An action research inquiry into what goes on in coaching supervision to the end of enhancing the coaching profession

This Project Report is an exploration of coaching supervision. Coaching supervision is now being advocated by most coaching associations in the UK as a vital means to support executive coaches in their continuing professional development. There is still considerable scepticism, caution, even ignorance about the nature and purpose of coaching supervision and many coaches still do not engage in this process or practice. The aim of this research project is to explore what actually goes on in the coaching supervision process and sessions over a period of time. Taking a Participatory Action Research approach, the researcher aimed to engage with two groups of fellow practitioners, one group of coaches and one group of coaching supervisors, to explore the respective supervision experiences of the participants. The duration of the project was 18 months. Over the period of the programme, the researcher conducted several Action Research cycles of inquiry that included the following activities (1) participants engaged in their regular coaching supervision (2) in turn they kept reflective logs of their learning and sense-making (3) each group came together to share their experiences in meetings based on Action Learning Set format (Revans 1971). The final report in the form of this Project Report provides a record of the Project, the researcher’s deepening of her own practice, the experience and learning of the participants and the themes that emerged. It offers a fresh perspective with the Three Pillars that inform coaching supervision and its efficacy to support executive coaches to keep them fit for purpose.