A Qualitative Study of Competencies of Coaches That Predict Client Behavior Change

Coaching's rapid growth has increased pressure to have effective coaches. The competency models currently used for training and certification are based on opinion surveys. In management, such a process for developing competency models has been shown to confuse standards of excellence with prejudicial fads. This study examined competencies demonstrated in critical incident work samples of coaching by more effective and less effective coaches as measured by client behavioral change over 2 years. Effective coaches more frequently demonstrated the competencies of achievement orientation, empathy, emotional self-awareness, and coaching and mentoring as well as the total number of emotional and social intelligence competencies shown by a coach as compared to their less effective counterparts. More effective coaches discussed more role differentiation as a coach from other related roles as compared to less effective coaches. Implications for future research and practice in coach training and certification are discussed.