Meaning and Purpose in Coaching - January, 2009 written by Katherine Tulpa, Co-founder Wisdom8 The high response rates and results from the recent Meaning and Purpose Survey by the Association for Coaching (AC) and Coaching at Work reaffirm that coaching is starting to play a role that stretches beyond personal and organisational performance. In fact, some of the views expressed by participants in the survey indicate that coaching at a deeper, more meaningful level, is what yields higher performance, or work productivity. As coaching continues to evolve, this theme seems more than a passing trend. Rather than looking at coaching for meaning and purpose as a niche skill, or for many coaches, an area which they or their clients raise in coaching sessions only, another perspective is to look at this more widely. For instance, this is already starting to occur with some global companies or more advanced users of coaching who are further up the growth curve. They have evolved from treating coaching as a remedial intervention, or even as a developmental tool with its main aim to increase performance, to one that is a mechanism to draw out greater potential and capability from their leaders. These are organisations who typically use the words “breakthrough” or “transformational coaching” in their vocabulary, and which are on route for building strong coaching cultures. They recognise the importance of using a more holistic and personal approach to release the unique qualities of their leaders. In other words, allowing them to discover their authentic leadership, a model increasingly being accepted by industry and some of word’s top business schools. In these instances, coaching for meaning and purpose is essential to the success of such transformation, whereby the sponsor is expecting the coach to work at a much deeper and equally broader degree. They also expect them to be highly self-aware, knowing why they became coaches, and who they are as coaches - “to be as coachable as their clients.” In some assessment processes, these factors are showing up as key selection criteria. However, that’s only part of the equation. Organisations are also requiring their external coaches to link with the results and fully grasp the business context they coach in, especially in light of recent market conditions. A coach who doesn’t have their feet on the ground, or meet the client where they are, will miss the mark. Therefore, an integrated coaching approach appears to be where the market is going, as demand continues to increase. With the concerns in the current economic climate, it may create an even stronger case for coaching, and one which fully endorses a need to address the whole person. Clients will be asking the deeper questions, especially in times of uncertainty. This leads me to my final point which is on ethics, an area that was raised by participants in the survey. Working in the area of meaning of purpose is a great privilege, where some of the greatest learning and transformation can occur, but also one of responsibility. We as professionals need to understand our boundaries and limitations. This provides an opportunity for The Association for Coaching and others to provide further learning events, co-coaching forums, research, articles, and best practice materials around coaching for meaning and purpose – to give us even stronger foundations to raise our game and make a greater contribution to society and those we serve. For more information email contact@wisdom8.com All Selected Articles