Abstract
M.Phil. (Industrial Psychology and People Management)
Orientation: The coaching industry globally has experienced unprecedented growth with various professional bodies representing a diversity of coaches, application domains, methodologies, training and, continuous professional development, but the industry is not yet regulated and does not meet the criteria for the professionalisation thereof. Very little is known about the composition of the coaching industry in South Africa.
Research purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the profile of coaches in South Africa.
Motivation for the study: The exploration and description of the currently practising coaches in South Africa was necessitated by the lack of basic information regarding the nature and extent of coaches currently practising in South Africa.
Research design: A quantitative, cross-sectional design was adopted to obtain a snapshot (at a fixed point in time) of the current coaching profile. The researcher conducted a survey, using a web-based questionnaire that was adapted from similar studies conducted in the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. This research method fitted the aim of the study as the profile of South African coaches currently practising was explored. The sample consisted of coaches who were voluntary members of professional coaching bodies in South Africa.
Main findings: From 229 respondents, it was evident that South African coaches are mostly from a human resources, a consulting, or a psychology background, and have between 1 and 5 years’ coaching experience. Most of these coaches have a non-specified Master’s degree with only a certificate in coaching. Coaches in South Africa seem to practise on a part-time basis, spending less than five hours per day coaching clients. An average coaching session lasts between 60 and 90 minutes, fortnightly, with the coaching engagement lasting between
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3 to 12 months. Coaches prefer face-to-face coaching. Areas of specialisation are leadership coaching, life coaching, and business coaching. Coaches make use of psychometric instruments in profiling their clients. Most of the coaches are of the opinion that the adherence to a code of ethics is very important. Supervision and continuous professional development are seen as an important part of training to become a coach.
Implications: This study cannot be extrapolated to the future, as changes in the social processes could not be captured, and the industry is bound to change. Furthermore, no up to date database exist of practising coaches in South Africa. This is the first study to be conducted in South Africa across different professional bodies and practice domains in an endeavour to develop a detailed profile of the South African coaching industry. The outcome of this survey has highlighted important areas for further research and will assist both the consumer of coaching services, coach training providers and coaches with a better understanding of the profile of the coaching industry by identifying where critical training needs exist.
Contribution and value-add: The present study contributes an in-depth investigation into the characteristics and practices of coaches in South Africa, and provides voluntary professional associations with information regarding the qualifications, training, and experience of coaches currently practising.