Coaching for creativity, imagination, and innovation

The Chartered Institute of Personal Development (CIPD) has acknowledged the rise of coaching, and has developed a set of standards to guide the coaching profession. The aim of this discussion paper is to explore the potential of creative coaching. What it could offer professional practitioners, and to investigate what professionals understand to be the components of creative coaching. In order, to reach conclusions and recommendations on how the professional coach can practically engage with creative coaching within existing coaching frameworks creatively. The research methodology supporting the investigation is evidence-based research, both quantitative and qualitative. This is based on conducting a questionnaire of Middlesex University Business School Master Business Administration and Human Resource professionals, and conducting a focus group with a group of Human Resource professionals studying developing individuals and teams, and the innovative practitioner. One-to-one creative coaching sessions with trainee coaches studying at the i-coach academy, and then a further in-depth case study with one of the trainee coaches using creative competencies. The objectives of the investigation are to ascertain: creative coaching goals and beliefs; expectations on the creative tools, techniques, and processes that could be used both individually and organisationally; qualities of a good creative coach; the outcomes and evaluation of the creative coaching relationship. A case for the contribution of creative coaching: to achieving goal-setting creatively; applying creative techniques within existing models of coaching; leaders as creative coaches; creative team coaching for organisational innovation has been made. Creative coaching based on an expertise in theories, processes, tools and techniques of creativity, as well as an understanding of adult education principles, and can make a valuable contribution in coaching training and educational programmes, as well practicing coaches