Resources
Understanding Coaching:
A clear starting point from the field's leading professional body, on what coaching actually involves and how it differs from advice-giving.
International Coaching Federation (ICF)
A practical rundown of what people commonly gain from coaching, drawn from ICF's ongoing research into client outcomes.
International Coaching Federation (ICF)
What the Research Says:
One of the more rigorous studies on coaching's effectiveness, limited to controlled trials and finding a meaningful, positive effect across leadership and personal outcomes.
de Haan & Nilsson, Academy of Management Learning & Education (2023)
A broad synthesis of the coaching research to date, concluding that workplace coaching produces a consistent, moderate positive effect while noting where the evidence base still has limits.
Cannon-Bowers et al., Frontiers in Psychology (2023)
Recent research pointing to actionable planning, turning a conversation into a clear next step, as one of the strongest ingredients in coaching that actually works.
American Psychological Association (2026)