The Psychology of Coaching, Mentoring and Learning, 2nd Edition

Foreword to the First Edition

Stephen Palmer

The psychology of coaching, mentoring and learning is an exciting and rapidly expanding area. However, psychology’s contribution to particular fields is often overlooked; and the field of coaching and mentoring is no exception. For example, many coaching courses teach students how to coach by using a basic model or structure on how to hold a conversation with a client. One example is the GROW model, the name of which is a useful acronym standing for Growth, Reality, Options and Will (or wrap-up). In addition, courses usually include a range of listening and communication skills. Yet the whole programme is often taught within a psychological vacuum, as little or no psychological theory or research is covered that underpins coaching practice. We could conclude that most coaching practice is belief-based. Brent Rushall at San Diego State University describes belief-based coaching as

a common and traditional form of coaching. Its guides for practices are usually a mix of personal experiences, some limited education about sport sciences, selected incomplete knowledge of current coaching practices, and self-belief in that how coaching is conduc­ted is right. Changes in coaching practices occur through self-selection of activities. The accumulated knowledge of belief-based coaching is subjective, biased, unstructured, and mostly lacking in accountability. Belief-based coaching also includes pseudo-scientific coaching. Pseudo-scientists attempt ...