What is the effect of long-term coaching engagements on the business coach’s process and approach?
The aim of this project was to examine whether changes occur to the process and approach of business coaches’ practices during long-term business coaching engagements. This was accomplished by reviewing literature, then gathering new data to provide a richer, deeper understanding of business coaches’ experiences and analyzing their reflections regarding their long-term business coaching activities. Within the coaching industry, techniques, competencies, values and ethics are routinely addressed in coach training programs, however, the occurrence and dynamics of long-term engagements has been mostly overlooked by the coaching community, as evidenced by the scarcity of literature and research on this topic to date. A mixed-method approach was used for data collection, which included a survey and semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis revealed evidence that the coach’s initial process or model often changes when working with a ‘longevity client,’ though the foundational premise of being fully present and asking targeted questions does not. The evolving and deepening relationship between coach and client was identified as a key component driving changes to the coach’s work. The data revealed that often the business coach’s role expands beyond the traditional definition of coaching to include more input and direction. A confirmed finding from this research is that long-term business coaching engagements are an embedded component of the coaching spectrum. As such, this research provides the basis for further exploration regarding the benefits, expectations, and outcomes of long-term coaching. This project surfaced issues that are ripe of further research, both for long-term engagements and for coaching at large; knowing when and how to terminate client engagements, client friendships, dependency within the dyad, the evolution and breadth of coaching services and financial considerations within the coaching agreement. This research lays an expanded and documented foundation for the coaching industry to more fully explore the interactive dynamics of long-term business coaching engagements and their impact on both the coach and client.
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