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Language plays a complex role in coaching, facilitating communication, comprehension and meaning construction. Yet, the implications of coaching in a non-native language are uncertain and under-researched. This study explores the role of non-native language (NNL) in dyadic workplace coaching practice. Specifically, it explores how working in a NNL influences the coaching experience from the coach’s perspective.

A qualitative approach was chosen to explore the way coaches view coaching in a NNL. Twenty-three semi-structured interviews were conducted with coaches experienced in coaching in NNL. Reflexive thematic analysis (RTA) was applied for data analysis.

NNL coaching presents a paradoxical mix of negative and positive tensions for the coach and coachee in communication, relationship and insight. NNL coaching is nuanced and may be accommodated using coaching competencies to mitigate the potential for misunderstanding and relationship rupture. It offers alternative perspectives to existing worldviews, eliciting deeper insights. Coaches’ confidence in coaching in a NNL varies from a challenging struggle that perceptually hinders performance, through ambivalence, to a sense of greater resourcefulness.

The study contributes to the stream of literature on language in international business, sociolinguistic research and how meaning is constructed in a coaching process. First, the work develops a distinction between coaching in a native language (NL) and a NNL. Second, study results indicate that the context of NNL creates challenges as well as opportunities in a dyadic coaching process, particularly regarding aspects of the coach–coachee relationship and insight elicitation via alternative perspectives. Moreover, several practical implications of the study for the coaching practice are discussed.

Coaching networks have been implemented in some Canadian companies as a way of building personal innovation and creativity. The authors describe how such a network can be developed using just‐in‐time adult education principles, within an interpretive paradigm. Dialogue and conversation through coaching are used as a potential vehicle to bring about both individual and organizational transformation. Program participants value the network in terms of the opportunity both to learn new and useful skills for the workplace, and the opportunity to build self‐confidence through relationships with others in the organization. Key issues for the authors include the need to build in‐house expertise, ownership of the program, and the amount of structure necessary to maintain program integrity yet still permit maximum creativity on the part of participants.

In this paper, we provide a brief understanding of the field of managerial coaching, specifically, offering insights on what has been studied and ideas on where the field can move forward.

We review managerial coaching research, focusing in particular on its consequences and determinants. Based on the review, we uncover three areas that will help advance the development of managerial coaching research.

Our review indicates that both individual and contextual factors influence managerial coaching. Managerial coaching is beneficial not only for employees but also for managers who engage in coaching and the teams they manage. Despite the overwhelmingly positive view of managerial coaching, emerging research addresses the detrimental effects of coaching on managers who engage in coaching. We call on researchers to undertake more work on the factors that reduce managers’ inclination to coach, dark side outcomes of coaching, and role of individual and contextual factors in influencing the effects of coaching.

By reviewing extant managerial coaching research as well as suggesting fruitful avenues for researchers to explore, this paper serves as a useful guide for scholars interested in contributing to the emerging body of research on managerial coaching.

The aim of this study is to analyse the experiences of student teachers and mentors regarding in‐service teacher‐training or the “Learning in the Workplace Trajectory” (LIW) in Flemish secondary schools. How is this trajectory perceived by mentors and student teachers, i.e. do their individual expectations and capacities match with the formal guidelines implemented by the teacher‐training institutes (and how)?

This study investigates the LIW trajectory on a pragmatic level, using qualitative research methods such as semi‐structured interviews. The focus of this study is twofold: coaching during the LIW trajectory and evaluation during and at the end of the LIW trajectory.

The majority of the respondents (mentors and student teachers) indicated that adequate communication and partnership between school and teacher‐training institute (on both organizational and individual level) is essential for a successful trajectory. The challenges which both organizations have to face in order to establish an effective partnership and to effectively guide future student teachers towards their future profession, were made transparent: invest in intensive coaching and install structural involvement of both school and institute during the trajectory.

This study was limited to a qualitative methodology and therefore has very few universal implications. Furthermore, this study originated from a practical point‐of‐view, with no interest in finding new theoretical insights on workplace learning.

This study shows that without sufficient financial and structural support from the government, schools and teacher‐training institutes are left facing the challenges (finding ways to invest in and increase coaching the LIW student teachers and structural involvement in the organization of the LIW trajectory of schools) on their own.

