The Rashomon effect in the perception of coaching sessions and what this means for the evaluation of the quality: a grounded theory study

ABSTRACT

To enhance the value of coaching provision, coaching sessions are assessed as part of the accreditation of coaches by professional bodies and through the selection of coaches for programmes in organisations. However, the idea of the quality of a coaching session and a valid standpoint from which such an assessment can be made, remain problematic. Using constructivist grounded theory, this study explores how coaching sessions are perceived by three parties: clients, coaches and groups of coaches acting as observers. Analysis of the multiple perspectives on each of six sessions shows a significant discrepancy between them supporting the relevance of the Rashomon effect in coaching, based on Kurosawa’s (1950) film, ‘Rashomon’ in which different witnesses provide conflicting accounts of the same events. The study questions the practice of prioritising first or third-person perspectives when the quality of a coaching session is assessed and addresses the potential implications of the identified issues for coaches, assessors and educators of coaching.

Notes on contributors

Adrian Myers is a senior lecturer in coaching and mentoring at Oxford Brookes University where he teaches at Masters and Doctoral levels. He is a chartered occupational psychologist. His research interests relate primarily to the exploration of the interaction between coach and client.

Tatiana Bachkirova is Professor of Coaching Psychology at Oxford Brookes University and Director of the International Centre for Coaching and Mentoring Studies. She serves on the editorial boards of four academic journals and has published extensively on coaching psychology and education of coaches.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.