Abstract
Administrators in educational institutions and corporate America are seeking new opportunities to retain and motivate students and employees. Editors James P. Pappas and Jerry Jerman compiled eight scholarly research articles reviewing the theoretical foundations of coaching adults in different environments. Pappas and Jerman also provide a better understanding of how to utilize coaching strategies to support adult learner success and offer case studies to better demonstrate the discussed concepts.
This compilation reflects the findings from an initiative established by the University of Oklahoma Outreach program that afforded 20 staff members professional training on how to coach adults in educational institutions and workplace environments. This book provides theoretical and foundational support, based on a vast amount of research, to the concept of coaching in the workplace and in adult education. Although there is much information to be processed and gathered in the readings, the book design and presentation may make maintaining the reader’s interest difficult. The editors state on the back cover of the book they review coaching practices, “in the workplace, at executive levels, and in educational and nonprofit organizations.” Although these discussions are present in the text, the chapter organization does not follow the same order in which the topics are listed on the back cover.
The book begins with foundational concepts of executive and organizational coaching and concludes with future implications of the occupation. The eight chapters are as follows:
“The Emerging Field of Executive and Organizational Coaching: An Overview” written by Rachel Ciporen (Chapter 1);
“Development Coaching to Support the Transition to Self-Authorship” written by Carolyn Coughlin (Chapter 2);
“Coaching and Adult Learning: Theory and Practice” written by Elaine Cox (Chapter 3);
“Coaching as a Strategy for Helping Adults” written by Dorothy M. Wax and Judith Wertheim (Chapter 4);
“Coaching Adult Volunteers Through the Lifespan” written by Martha L. Banz (Chapter 5);
“Executive Coaching Practices in the Adult Workplace” written by Francine Campone (Chapter 6);
“Managerial Coaching” (Chapter 7); and
“The Future of Coaching Among Adult Populations” (Chapter 8).
Chapter 1 provides an overall view of executive and organizational coaching, including discussion about research on the topic. Ciporen’s views and insights create an overview for the rest of the volume. Chapters 2 and 3 suggest adult learning theories, such as andragogy and transformative learning, may be foundational in the concept of adult coaching. Throughout Chapter 2, Coughlin provides insight into the stages of adult development, developmental coaching, developmental habits of the mind, and valuable coaching practices. In addition to putting forward the notion that Knowles’ and Mezirow’s adult learning theories may be applied to coaching, Cox provides examples of adult students who fall into the various categories listed in Chapter 3.
Chapter 4 is directed more toward those interested in coaching adults in higher education. Wax and Wertheim suggest, in addition to course work, many adult students pursuing degrees face the difficulties of having families and demanding jobs. The authors conclude the chapter by discussing the skills adult learning coaches use, the needs for coaching, and the tools now available. Chapter 5 shifts the topic to discuss the possible coaching benefits organizations might recognize when seeking to retain volunteers. An interesting aspect of this chapter is the suggestion of universities providing coaching to alumni to promote sustainability of this group.
Chapters 6 and 7 shift the discussion from educational institutions to the workplace. Campone presents an encompassing view of executive coaching in Chapter 6. The author characterizes executive coaching, including principles and practices in the discussion. In Chapter 7, Brommelje narrows the workplace focus to that of managers and supervisors. After introducing the reader to the literature on this concept, the author explains the importance of servant leadership within an organization. Brommelje closes with coaching tools he deems successful.
Pappas and Jerman conclude the volume with Chapter 8, which is a review of the concepts previously discussed. The authors also remind readers there is much more research and case research to conduct on this topic. As the demands of educational pursuits, workplace requirements, and supervisory roles continue to evolve, so must the coaching field.