Coaching has become a recognised, global profession established in a diverse range of organisations worldwide.

Research and evaluation of coaching programmes has been done and there are now many case studies describing the creation of coaching cultures in organisations.

The NHS and other healthcare providers are demonstrating that executive coaching can help people in times of turmoil, transition or professional development.

However, confusion still exists as to what a coach can offer and who is deemed to be coachable. This may be due to years of using external facilitators, business consultants and mentors and offering action learning sets, mentoring programmes and, for the higher echelons, executive coaching.

In a new series for Working Lives, executive coaches will offer their services to NHS managers. They will then review the sessions for HSJ, examining the topics covered and outlining the process and skills used in coaching, as well as the outcomes for each person.

Coaching is a journey of discovery and not always a simple goal-setting activity. It is used to facilitate self-reflection and to acknowledge and take responsibility for adopting change.

As the articles will show, coaching can help people who need to review their career, imbed learning, work more effectively or facilitate personal growth.

If you would like to take part in our coaching series, e-mail rebecca.allmark@emap.com

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