Henley coaching: A triple winner

Over the past year, the Henley Centre for Coaching has undergone a period of significant transition. Having led the way in coach training over the past ten years, training over 2,500 people, the continued changes in the coaching market alongside developments in technology called for a review of what we teach and how we teach it. At the heart of these changes has been a desire to create a ‘10 out of 10’ learning experience for our students, with cutting-edge content and external quality recognition.

The review of the Professional Certificate in Executive Coaching (PCEC) has seen an additional classroom day added, alongside the provision of online mentor coaching and coaching supervision sessions. In addition, a wealth of material has been added to a new digital learning platform (Canvas) that supports student learning between workshop sessions.

The key changes, however, have been to learning content, through the introduction of coach competences, both in the classroom and in the assessment process. These have seen a greater focus on contracting, ethics and core coaching skills, such as questioning, active listening, summarising and reflecting.

As a global business school, we recognise the diversity among our student population. As a result, rather than seeking accreditation from only one professional body, we committed ourselves to the ultimate challenge of achieving accreditation from all three global coaching federations bodies: the International Coach Federation (ICF), European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC) and the Association for Coaching (AC). The last of these was achieved in September 2018, with the launch of our triple-accredited PCEC programme.

Following the introduction of the ICF accreditation, student demand has led us to negotiate and agree a unique arrangement with the ICF to recognise previous students who have completed the PCEC. This requires a small additional top-up programme, to ensure the ICF competences have been fully covered, as well as the provision of mentor coaching. By completing a two-day programme and some further online training, PCEC alumni can now secure the coach training element that is required as part of the professional accreditation process with the ICF.

In addition to the changes to the PCEC, the Coaching Centre team have been making changes in a number of other areas too. First, refining and developing the MSc in Coaching & Behavioural Change, to further strengthen its research focus. Second, developing a new Professional Certificate in Supervision, which will launch in spring 2019, in partnership with three leading members of the former Bath Consulting Group: Peter Hawkins, Nick Smith and Gil Schwenk; plus two well know coach-supervisors; Eve Turner and Jonathan Passmore. And, third, providing doctoral-level coaching study, for those wishing to continue after their MSc.

The team has also been busy on the provision of continuous professional development. In 2018, we introduced complimentary monthly coaching webinars, coach networking events and coaching journals – all as part of the membership subscription of £45 for coaching alumni. The development will be continuing in 2019 too, as we will be introducing a new videocast, In Conversation; and members will also be given free access to our digital subscription of Coaching at Work.

While this change programme positions Henley once again as a leader in coach development and research, we do not intend to stop and sit back. Instead, we have plans to give Coaching Centre members new ways to stay ahead in the fast-paced coaching market, while our team continues to write, research and publish, ensuring that Henley is the place where business comes to life.