Preprint Article Version 1 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

Beyond Coping and Adaptation: Towards a Sociology of Coaching. A Necessary Paradigm Shift to Address Contemporary Dramatic Social Change

Version 1 : Received: 28 February 2024 / Approved: 28 February 2024 / Online: 28 February 2024 (17:03:22 CET)

A peer-reviewed article of this Preprint also exists.

Stănciulescu, E. (2024). Beyond coping and adaptation: Toward a sociology of coaching. A necessary paradigm shift to address contemporary dramatic social change. Social Science Information, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/05390184241252770 Stănciulescu, E. (2024). Beyond coping and adaptation: Toward a sociology of coaching. A necessary paradigm shift to address contemporary dramatic social change. Social Science Information, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/05390184241252770

Abstract

This article discusses how, in today’s world of disruptive and dramatic social change (DSC), non-sports related coaching, which includes a wide range of services such as life coaching, career coaching, executive coaching, and team coaching, can inadvertently fuel undesirable social dynamics. There is little or no awareness of this risk among coaches and coachees. The global, fast-growing, multi-billion-dollar industry aimed at supporting people and organisations to perform better and increase wellbeing while managing and adapting to change has been developed with limited sociological input. The article is based on 15 years of social constructionist-informed reflective practice by a sociologist-turned-coach, and uses a multi-layered autoethnographic account to argue for a sociologically informed paradigm shift in coaching, as well as relevant sociological knowledge and social and human sciences research methodology in coaches’ education. It presents the rationale and key features of a new coaching approach that places DSC-relevant sociological concepts at the heart of the coaching process, helps people develop psycho-sociological awareness, and uses a learning-to-develop through research design. A new definition of coaching to address DSC is derived. Coaching practitioners will find DSC-relevant sociological concepts, critical reflections, coaching questions, and procedures to expand coaching effectiveness. Interdisciplinary research topics combining coaching sociology and coaching psychology are suggested.

Keywords

dramatic social change; coaching sociology; paradigm shift in coaching; ontological non-neutrality; no expert coachee; learning-to-develop through research; post-communist society

Subject

Social Sciences, Sociology

Comments (1)

Comment 1
Received: 5 April 2024
Commenter:
The commenter has declared there is no conflict of interests.
Comment: This paper was peer-reviewed by Social Science Information, a Sage journal, and accepted for publication "with two minor revisions". However, I have improved it considerably. I will let you know when the improved version is published in the journal.
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