As we have already mentioned on several occasions in this report, the fundamental issue is accuracy of self-perceptions. We must take seriously the respondents sense of self-confidence, but is this self-confidence justified–even when it comes to reporting on the soft skills and knowledge of coaching? Two of the items concerning potential and confidence in ability had comparatively high variance scores. These dimensions of self are tough to self-assess. Can coaches objectively assess their own competence? Would their clients arrive at similar conclusions regarding the quality and success of the interpersonal relationship they have established with their coach? While these two surveys can’t provide answers to these challenging questions, the results we report in this article and will report in future articles regarding results from the Development of Coaches surveys certainly bring these questions to the fore and open the door for other studies that directly address the matter of coach/client congruence.
Coaching Tactics
We turn now to the so-called “hard” skills and knowledge of coaching. These competencies were highlighted in the report prepared by Campone and Awal (2011), based on qualitative responses to the first Development of Coaches survey. Referencing the work of David Drake (2009, 2011) and Hawkins and Smith (2006), Campone and Awal noted that the survey results confirmed an emphasis placed by these other authors on the hard skills and knowledge of coaching. In concluding their own report on the survey, Campone and Awal (2011, p. 13) suggested that: “formal coaching preparation which includes both theory and skills development can serve as the basis for informed decision-making by coaches and provides the ground for deepening professional reasoning and decision-making skills.”
Our analysis of data from both the first and second survey is certainly aligned with the conclusions reached by Campone and Awal. The challenge seems to be how to make this happen and how to identify what needs to be taught and learned and how mentors and supervisors might assist in this learning. The survey results suggest that this is not a simple challenge. When it comes to the “harder” side of coaching, there is uncertainty in the self-perceptions of many coaches about their development and competence. This uncertainty is in relative terms, for the coach respondents are still quite positive about their work as coaches and believe that the changes they are undergoing are all for the best.
At the immediate, moment-to-moment level, respondents indicate that they are competent as coaches, though their ratings on this item are among the lowest (8th and 9th) on both surveys for this second question. Furthermore, this item yielded the highest variance on the second survey and 4th highest on the first survey. What does it mean when a coach is asked: “How well do you understand what happens moment by moment during coaching sessions?” We would propose that this item is calling for a self-assessment of tactical reasoning.
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