lessons learned from matching coaches to coachees- a south african context

Lessons learned from matching coaches to coachees- South

African contextMongezi C. Makhalima

Willem De Jager

Introduction

• To share the patterns that emerge on what the

coachee takes into consideration in choosing a coach

• To explore possible explanations for these patterns,

working with relevant I-O underpinnings

• To discuss possible ways of working with coach-

coachee matching in executive coaching projects

Methodology

• Work-based research studyo Has academic research underpinnings

o But real life work-based data and

• Simple random sampling, no replacemento Random coaches and their coachees

o 50% coaches to coachees- distribution

o But then coaches are people too!

o The small sample is 47 people in a survey, and 94 coaches matched with 429 executive coachees from 2008 – 2010 in a coaching practice

• The use of a systems psychodynamic model in group coaching supervision sessions

Gender Distribution

1. What is your gender?

Male (46.2%)

Female (53.8%)

1. What is your gender?

Male (60.0%)

Female (40.0%)

Age Distribution

2. Which age age range are you?

Percent

56 or older

46-55

36-45

26-35

18-25

Under 18

0 20 40 60 80

2. Which age age range are you?

Percent

56 or older

46-55

36-45

26-35

18-25

Under 18

0 10 20 30 40

Race Distribution

3. Which race group are you?

Percent

Other

Indian

Coloured

Caucasian

African

0 10 20 30 40 50

3. Which race group are you?

Percent

Other

Indian

Coloured

Caucasian

African

0 20 40 60 80 100

How many selected own coaches?7. Did you choose your own

coach?

Percent

No

Yes

0 20 40 60 80

7. Did you choose your owncoach?

Percent

No

Yes

0 20 40 60 80

Is it important to choose a coach?

9. Was it or is it important for youto choose your own coach?

Percent

No

Yes

0 20 40 60 80

9. Was it or is it important for youto choose your own coach?

Percent

No

Yes

0 20 40 60 80 100

Add company

logo hereThose who selected own

coach are happy7. Did you choose your own coach? - By -11.How would you describe your coaching

Great! Couldn'thave asked fora better coach

Okay- But imsure i can dobetter

Percent

No

Yes

0 20 40 60 80

7. Did you choose your own coach? - By -11.How would you describe your coaching

Great! Couldn'thave asked fora better coach

Okay- But imsure i can dobetter

Terrible! I'mthinking ofchangingcoaches

Percent

No

Yes

0 10 20 30 40

Is Age important?

12.I prefer that my coach is....

Percent

The age of my coach is not important at all

Older than me

Younger than me

Same age as me

0 10 20 30 40 50


Percent

The age of my coach is not important at all

Older than me

Younger than me

Same age as me

0 20 40 60 80

Is Race Important?


Percent

Any race

Different race group from me

The same race group as me

0 20 40 60 80


Percent

Any race

Different race group from me

The same race group as me

0 20 40 60 80

Is Gender important?


Percent

Any gender

Different gender from me

The same gender as me

0 20 40 60 80


Percent

Any gender

Different gender from me

The same gender as me

0 20 40 60 80

Is Language important?

15.I prefer that my coach speaksthe same language as me

Percent

False

True

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

15.I prefer that my coach speaksthe same language as me

Percent

False

True

0 20 40 60 80

Does age preference differ by age?

2. Which age age range are you? - By- 12.I prefer that my coach is....

Same age asme

Older than me

The age of mycoach is notimportant at all

Percent

46-55

36-45

26-35

18-25

0 5 10 15 20 25

The older the coachees, the less important the race preference


The same racegroup as me

Different racegroup from me

Any race

Percent

46-55

36-45

26-35

18-25

0 5 10 15 20 25 30

Gender is more important for mid-age than older coachees


The samegender as me

Differentgender fromme

Any gender

Percent

46-55

36-45

26-35

18-25

0 5 10 15 20 25 30

Does language preference vary for people of different ages?

2. Which age age range are you? - By - 15.Iprefer that my coach speaks the same

True

False

Percent

46-55

36-45

26-35

18-25

0 5 10 15 20 25

Does language preference differ by gender?

