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Organisational relationships are among the most common reasons for leaders to seek coaching, as they are a frequent cause of intense emotions linked to stress, wellbeing, and performance. Yet there is very little research that explores the emotional effects of coaching in this context. This research aimed to explore the influence that coaching has on leaders in relation to the emotions they experience in their everyday organisational relationships. The research was approached from a social constructionism perspective, utilising constructivist grounded theory (CGT) methodology. One-to-one semi-structured interviews with 12 leaders from a wide range of organisations and industries, as well as 10 coaches (n=22), provided insights into 31 different coaching experiences. To foster a neurodiversity-friendly and creative analysis, adaptions were made to the methodology, yielding new, rich and contextualised theoretical concepts. The findings that emerged show the influence coaching has on leaders’ emotions varies according to the emotional and systemic attunement of the coach, the conditions the coach creates and the leader's inclination toward emotional engagement. The conditions created foster varying levels of emotional engagement: emotionally engaged, emotionally curious, emotionally misaligned, and emotionally avoidant. When leaders and coaches attain emotional engagement and/or explore emotions curiously, this cultivates leaders’ authenticity, emotional regulation and agency, leading to transformational changes in their relationships. However, instances of emotional misalignment were found to disengage leaders from the coaching relationship. Conversely, limited influence was observed where both the coach and the leader refrained from emotional engagement. The findings also indicate the importance of an emotional contract, a concept not previously uncovered or explored empirically in coaching research. Furthermore, the research findings highlight the significance of t

While note taking and record keeping are widely established coaching practices, academic and practitioner literature on them is conspicuously absent. In this chapter, borrowing from the literature on psychology, counselling and psychotherapy, the issue of ethics in note taking and record keeping is addressed by discussing some of the most practical ethical considerations for any coach engaging in these practices. These ethical considerations include confidentiality, informed consent, ownership, timing, storage and disposal, and are very much situated in the sphere of process. Expanding reflections beyond the sphere of process, coaches are encouraged to reflect on the relational value of ethical note taking and record keeping, namely, how the value and purpose of these practices enriches and enhances the coaching relationship. The main argument is that conscious reflection on the purpose and value of note taking and record keeping – aside from the practicalities of these practices – can help enhance the development of a respectful and trusting coaching relationship.

Contrary to more rudimentary espionage networks created by rulers (and their rivals) in various parts of early modern Europe, by the sixteenth century, early modern Venice had created a remarkable, centrally organised state intelligence organisation, the Venetian secret service. This was built on a rigid organisational hierarchy and branched out into distinct communication networks. This article describes, in detail, the structure and function of the Venetian secret service, dwelling on how it was administered and managed by the Council of Ten, Venice’s infamous spy chiefs. To explore the early modern organisational and managerial practices on which this service was premised, the article borrows theoretical concepts deriving from the disciplines of Intelligence Studies, Sociology, Organisation Studies, and Management, which it weaves together with archival sources and relevant literature. In doing so, the article explores some of the methodological challenges of studying the phenomenon of early modern intelligence organisation. Ultimately, the article puts forth the argument that systematised intelligence and espionage are not ‘modern’ phenomena, as conventional wisdom dictates, but date back to the early modern era.

Venice was home to one of the earliest centrally organized state intelligence services which was overseen by the Council of Ten. Intelligence was collected both ‘from above’ and ‘from below’. From above, the Ten relied on semi-professional informants such as ambassadors and governors, who picked up information through elite networks and social circles. From below, the Council employed a secret army of amateur spies, often with disreputable backgrounds and motives, who worked either for profit or to have criminal convictions overturned. This chapter discusses the meaning and function of a spy in the early modern period, raising questions about the lack of professionalization that placed spies in the shadows of warfare.

This chapter focuses on ‘secret’ knowledge, that is, privileged knowledge or confidential information on political, military, economic, social, and even cultural matters that were of geostrategic significance for the Venetian state and thus ought to be protected and concealed. In fact, secrecy, that is, official state secrecy, had a pervasive aura engulfing the Venetian government’s state security pursuits. For this reason, the Council of Ten institutionalised it, issuing several formal decrees on the necessity and accomplishment of secrecy for the benefit of effective knowledge transfer. Sixteenth-century Venice was renowned for its obsession with secrecy. Cryptography, that is, the art of writing in cipher, provided the basis for written communication between the Council of Ten and their formal representatives within and beyond the territories of the Venetian dominion. In the early modern era there were different channels of knowledge exchange and transfer; secrecy was only one of them. -- Provided by publisher.

