Goal orientation in coaching differs according to region, experience, and education

Abstract

Goal-setting remains a largely unquestioned element of coaching practice. This study examined the goal orientation of 194 coaches in the U.S. and Europe. An analysis of survey results revealed differences according to region, coaching experience, and education. Specifically, coaches in the USA are more goal-oriented than European coaches, and those who have taken a long coaching course are more goal-oriented than those who have learned through experience alone. Goal orientation decreases for more experienced European coaches, but not for U.S. coaches. These findings provide researchers with a reliable measure of goal orientation, and raise questions for further research on goals in coaching.

Keywords

• goals
• goal setting
• SMART goals
• GROW model
• coaching