Evidence Is a Verb: A Relational Approach to Knowledge and Mastery in Coaching

D Drake International Journal of Evidence Based Coaching and Mentoring 2009

This article provides a fresh look at the evidential needs in coaching by outlining important principles for the bases of evidence-based practice, the nature of evidence itself, the links between research and practice, the uses of evidence, the politics of evidence and the implications of evidence as a basis for coaching. The aim is to enhance our understanding of the “black box” of coaching, the body of knowledge specific to and foundational for coaching, and the development of shared guidelines for the use of evidence in coaching. Two models are introduced to support a new and relational view of evidence: one that identifies four domains of knowledge as the basis for mastery in coaching and the other that articulates a need for artistry as a way to draw on these domains in working with clients. Examples are offered to illustrate many of the key points and the article concludes with a vision for the future of evidence in coaching.