Researching their own practice: the competencies required by practitioner researchers

Practitioner research has a specific role to play in the development of the coherent and robust body of knowledge required to underpin coaching as a professional practice. To date there is little literature concerned with the competencies required of practitioner researchers. This study engages in an initial exploration of these competencies through the consideration of a small case study and the use of grounded theory for data collection and analysis. The case is a community of practitioners brought together to undertake practitioner research as part of the Rainbow Convention, a coaching conference held in Cape Town in May 2011.