Coaching and Mentoring with Metaphor

Abstract

This conceptual study explores the effective use of metaphor in coaching and mentoring from literature evidence within the helping professions using a combination of three linked qualitative techniques: (i) a thematic network analysis to organise the coded data; (ii) a qualitative meta-synthesis to synthesise new understandings from the network data; and (iii) a critical realist analysis to enable development of a model for practical metaphor use. Qualitative Meta-synthesis inferred seven highly desired outcomes were important aspects of coaching and mentoring when using metaphor; these were formed from higher-order combinations (syntheses) of themes and codes. Critical realist analysis attempted to answer how these desired outcomes could possibly happen and proposed a model for metaphor-based coaching.

Keywords

• metaphor
• coaching
• mentoring
• thematic network analysis
• qualitative meta-synthesis
• critical realism