Impact of Intergenerational Patterns on Coaching Effectiveness

This exploratory study examined the influence of intergenerational family patterns and transgenerational transmissions on coaching effectiveness. It specifically focused on the potential impact of coaches’ intergenerational patterns on their countertransference risks and development of coaching resources. Fifteen executive coaches were socioanalytically interviewed with a focused genogram and a self-as-instrument approach to understand the impact of intergenerational patterns and underlying family dynamics on coaching effectiveness. Results indicated a relationship between these factors and coaching effectiveness. This was especially the case with regard to the development of functional and adaptive coping behaviour rather than transmitting dysfunctional, maladaptive behaviour only. Analysing and debriefing live coaching situations with a focus on potential countertransference reactions would further validate these findings in future research. Given the results of this study, it seems essential to integrate the reflection of intergenerational patterns and related countertransference risks into the training and supervision of coaches.

Developing Self-Awareness

Understanding the relationship between the particular and the general is pivotal to understand and bring about social change. In this chapter, the authors focus on the development of self-awareness and using “self as instrument of change.” They have evidenced that as people become aware of their self-transformation, their impetus to transform their most immediate community increases. Also, when the self-transformation of a community member is evidenced by the rest, that person is conceived as possessing a moral authority that legitimizes his or her role as a leader. In fact, when working in communities transitioning out of conflict, we need to be the best version of who we are so that we can relate with authenticity to develop trusting relationships. The authors draw from the concept of mystery included in the coordinated management of meaning (CMM) theory, as well as from Carol Dweck's discussion on the difference between growth mindset and fixed mindset.