Duty of care is not clearly defined in coaching literature, but is described as being part of the ethical framework of conduct in how a coach acts in relation to promoting the welfare of others. It is associated with the coach’s own sense of what is fair and right, both legally and ethically, connected to the coach’s own principles of behaviour. The executive coach has greater complexity in their roles due to multiple stakeholders in the coaching relationship and duty of care is arguably of integral importance. The literature discusses theoretical ethical best practice in coaching, and coaching bodies’ codes offer guidance. Yet, empirical research is lacking on coaches’ understanding and enactment of duty of care. This study is the first to explore these areas and the findings move duty of care beyond an ethical framework to a development opportunity for coaches and those associated with coaching. The research was qualitative and inductive, using semi-structured interviews with thirty executive coaches. The findings challenge assumptions on the level of understanding of duty of care in coaching and positions duty of care firmly in coaches’ development and practice. The research evidences that development in relation to ethics is continual and that coaches use reflective dialogue when making sense of duty of care, rather than reverting to ethical codes or training, thus challenging coaching bodies’ positions on supervision and education of coaches. The study evidences that coaches’ enactment of duty of care encompasses managing boundaries through contracting and ending coaching relationships, and indicates how coaches are custodians of the limits set. The empirical data found care to be at the very core of a coach’s work, and that an executive coach’s duty of care is systemic. The research makes a further contribution to the literature by defining duty of care in coaching.

The pace of change from the volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA) (Bennett and Lemoine, 2014) of an increasingly connected world creates disquiet, exacerbated for some by virus led losses and lockdowns. Perhaps as a result, there is increased desire to find meaning in life in internet searches, therapy, and coaching. Third generation coaching, created at the same time as VUCA, enables this through a focus on meaning and values. Through the 20th century, social psychologists (Allport, 1928; Rokeach, 1973) found values to be drivers of behaviour, creators of motivation, and a learning support. Most of those writing in the two most recent compendiums on coaching (Bachkirova, Spence and Drake, 2017b; Cox, Bachkirova and Clutterbuck, 2018) recommend their use – yet there is little guidance as to how values can be found, and few people seem to know their own. This study used a constructivist philosophy combined with grounded theory methodology to explain how coaching can enable personal values identification. Through the experiences of nine coachees and five coaches a theory is proposed which identifies the deep work required to unearth values from the subconscious. Carried out by a guide with first-hand experience of their own values identification, in a safe focussed space, the work sits somewhere along the coaching to therapy continuum. The research highlights development needs for coaches and proposes further research on the use of flow in coaching, and how trust is created in the dyad.

There is a vast interdisciplinary body of research exploring workplace stress and stress management interventions. Nevertheless, the issue of stress in the workplace remains significant and is increasing. The potential of workplace coaching as a stress management intervention has not been investigated, in depth, in the literature. This study explored how coaching can support managers experiencing stress at work, with the aim of contributing to coaching theory and practice and of making a difference in the workplace. Using Constructivist Grounded Theory, underpinned by a critical realist ontology, an emerging theory of coaching as a Generative Scaffold was developed. This summarises a process in which the coach supports the manager to generate insights, strength and action in order to address an experience of stress at work. In addition, this study was able to demonstrate how hidden power dynamics, inherent in the workplace, can affect an individual’s ability to tackle stress. It makes a case for coaches as agents of social change and it suggests that common coaching approaches might be missing vital ingredients if they are to be effective in supporting managers experiencing stress.

