Evidence-Based Coaching

Edited by Michael Cavanagh, Anthony Grant & Travis Kemp

Michael Cavanagh, Anthony Grant & Travis Kemp

University of Sydney and University of South Australia



Coaching in its many forms is emerging as an exciting and important branch of positive psychology. Evidence-Based Coaching (Vol.1): Theory, Research and Practice From the Behavioural Sciences is a landmark in coaching publishing - a collection of 15 peer-reviewed chapters by leading writer-practitioners that places the practice of coaching in the context of up-to-the-minute theory and research. The book presents key presentations from the First Evidence-Based Coaching Conference, which took place in July 2003 at the University of Sydney, Australia. The aim of the conference was to provide an academically grounded forum that would foster the development of a broad, evidence-based knowledge foundation and facilitate an intelligent, open and informed dialogue between coaches.

The last 10 years have seen a rapid increase in interest in life coaching and in executive and workplace coaching. In the workplace, coaching is beginning to move from being the latest management fad to a mainstream component of organisation development and talent management. This growing popularity of coaching as a human and organisational change methodology carries with it enormous opportunities and challenges for those who deliver coaching services and coach training.
The term 'evidenced-based coaching' was coined by staff of the Coaching Psychology Unit of the University of Sydney to describe executive, personal and life coaching that goes beyond adaptations of the popular self-help or personal development genre, is purposefully grounded in the behavioural and social sciences and is unequivocally based on up-to-date scientific knowledge.

An excellent resource and guide for best practice, this book is essential reading for coaches, psychologists, managers and human resources specialists who wish to extend their theoretical and practical understanding of coaching in its various forms.

About the Author

Michael Cavanagh is both a coaching and clinical psychologist, and is Deputy Director of the Coaching Psychology Unit at the University of Sydney. He holds a Bachelor of Arts with a major in psychology with first class honours from the University of Sydney. He has recently completed the Doctor of Philosophy/Master of Clinical Psychology program at Macquarie University. Michael's background encompasses coaching and training in a wide variety of public and private enterprises, both in Australia and internationally. A registered psychologist, he has over 17 years' experience in facilitating personal, group and organisational change. His coaching practice and teaching emphasises the use of empirically validated techniques and draws on the cognitive-behavioural, solution-focused and systems approaches. Together with Tony Grant, Michael continues to develop and teach the world's first postgraduate degree program in coaching psychology at the University of Sydney. Anthony M. Grant is a coaching psychologist. He holds a Bachelor of Arts with a major in psychology with first class honours from the University of Sydney, a Master of Arts in behavioural science and a PhD in coaching psychology from the Department of Psychology at Macquarie University. Tony's background is most definitely grounded in the realities of the commercial world. Having left school at the age of 15, he completed his training as a carpenter, and then made a successful transition into direct sales and marketing before beginning tertiary studies and commencing a third career as a coaching psychologist. In January 2000, Tony established the Coaching Psychology Unit at the Department of Psychology in the University of Sydney - the first such unit in the world - where he is currently the director. A registered psychologist, Tony has over 15 years experience in facilitating individual and organisational change. The past six of those years have been exclusively focused on executive and quality-of-life coaching practice, and researching and developing empirically validated coaching strategies and models. Travis Kemp is the Managing Director of the Teleran Group and Adjunct Senior Lecturer in Management and Psychology at the University of South Australia, where he was previously Director of the Master of Business Administration program. Prior to this he held the position of Global Manager, Leadership Assessment with Electronic Data Systems Corporation (EDS). There he managed the globally dispersed EDS leadership coaching team and the multirater feedback process, working with leaders and executives in the US, Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. Travis has had a diverse career, beginning his professional life as a physical and outdoor education teacher before moving into adult education, training and development, management consulting, psychology, counselling and human resources. He has consulted in team, leadership and personal development to organisations. As an organisational and coaching psychologist, Travis also maintains his executive coaching practice with clients in the US, Asia and Australia.

About the Editors

Michael Cavanagh, Anthony Grant & Travis Kemp