"Beyond the Eight Competencies: Coaching Needs a Theory of Change to Mature as a Discipline"

by  Wolfgang Hoffmann
Article for the future book: "Evidence-Based Coaching"

Summary

The provided text argues that the coaching profession must evolve beyond the  International Coaching Federation’s (ICF) competency model by adopting an explicit theory of change. While the author credits the ICF with successfully professionalizing the field through ethical standards and shared language, he contends that behavioral competencies alone do not account for the psychological mechanisms underlying human transformation.
To mature as a scientific discipline, coaching should integrate evidence-based methodologies and functional diagnostics that differentiate between various levels of cognitive and behavioral reorganization.
The essay proposes a conceptual architecture that links an object of study to theory, method, and technique, ensuring the practitioner’s actions are grounded in a verifiable logic.
Ultimately, the text advocates for a second-generation training model that blends professional skills with the science of learning to move from merely facilitating conversations to deeply understanding and predicting change.

Autor:  Wolfgang Hoffmann

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Author

Wolfgang Hoffmann