Are you the coach you think you are? Different perspectives on coaching behaviour

We have recently studied coaching behaviours, both as reported by executive coaches, consultants and managers, and by these coaches’ clients.1 The latest version of our Coaching Behaviours Questionnaire (CBQ)2 was used in a large-scale study of coaching behaviours, among 537 coaches, 196 consultants and 559 manager-coaches from a total of 54 countries, and among 221 clients of coaching. The study demonstrated significant differences in perceived behaviour by subjects who differ in age, gender, and nationality. Significant differences were also found for those who identify themselves as ‘managers’ versus ‘consultants’ versus ‘coaches’, and for those looking at the behaviours from the other side of the relationship, the ‘clients’ of coaching. Some of the differences can be attributed to the fact that more experienced coaches will perceive themselves to develop different coaching behaviours.