Group Coaching: The New ‘Wild West of Coaching’?

Nacif’s paper (2023) examines group coaching as a promising yet underdeveloped field. Like the “Wild West,” the field is chaotic, largely unexplored and fraught with risk, yet immensely promising. Confusion in defining group coaching is evident as it’s often mixed with team coaching, with no consensus on its nature. Nacif proposes a clear definition: “a collaborative and time-limited small-group process in which a professionally trained coach uses coaching principles and approaches to work with a group of individuals on their own personal goals.” Research indicates significant benefits: scalability, cost-effectiveness, and promoting collective thinking. Groups of 7-10 participants are considered optimal, with 4-6 month programs proving most effective. Group dynamics serve as a catalyst for growth, enabling exploration of different perspectives and creating space for social acceptance and trust-building. Positive results were found in organizations (leadership development, increased self-awareness) and beyond (health, wellbeing, education). The researcher calls for recognition of group coaching as a field in its own right and for developing a stronger research and theoretical foundation.

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