Coach competencies to facilitate transformative learning: a multiple case study involving public-sector executives in South Africa

Figures & data

Table 1. Coach profiles.

Coach profiles	Maryanne	Katie	Sarah	Ivey
Professional qualifications	Diploma in health and wellness	Master’s in clinical psychology	Honours in law	Masters in social science
Corporate background	Business owner for over 20 years	Worked in corporate as industrial psychologist, and organisational practitioner	Worked in corporate as a senior manager.	Worked in public sector for over 20 years as a manager and executive
Coaching qualifications	Accredited NLP master practitioner and neuro-semantic coach	Accredited narrative, neuro-semantic coach	Accredited results coach and neuro-semantic coach	Accredited NLP master practitioner and neuro-semantic coach
Coaching approaches	Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) and systemic coaching	Narrative, psychodynamic, person-centred, cognitive behavioural and NLP	Solution-focused/results coaching and NLP	Gestalt and NLP
Years of experience and hours as a coach	10 years and above More than 1 000 hours	5–10 years Average of 700 hours	1–3 years Below 500 hours	1–3 years Below 500 hours
Age group	Above 55	35–45	35–45	Above 55

Source: Data from enrolment forms.

Table 2. Coachee profiles.

Participant Pseudo names	Gender	Level of management	Years of experience as manager	Sector
Samuel	Male	Senior manager	11	Public finance
Jane	Female	Executive manager	17	Public finance
Ben	Male	CEO	20	Public health
Margareth	Female	Senior manager	11	Public health
Rob	Male	CEO	8	Regional hospital
Lynette	Female	Middle manager	5	Public finance
Maggie	Female	Executive manager	20+	Public finance
Marvin	Male	Senior manager	20+	Provincial health
Silvia	Female	Middle manager	8	Public education entity

Source: Data from enrolment forms.

Table 3. Coach competencies and behaviours.

Coach Competencies	Coach behaviours	Maryanne	Katie	Sarah	Ivey
A: Creating a safe environment	Ensures confidentiality	X	X	X	X
	Creates a safe space	X	X	X	X
	Builds a trusting relationship	X	X	X	X
	Showing respect towards the client	X	X	X	X
	Is fully present, without distractions	X	X	X	X
	Copies gestures/body language	X	X	X	X
	Uses verbal and non-verbal encouragers	X	X	X	X
	Is flexible and accommodating of client’s needs	X	X	X	X
B: Active listening and giving of feedback	Invites awareness	X	X	X	X
	Tracks the client’s use of language	X	X	X	X
	Tracks and comments on the client’s non-verbal gestures	X	X	X	X
	Tracks the client’s conversation and creates links during and between sessions	X	X	X	X
	Summarises key aspects of the conversation	X	X	X	X
	Gives feedback using the client’s language	X	X	X	X
	Listens without being judgemental	X	X	X	X
	Validates and affirms the client’s values, intentions, purpose, skills and other positive behaviours	X	X	X	X
C: Engaging and managing emotions	Acknowledges the client’s feelings and emotions	X	X	X	X
	Manages extreme emotional outbursts		X
	Manages the client’s mental and emotional states by shifting them to second observer position to induce a different state		X
D: Asking outcome-related questions	Asks outcome-related/-focused questions		X
	Asks clear questions		X
	Encourages the client to explore options		X
	Asks closed questions		X
	Asks probing questions		X
	Asks action-/application-related questions	X	X	X	X
	Asks meaning questions	X	X	X	X
	Asks intention-/purpose-related questions	X	X	X	X
E: Asking reflective questions	Asks meaningful questions	X	X	X	X
	Asks intention-/purpose-related questions	X	X	X	X
	Asks decision-related questions	X	X	X	X
	Asks permission-related questions		X	X	X
	Challenges assumptions, generalisations and distortions	X	X	X	X
	Challenges beliefs and values	X	X	X	X
	Frames the client to focus on the outcome	X	X	X	X
	Reframes in line with the outcome	X	X	X	X
	Uses metaphors to engage the client		X
F: Holding the client accountable	Engages the client in practical experiences during the session		X
	Assigns the client tasks at the end of a session	X	X	X	X
	Creates tasks together with the client	X	X	X	X
	Follows up on tasks allocated	X	X	X	X

Source: Video footage, transcripts of coaching conversations and post-coaching reflection.

Table 4. Comparison of coach competencies between ICF and findings from the study.

Competency Area	Coach Competency	Specific coach behaviours	to the role of coach behaviour in TL outcome
TLC # 1: A safe environment	ICF#3: Establishing trust and intimacy. TLC #1 Flexibility:	Assurance of confidentiality Ensuring a comfortable coaching space Being non-judgemental Being fully present by demonstrating acknowledgers verbal and non-verbal encouragers. Reading the context and responding to coachee needs as impacted by their context. Accommodating the needs of the client- flexibility with coaching outcomes, time scheduling, personal issues etc.	Increased opportunity for a trusting working relation Mitigating the effects of disorienting dilemma
TLC # 2: Supporting the coachee	ICF#5 Active listening ICF# 8: Creating awareness. TLC 2 # Giving feedback	Listens without being judgemental. Invites awareness of behaviour, values, beliefs and assumptions Tracks clients use language and non-verbal gestures. Summarises key aspects of the conversation and creates linkages within and between sessions. Validates and affirms client values, intentions, purpose, skills and other positive behaviours. Gives feedback using client’s language, and frames identified.	Creates self-awareness of behaviour and frames of mind, and builds a foundation for learning
TLC #3: Managing and engaging with emotions	ICF#4: Coaching presence TLC #3: Engaging & Manging emotions	Identifying emotions Acknowledging emotions Raising awareness of emotions Enabling client expressing emotions freely Embracing client emotions Asking questions about emotions Facilitate critical reflection and rational dialogue concerning emotions experienced.	Deepening critical reflection. Facilitating a shifting from negative to positive emotions to enable learning.
TLC #4:	ICF#6 powerful questions TLC#4 Outcome questions	Goal setting, clarity and probing questions Action and application related questions	Heightens vision and creates motivation. Shift clients form negative to positive emotions
TLC#5: Challenging the coachee	ICF#6 powerful questions TLC#5: Reflective questions	Meaning, intention, purpose, permission and decision questions Question that Challenge frames- values, beliefs, assumptions Framing and reframing questions	Shifting of frames and creation of new meaning perspective
TL #6: Accountability	ICF#9: designing actions. TLC#6: Holding client accountable	Question on actions steps needed as a result of coaching. Ensuring action steps are realistic, feasible, measurable and time bound. Checking on progress of tasks agreed on. Reflecting on learnings from session and from actions taken	Sustainable change in behaviour

Figure 1. How coach competencies and behaviours foster transformative learning.

Source: Author’s own compilation.