This paper describes a study of the development and implementation of a benchmarking methodology within a coaching community. It asks: how robust and valid was the process used to identify the key coaching skills and their specific behavioural indicators? It finds that the initial identification of core coach skills was driven by a literature review and by modelling based on Neuro-linguistic Programming (NLP). The ongoing collaborative testing and refinement of the benchmarking meets established criteria of valid action research. This approach to assessing coach competencies is based on making fine-grained behavioural distinctions, uses direct observation and is used both for training new coaches and maintaining practising coaches’ skills. Further research is needed with regard to inter-rater reliability, outcomes and coach supervision.
AminM.R. & AminN.A. (2003). Benchmarking learning outcomes of undergraduate business education. Benchmarking: An International Journal, 10(6), 538–558.
2.
BashookP.G. (2005). Best practices for assessing competence and performance of the behavioral health workforce. Administration and Policy in Mental Health, 32(5/6), 563–592.
3.
BurnsL. & GillonE. (2011). Developing a teaching agenda for coaching psychology in undergraduate programmes. The Coaching Psychologist, 7(2), 90–97.
4.
ButlerM.P., CassidyI., QuillinanB., FahyA., BradshawC., TuohyD. & TierneyC. (2011). Competency assessment methods - tools and processes: a survey of nurse preceptors in Ireland. Nurse Education in Practice, 11(5), 298–303.
5.
ChaboyerW., WillmanA., JohnsonP. & StockhausenL. (2004). Embedding evidence-based practice in a nursing curriculum: A benchmarking project. Nurse Education in Practice, 4(3), 216–223.
6.
CowanD., NormanI. and CoopamahV.P. (2007). Competence in nursing practice: a controversial concept - a focused review of literature. Nurse Education Today, 25(5), 355–362.
7.
DiltsR. (1998). Modeling with NLP, Capitola, CA: Meta Publications.
8.
DochyF., SegersM. & SluijsmansD. (1999). The use of self-, peer and co-assessment in higher education: A review. Studies in Higher Education, 24(3), 331–350.
9.
FossG.F., JankenJ.K., LangfordD.R. & PattonM.M. (2004). Using professional specialty competencies to guide course development. Journal of Nursing Education, 43(8), 368–375.
10.
FreireP. (1970). Pedagogy of the Oppressed. New York: Continuum Publishing.
11.
GallagherP., SmithT. & OuseyK. (2012). Problems with competence assessment as it applies to student nurses. Nurse Education in Practice, 12(6), 301–303.
12.
GallweyT. W. (1974). The Inner Game of Tennis, New York: Random House.
13.
GoboG. (2004). Sampling, representativeness and generalizability. In SealeC., GoboG., GubriumJ.F. & SilvermanD. (Eds.), Qualitative Research Practice (pp. 405–426). London, UK: Sage Publications.
14.
GrantA. (2011). Developing an agenda for teaching coaching psychology. International Coaching Psychology Review, 6(1), 84–99.
15.
GrantA. (2012). Australian coaches’ views on coaching supervision: A study with implications for Australian coach education, training and practice. International Journal of Evidence Based Coaching and Mentoring, 10(2), 17–33.
16.
GrantA. M. & CavanaghM. (2004). Toward a profession of coaching: Sixty-five years of progress and challenges for the future. International Journal of Evidence Based Coaching and Mentoring, 2(1), 1–16.
17.
GrantA.M. & CavanaghM.J. (2007). The goal-focused coaching skills questionnaire: Preliminary findings. Social Behaviour and Personality, 35(6), 751–760.
18.
GrantA.M., PassmoreJ., CavanaghM.J. & ParkerH. (2010). The state of play in coaching today: A review of the field. International Review of Industrial and Organisational Psychology, 25, 125–167.
19.
GriffithsK E. & CampbellM.A. (2008). Regulating the regulators: Paving the way for international, evidence-based coaching standards. International Journal of Evidence Based Coaching and Mentoring, 6(1), 19–31.
20.
GrinderJ. & McMasterM. (1993). Precision: A New Approach to Communication: How to get the information you need to get result. Scotts Valley, CA: Grinder DeLozier & Associates.
21.
HallL.M. (1995/2002). Meta-states: Managing the higher levels of your mind's reflexivity. Clifton CO: Neuro-Semantics Publications.
22.
HallL.M. (2009). Measuring the synergy of self-actualization. In HallL., Achieving peak performance (pp 255–276). Clifton CO, Neuro-Semantic Publications.
23.
