When Eefje Rondeel, who has a doctorate in psychology, did a coaching course, she was initially skeptical. After completing her doctorate, she worked in a human resources department. “Everyone there had to take part in a coaching course in order to be able to coach management within the organization,” she reports. In the coaching literature she found many books of dubious scientific quality. Today she no longer works as a coach, but wants to put coaching on a scientific footing. On behalf of the Dutch Chamber of Professional Coaches, she researches what makes good coaching. With the social psychologist Pieternel Dijkstra she wrote a book about “evidence-based coaching”.
“Spektrum.de”: Mrs. Dr. Rondeel, what is evidence-based coaching?
Eefje Rondeel: The term “evidence-based” comes from medicine and means that when choosing a medical treatment, the best available evidence should be used. This idea is transferred to coaching. It is about using the best available information from research and practice when coaching. It’s often said that evidence-based work is all about science, but that’s not true. It is about the combination of science and practical experience. To do this, a coach must remain critical of his methods and of himself.
What is such a critical attitude?
© Mireille van Bragt; kindly requested by Eefje Rondeel (detail)
Eefje Rondeel | The psychologist received her PhD from the Radboud University in Nijmegen (Netherlands) on decision-making. She is currently investigating which factors are effective in coaching on behalf of the Dutch Chamber of Professional Coaches.
A coach should not simply use a method that he likes, but should delve into his field and the underlying theoretical basis. A critical attitude also requires dealing intensively with one’s own development, going into supervision and intervision, i.e. discussing one’s own cases with a supervisor or with colleagues. So it is very important to reflect on your own work. It is also necessary to assess whether the methods used are effective. All of this takes time and is often underestimated. Coaches are often experts from their own experience. You have already experienced a lot privately or professionally, so you look for a coach and then feel called to coach yourself. This is not fundamentally wrong, but it requires good training and dealing with what coaching actually means. Some people call themselves coaches too easily.