Emotional labour (EL) is the activity of maintaining an appropriate outward demeanour at work. Whilst EL studies proliferate in many sectors and roles, no such work has been conducted in the field of coaching to identify the role of EL. The aim of this research is to explore the presence, experience and effects of EL from the perspective of the coach in their practice. The study employed a phenomenological approach, using Conceptual Encounter methodology. One-to-one interviews and group discussions with 15 coaches and supervisors of coaching surfaced instances of EL both in and out of the coaching ‘room’. Coaches described their experiences and contexts where EL was present, and the ‘display rules’ to which they were striving to adhere. EL in coaching presented as the drive to display an acceptable ‘face’, to both coachees and those around coaching, which satisfied the coach’s own perceptions of professional coaching. This study found disparate and varied perceptions of display rules in coaching practice, a weak influence of professional standards, and a disconnect between the presentation of coaching to stakeholders / payers and the act of coaching itself. Coaches’ experiences of EL had high commonality with outcomes in other fields and roles, such as impacts on authenticity, detachment, resource drain and ‘burnout’. Other themes of the study include coaching as a maturing profession in relation to behavioural norms, and a questionable approach to organisational contracting from coaches. In addition, those coaches who employed ‘use of self’ as the primary instrument of coaching experienced less EL in the coaching dyad. This empirical study contributes to the coaching literature by surfacing the presence of EL in coaching, and the emergence and naming of commercial EL in the contracting dynamic may contribute to the EL literature overall. These findings have implications for coaches, along with supervisors, educators and trainers of coaches, and professional associa

Wellbeing has increasingly become a topic of great significance and interest to individuals, organisations, and society in general. Research has shown the links between wellbeing, physical and mental health, productivity, and its positive impact on communities. There is wide evidence to support the economic and social case for wellbeing, but its importance goes beyond measurable and hard outcomes. Wellbeing matters because people matter, and they do feel better when they have good levels of wellbeing. Recognising the benefits of wellbeing, there has been a renewed interest, from a social policy and public health perspective, in developing interventions to support people in improving their levels of wellbeing. Coaching is well-placed to be such an intervention, and group coaching, in particular, may offer a solution that is cost- effective and can reach larger numbers of people, whilst strengthening the fabric of communities and society. To explore the potential of coaching within the context described above, this multimethod investigation of group coaching with two community-based groups has been designed to explore how group coaching for wellbeing can foster the wellbeing of individuals. A multi-methods methodology, informed by principles of action research, has been chosen because it is best suited to explore real-life issues with engagement from participants and a pragmatic output aimed at improving practice. As such, the BeWell Group Coaching for Wellbeing Model was developed based on theoretical underpinnings as well as available empirical studies. The model was implemented, and data was collected using semi-structured interviews, focus groups, the researcher’s diary and a wellbeing scale that was applied before and after the group coaching intervention. The data was analysed using thematic analysis. The BeWell Group Coaching for Wellbeing Model developed for this study included three pillars – Be, Relate and Act – based mostly, but not exclusively, on psycholo

The field of coaching could be seen as a late entrant in appreciating the potential that technology can help to play in the delivery of successful outcomes for individuals seeking support. The advent of new digital communication modalities, alongside the development of artificial intelligence, particularly the advancement of natural language processing algorithms, provides the opportunity for technologists to work in partnership with the coaching field to develop new methods of delivering coaching services. The aim of this study was to investigate whether a working alliance can develop between coachee and an artificial agent, and through this agency deliver positive outcomes. Research to date suggests that a good working alliance is a predictor of positive coaching outcomes. One coaching outcome which seems to be the focus of corporations at present is that of helping employees build selfresilience, which is seen as having a positive impact on an employee’s ability to handle stressful situations. This research seeks to consider whether a working alliance can develop between an artificial agent employing coaching tools and a coachee. The 48 volunteers participated and were given access to WYSA, an AI-based mental well-being chatbot app (“coaching app”) over an eight-week period. Participants’ self-resilience and working alliance was tested, using known Working Alliance Inventory (WAI) (Horvath and Greenberg, 1989) and Self-Resilience (SR) (Naswall et al., 2015) measures, before and after the quasi-experiment, providing the quantitative data. Semistructured qualitative interviews explored how the user’s engaged with the app and also examined the concept of working alliance with the technology and whether they believed their self-resilience improved. The results from the quantitative analysis, Wilcoxon signed rank test, showed that despite no statistical change in working alliance with the coaching app during the testing period, the majority (80%) of participants’ self