HallL. M. (2010). The facilitation model. In HallL.M., Coaching conversations (3rd ed, Chapter 12). Clifton CO: Neuro-Semantics Publications.
24.
HallL. M. (2011). Benchmarking intangibles: The art of measuring quality, Clifton CO: Neuro-Semantics Publications.
25.
HallL. M. (2011a). Coaching Mastery: Module III of Meta-Coaching for ACMC Certification. Clifton CO: Neuro-Semantics Publications.
26.
HallL. M. (2011b). Replicating Excellence in Benchmarking. In Acuity (2), 54–59.
KellyM. J. (2004). Qualitative evaluation research. In SealeC., GoboG., GubriumJ.F. & SilvermanD. (Eds.), Qualitative research practice (pp. 463–477). London, UK: Sage Publications.
36.
KempT. (2011). Developing an agenda for teaching coaching psychology – invited responses. International Coaching Psychology Review, 6(1), 119–121.
37.
KhabiriM., SabbaghanS. & SabbaghanS. (2011). The relationship between peer assessment and the cognition hypothesis. English Language Teaching, 4(1), 214–223.
38.
LadkinD. (2004). Action research. In SealeC., GoboG., GubriumJ.F. & SilvermanD. (Eds.), Qualitative Research Practice (pp. 478–490). London, UK: Sage Publications.
39.
Linder-PelzS. (2013). Benchmarking coaches’ skills: Experiences of benchmarkers and of trainees being benchmarked. Current Research in NLP Vol 3, UK: ANLP International CIC.
40.
Linder-PelzS. (2010). NLP coaching: An evidence based approach, London, UK: Kogan Page Ltd.
41.
Linder-PelzS. & HallL. M. (2008). Meta-Coaching: A methodology grounded in psychological theory. International Journal of Evidence Based Coaching and Mentoring, 6(1), 43–56.
42.
LinleyP.A. (2006). Coaching research: who? what? where? when? why?. International Journal of Evidence Based Coaching and Mentoring, 4(2), 1–7.
43.
MaslowA. (1966). The psychology of science: A reconnaissance. New York: Harper & Row.
44.
MaslowA. (1968). Toward a psychology of being. New York: Van Nostrand.
45.
MezirowJ. (1978). Education for perspective transformation: Women's re-entry programs in community colleges. New York: Columbia University Center for Adult Education.
46.
OlianJ.D., DurhamC.C., KristofA.L., BrownK.G., PierceR.M. & KunderL. (1998). Designing management training and development for competitive advantage: Lessons from the best. Human Resource Planning, 21(1), 20–31.
47.
PassmoreJ. (2008). The character of workplace coaching: The implications for coaching training and practice. Stratford, UK: University of East London.
48.
PassmoreJ. & GibbsC. (2007). The state of executive coaching research: What does the current literature tell us and what's next for coaching research?International Coaching Psychology Review, 2(2), 116–128.
49.
PerosaL.M. & PerosaS.L. (2010). Assessing competencies in couples and family therapy counselling: A call to the profession. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 36(2), 126–143.
50.
ReynoldsM. & TrehanK. (2000). Assessment: A critical perspective. Studies in Higher Education, 25(3), 267–278.
51.
RodriguezD., PatelR., BrightA., GregoryD., & GowingM.K. (2002). Developing competency models to promote integrated human resource practices. Human Resource Management, 41(3), 309–324.
52.
RushS., FirthT., BurkeL. & Marks-MaranD. (2012). Implementation and evaluation of peer assessment of clinical skills for first year student nurses. Nurse Education in Practice, 12(4), 219–226.
53.
SmithT. F (2009). Going beyond competencies: An exploratory study in defining exemplary workplace learning and performance practitioners, Performance Improvement Quarterly, 22 (1), 27–51.
54.
VickermanP. (2009). Student perspectives on formative peer assessment: An attempt to deepen learning?Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, 34 (2), 221–230.
55.
VoorheesA.B. (2001). Creating and implementing competency based leaning models. In VoorheesR.A. (Ed.), Measuring what matters: Competency-based learning models in higher education (pp. 83–95). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
56.
VoorheesR. (2002). Defining and assessing learning: Exploring competency-based initiatives. Report of the national postsecondary education cooperative working group on competency-based initiatives in postsecondary education. Retrieved 26 January 2014 from http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2002/2002159.pdf
57.
WeeksP. (2000). Benchmarking in higher education: An Australian case study. Innovations in Education and Training International, 37(1), 59–67.
58.
WelshM. M. (2007). Engaging with peer assessment in post-registration nurse education. Nurse Education in Practice, 7 (2), 75–81.
