotional experiences, linear and quantum change processes, and the
# 2013 Taylor & Francis
 100 Editorial

neurological basis of tipping points, a case study example is used to illustrate

coaching work with tipping points in practice.

Book review
Ruxandra Clinciu reviews the edited volume by Jonathan Passmore, David Peterson
and Teresa Freire, The Wiley-Blackwell Handbook of the Psychology of Coaching and
Mentoring, depicting the book as ‘a breath of fresh air, describing coaching and
mentoring through a myriad of lenses.’

Alanna O’Broin and

Almuth McDowall
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Notes on contributors
A chartered psychologist (and registered counselling psychologist), Alanna O’Broin
is a practicing executive coach. Her main research and practice interests are the
coaching relationship and boundaries with other helping
relationships, as well as cognitive behavioural approaches to
coaching. Following a first career in the UK financial sector
as an Investment Analyst and Fund Manager, she retrained
as a psychologist at Royal Holloway University of London,
and City University London. Alanna has recently completed
doctorate research on exploring aspects contributing to the
quality of the coaching relationship, and how the coach uses
themself, specifically in adapting to their coachee’s needs, and
has published several co-authored articles and book chapters
in the academic and practitioner press. She combines her executive coaching work as
an independent practitioner with writing, presenting and lecturing, and has an
interest in undertaking further research on the coaching relationship.

Almuth has been co-editor for Coaching: An International

Journal of Theory, Research and Practice since 2010. Almuth’s
main research and practice interests are in the areas of work

life balance and coaching, as well as psychometric develop-
ment and evaluation. After a successful career in health and
fitness, as a personal instructor working primarily with
performing artists, Almuth retrained in psychology and
completed her Ph.D. at City University. There, she started
out her professional career as a senior consultant with the
Psychometrics Centre, undertaking and overseeing a range of consultancy-related
projects.
Almuth now combines her academic post at the University of Surrey, where she is
course director for the M.Sc. in Occupational and Organisational Psychology, with
freelance work as an independent practitioner. She wishes we could just stop
speaking about the science-practitioner gap. If there is one, it is only due to our
perceptions, we are all interested in the same things. Almuth is keen to advance the
evidence base in coaching, and has served on the editorial board for the Coaching
 Coaching: An International Journal of Theory, Research and Practice 101

Psychology Conference for the past couple of years. Almuth has published in the
academic and in the practitioner press, and is a regular speaker at national and
international conferences. She works in the field of work
life balance as a coach and
advisor to organisations, and has a keen interest in undertaking research with the
police and other emergency services.
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