1. What is your gender? - By - 15.I prefer thatmy coach speaks the same languag

True

False

Percent

0

10

20

30

40

Male Female

Gender to gender preference

1. What is your gender? - By - 14.Iprefer that my coach is....



Any gender

Percent

0

10

20

30

40

50

Male Female

Is there variation between men & women for race preference?

1. What is your gender? - By - 13.Iprefer that my coach is....



Any race

Percent

0

10

20

30

40

50

Male Female

How does age preference differ for different race groups?

3. Which race group are you? - By- 12.I prefer that my coach is....

Same age asme

Older than me

The age of mycoach is notimportant at all

Percent

Indian

Coloured

Caucasian

African

0 10 20 30 40

Does race preference differ per race group?




Any race

Percent

Indian

Coloured

Caucasian

African

0 10 20 30 40

How does gender stand for different races?




Any gender

Percent

Indian

Coloured

Caucasian

African

0 10 20 30 40

Is there a difference in Language preference for different races?

3. Which race group are you? - By - 15.I preferthat my coach speaks the same la

True

False

Percent

Indian

Coloured

Caucasian

African

0 10 20 30 40

What do coaching clients prioritise?Comparative research

• Credentials o Some form of training/Graduate Training in Psychology (Aus)

o Understanding of Business

o Reputation as a coach

• Personal Characteristicso Ability to form a strong working alliance/relationship

o Professionalism

o Use of clear and sound methodology

• Indicators of successo Behaviour change

o Increased awareness

o Improved leadership

Executive Coaching: An Outcome Study. Consulting Psychology Journal:

Practice and Research, Vol. 55, No2, 94-106

Race and gender distribution of a coaching practice as a coaching service provider?

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

1.2

Black Male

Race and gender distribution of coaching panel

53%

26%

5.3%3.2% 1% 3.2% 4.2%

Qualified coaches with a 12 month accredited and certified executive coaching qualification with 3- 5

years experience. Psychologists and /or leaders with business experience

Matching dynamics in practice in government, and public and private sectors?

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Black Male Black Female White Male White Female

Indian Male Indian Female

Coloured Male

Coloured Female

Coachee selection dynamics by race and gender

Black Male

Black Female

White Male

White Female

Indian Male

Indian Female

Coloured Male

Coloured Female

Executive

coaching panel

Summary of survey results

• A significant portion of participants preferred to select their own coaches

• The age of the coach is relatively important in the selection of the coach, especially in cases where the coach is older or same age as coachee

• Race is not a "conscious" factor in selection, however the research on the actual selection shows the unconscious elements in the selection of the coach (is this TRUE?)

• Gender does not seem to be of importance to the coachees, at least at a conscious level

Summary of survey results

• The language capability of the coach appears to be of importance

• The attributes of the coach as well as their experience seem to be more important than their qualifications in the selection process

• The process of matching is just as important in maximising proper selection, including escape clauses upfront

• Financial implications of the coaching relationships were interestingly highlighted by only 9% of the participating coachees

Summary of an actual practice matching results

• Black male and female coachees choose white male coaches, then black male coaches

• White male and female coachees select white male coaches, then black female, and white females coaches

• Indian females coachees select white female coaches

• Coloured males and females coachees select white male coaches

Practical application?

• Allow the coachees to select their own coaches

• Give coachees a variety in terms of race, age, gender andlanguages

• Create a matching process such that the coachee is exposed tothe skills, knowledge and attributes of the coach

• Frame the matching process properly, looking at factors ofpurpose, process and place

• Coaches should highlight their commercial skills experience andattributes more than just focus on the qualification

Working with systems psycho-dynamics in coach supervisions sessions –A case study

• There are many different ways to coaching and coach supervision

• This coach supervision approach has grown out of systemic andpsychoanalytic psychological paradigms with the following theories:

o Systems-psychodynamic theory, and

o Attachment theory

• The elements that are examined in coach supervision sessions are:

o The coach in role,

Meta Model: Understanding the issues that comes about through the client in role in his/her organisational context

Multi-Organisational Systems Social

Dynamics

Client Task and Role

Clarification

Overall Project Primary Task with Historical Context

Systems Psychodynamics and Attachment Theory


• South Africa is experiencing a crisis in the Orphan and Vulnerable ChildrenSector (OVC)