This study aimed to highlight the perspective of student teachers and mentors – in other words to see this “Learning in the Workplace Trajectory” through their experience, as they experience(d) it in order to get a look inside the daily practice of both LIW students and mentors during coaching and evaluation.

This study sought to identify those approaches used by coaches that enable teachers' moral learning in professional learning communities (PLCs). Coaches who support moral learning focus on questioning values, beliefs and bias, which is in contrast with learning only (new) knowledge or skills.

This was an exploratory case study. Eleven meetings of three PLCs were observed; each PLC consisted of four teachers and one teacher–coach. Semi-structured interviews with the coaches were conducted to gain information about their approaches. Data were analysed using supportive coaching approaches derived from educational literature.

In total, 14 specific approaches regarding the support given by coaches for teachers' moral learning were identified. Four characteristics of coaches' attitudes that guided their approaches and seemed valuable in supporting moral learning were also identified. The findings showed the tensions the coaches encountered – for example, when balancing between offering a safe environment and encouraging critical reflection.

With coaches' support, teachers can develop a more thoughtful understanding of the meaning of values, beliefs and bias for their actions in teaching practice.

Making explicit, and exploring precisely, what coaches do to support teachers' moral learning are useful for designing and improving professional development programmes that promote moral learning.

The research reported in this paper outlines how coaches can encourage teachers' awareness of the impact of their actions on pupils, which, in turn, helps teachers to meet the complex moral challenges of their practice.

This paper seeks to provide readers with a better understanding of four theory models that inform coaching practice, and to reflect on how the theoretical approach that one adopts is likely to shape one's coaching practice.

This article is based on the authors' combined 30 years of experience as internal and external executive coaches. Organizational examples are provided to illustrate key concepts.

The authors conclude that, although coaches tend to be eclectic in the methods that they employ, they tend to center their craft on one of four prevailing coaching models: the clinical model, the behavioral model, the systems model, and the social constructionist model. These models inform the practice and shape the approaches that OD practitioners take in directing coaching assessments and interventions.

This article serves as a “think piece” to help OD practitioners understand the theoretical assumptions, constraints, and caveats that are associated with each model. The authors strongly believe that having this knowledge enables practitioners to introduce a higher level of discipline and effectiveness into the coaching process.

This article represents a unique attempt to bridge theory and practice by encouraging readers to reflect on how each individual's practice is developed from, and informed by, a particular theory position. It represents one of the few papers that have tackled this particular management development topic.

Coaching in higher education has become increasingly common across the United States. Our qualitative study explores the perceptions of coaches and advisors, as they consider academic coaching as a role distinct from academic advising.

Our study adopts a qualitative research approach. Two focus groups were conducted with 14 coaching and academic advising professionals.

Our findings identify at least three major themes when considering academic coaching as a role distinct from academic advising: (1) Potential role overlap, (2) Caseload disparities and (3) Philosophical differences. The indiscriminate use of the title of “coach” contributed to confusion, ambiguity and tension.

Without a clear understanding of the coach role as a distinct type of support in higher education, confusion and ambiguity are likely to continue.

No studies have explored the perceptions of coaches and advisors, as they consider academic coaching as a role distinct in the United States.

The present study aims to conduct a critical review of an existing set of practices within the Maltese public sector.

This study is based on interpretivism (people-centred approach) embedded in a pragmatic research paradigm (the use of mixed methods).

Misconceptions about the role and practice of executive coaching in Malta relates to the similar roles ascribed to mentoring, supervision, therapy, consultation, coaching, audit and watchdog under the misnomer of “coaching”.

The main contribution of this research is to the community of professional practitioners as well as to the Maltese central government to improve managerial effectiveness in the Maltese public sector with several endorsed policy-level recommendations presented in the study.

The results suggest a restructuring of a well-defined, structures, systems and dynamics within the Maltese public administration, the ability by senior management including senior public officers (SPOs) to recognise high-potential talents, the need to expand leadership capacity, the establishment of a professional coaching body and a national coaching network framework.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study that investigates the role and impact of executive coaching in the Maltese public sector using quantitative and qualitative empirical data.