Catherine Carr (British Columbia Public Service Agency) Lily Seto (British Columbia Public Service Agency)
The purpose of this action research project is to understand how a coach’s own cultural lens impacts his/her coaching. Fourteen internal coaches from a government human resources organization in British Columbia were introduced to Rosinski’s Cultural Orientations Framework (COF) through education and self-assessment. Coaches wrote accounts on the role culture played within successful and less successful coaching sessions. Six themes were identified: culture is complex; awareness of the culture of the coaching profession; cultural awareness affects coaching outcomes; similar coachclient orientations makes for more comfortable coaching; the challenge of adapting to the client’s orientation; and leveraging possibilities through different orientations.
cultural orientations framework, coaching, action research, coach awareness, internal coaching, coach training, government
Published online: August 2013
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