Future trends in coaching: Results from a global coach survey, 2021

Abstract

This paper presents the results from a global survey of 1200 coaches undertaken in Summer 2021, as the world emerged from global locksdowns and the 18 months of the Covid-19 pandemic. The survey gathered data on the make-up of the global coach community, including biographical data on national residence, gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation and disability. Secondly the research explored attitudes towards future trends. The findings indicate that, while the coaching industry is over-represented by female coaches when compared to the global population, it is broadly representative in terms of sexual orientation, while BIPOC coaches are under-represented. Further, the research confirmed that during 2020 coaches shifted their practices online, that most coaches see benefits for themselves and their clients and are likely to continue with online coaching. At the same time coaches are skeptical about the role of AI in coaching, while there are national differences about the importance of supervision as a reflective tool.