• During 2010, an estimated 15.7 million children – 30 per cent of the 53 millionanticipated orphans from all causes in sub-Saharan Africa – will have lost atleast one parent due to AIDS. Even where HIV prevalence stabilizes or beginsto decline, the number of orphans will continue to grow or at least remainhigh for years, reflecting the time lag between HIV infection and death


• A cross-sector collaboration initiative was launched during 2008 betweenGovernment (Department of Social Services, Business, Donors and NGOs)to collaboratively work on the Primary Task of systemic problem solvingand innovations to address the OVC crisis in SA

• Since 2008 Fellows were nominated form the different sectors to work atthe Primary Task of “systemic problem solving and innovations to addressthe OVC crisis in SA”

• The total Fellowship now stand at 90 Fellows working on the Primary Taskwith 15 Coaches taking the role of Executive Coach for Fellows to performthe primary task of the OVC Project


• Fellows attend Group Coaching Sessions, Systemic Problem Solving andInnovation Teams Workshops – Retreats and receives face-to-face ANDgroup coaching

• The Primary Task of the Coaching is to assist Fellows to perform thePrimary Task of the OVC Project. Fellows also take roles in their employingorganisations

• Multiple service providers (SP) work on the primary task of the Project

o The OVC Project SP, Executive coaching SP, Retreat Facilitation SP,Bridging Leadership Development (Cross Sector Collaboration) SP,Research and Development SP


• Attachment Systems Psychodynamics in the OVC Sector:

o Feelings of detachment

o Feelings of negligence

o Feelings of rejection

o Feelings of discrimination

• Depressive symptoms:

o Loss of confidence in people

o Feelings that life is meaningless

o Loss in faith of God

• During the 2008 and 2009 Group Coaching Supervision Sessions Coachesdemonstrated the symptoms of Fellows and Children in the OVC sector as aresult of transference:

o Coaches experienced feelings of rejection by Fellows, Fellows did notanswer phone calls and emails to make appointments as a result of theirdetachment from the project

o Coaches experienced feelings of detachment from the Project and Fellows.Could not cope with multiple roles and diary management

o Coaches experienced feelings of abandonment by the Fellows

o During group supervision sessions coaches demonstrated depressiveSymptoms in their feelings of grief through a loss of confidence andmeaningless in the strategic aims of the Project



• During the 2008 the OVC Project Service Providers MIRRORED what washappening between the different Sectors work in the OVC Sector

o Government Departments were unapproachable

o NGOs were in the field without money

o Business were too busy to engage with field work

o Donors had money available but no meaningful projects to invest in

• All the above Sector specific behaviours were evident of DETACHMENT

• The different Service Providers behavior was also evident and MIRROREDDETACHMENT from the OVC Project Primary Task

Systems Psychodynamics and Attachment Theory: Transference

• Transference is seen in many forms such as rage, hatred, mistrust,parentification, extreme dependence

• When Freud initially encountered transference in his therapy with clients,he felt it was an obstacle to treatment success

• What he learned was that the analysis of the transference was actually thework that needed to be done

• In a large part, the therapist and client recognizing the transferencerelationship and exploring what the meaning of the relationship is

• Because the transference between patient and therapist happens on anunconscious level, psychodynamic therapists who are largely concernedwith a patient's unconscious material use the transference to revealunresolved conflicts patients have with figures from their childhoods

Systems Psychodynamics and Attachment Theory: Counter - Transference

• Counter transference is defined as redirection of a therapist's feelingstoward a client, or more generally as a therapist's emotionalentanglement with a client

• A coaches' attunement to their own counter transference is nearly ascritical as understanding the transference

• Not only does this help the coaches regulate their emotions in thecoaching relationship, but it also gives the therapist valuable insight intowhat the client is attempting to elicit in them

Systems Psychodynamics and Attachment Theory: Counter - Transference

The primary task during group supervision

• The symptoms of OVC were firstly isolated and worked with in GroupSupervision. The effects of TRANSFERENCE AND COUNTERTRANSFERENCEwere worked with and made conscious to the group of coaches so thatcoaches could start managing the boundary between the Self and theOther in this coaching assignment

• Coaches refocused on working on the Primary Task of the OVC Project andwere then able to demonstrate successful results during 2008

• The unconscious MIRRORING that happened between the Sector Playersand the OVC Project Service Providers were made conscious and siloswere broken effectively.