Each year Karl Corbett, Managing Partner of Sherpa Coaching undertakes a massive task- the Sherpa coaching survey. The 2012 survey of more than 1,000 coaches and purchasers of coaching services is the seventh annual survey. The survey provides extensive data on trends in coaching regarding certification, training, coaching delivery, who are the clients and more.

Here are some findings:

• 90% of human resources professionals see the value of coaching as high or very high.
• 80% see the value of coaching as high or very high.
• 30% of coaches followed a published “process”. Of those who follow a published practice, Sherpa Coaching and Coached Training Institute each constituted 20% of those coaches who employ a published process.

What is an important trend? Stated very articulately by Karl Corbett:

“Coaching isn’t exclusively one-on-one. Teams can be coached, too. The intent of team coaching is the same as with an individual: to guide the team to realizations about their behavior or performance, to enable them to make their own improvements and to make those changes sustainable over time.

Leading a program in coaching skills or a team coaching exercise is clearly not training. It is different from consulting. These programs place new demands on program leaders. These programs require new skills. The facilitator in these programs must truly be a coach. That is a much more intense, demanding role than that of a trainer.

As these programs become more common, we will have to address the same issues we do with individual coaching. Will facilitators use a published process? Will standards of practice emerge, or will team coaching and coaching skills be a ‘hit or miss’ proposition for many organizations?” – From the Sherpa Coaching Survey- http://www.sherpacoaching.com/pdf%20files/Survey-Executive-Coaching-2012.pdf

I have found this trend to be emerging in my own coaching practice. As organizations seek to extend the reach of coaching throughout their organizations they are finding that team coaching and team events are time and cost effective ways to change behavior for improved business results. Matrix Executive coaching would be pleased to discuss the needs of your team and deliver customized coaching for groups to your team- for an event or longer.