Context-Specific Coaching: The Case of Servant Leadership Coaching

Developing the coaching field requires evidence-based coaching (EBC) research that studies the phenomenon above and beyond theoretical conceptualizations and rooting the practice in theory. Accordingly, EBC research will move the coaching field into maturity and towards a professionalized industry (Stober & Grant, 2006).

The interdisciplinary domain of coaching means that any given coaching practice may be rooted in a multitude of behavioral or psychological theoretical frameworks. In the context of leadership coaching, it is important to ask: What type of leaders is this coaching aiming to develop? This question is rarely explicitly asked to clients within a leadership-development coaching engagement. Part of maintaining the client’s agenda, and evoking client’s awareness, also involves bringing to their attention the different leadership styles that a leader might intend for them to develop. For example, a leader may wish to become more of a servant leader, as is in the case of the research shared in this session.

In this session, we present findings from evidence-based research studying a context-specific coaching practice, known as “coaching for servant leadership development.” Given the context of servant leadership, we will also demonstrate how a particular leadership theory could shape and define a coaching approach that is unique to and intended for that specific leadership theory, such as in the case of servant leadership. The session will invite you to discuss your coaching experiences, drawing on context-specific instances of your coaching engagements while adhering to the ICF Code of Ethics, particularly client confidentiality and anonymity.