1 / 16

Oxford Brookes University10 th Annual Coaching & Mentoring Conference 16.1.14

From combat to civvy street: a strengths approach to transition coaching Alison Zarecky Transition Coaching. Oxford Brookes University10 th Annual Coaching & Mentoring Conference 16.1.14. Research problem and context. Transition to ‘civvy street’ difficult and complex (FiMT report 2013)

Download Presentation

Oxford Brookes University10 th Annual Coaching & Mentoring Conference 16.1.14

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. From combat to civvy street:a strengths approach to transition coachingAlison ZareckyTransition Coaching Oxford Brookes University10th Annual Coaching & Mentoring Conference 16.1.14

  2. Research problem and context • Transition to ‘civvy street’ difficult and complex (FiMT report 2013) • Skills and strengths not always obviously transferable • Limited resources – need for clarity & robust choices • Can strengths coaching offer a potential solution?

  3. Research question and aims How might a strengths coaching intervention be used to help transitioning military find direction? • Usability: easily identify strengths? • Engagement: reactions to tool • Effectiveness: was it useful in finding direction? • Transferability: blueprint for future coaching?

  4. Literature review

  5. Literature gap • Evidence that strengths identification & use increases both performance and well-being • No direct evidence linking this to direction, although some links to passions/interests • Little research into how strengths interventions work, or how to do them

  6. Methodology • Interpretivist-constructivist paradigm • Qualitative research – 6 transitioning military • Purposive heterogeneous sample • Action Research – 2 full cycles • Used 24 strengths cards based on the Values-In-Action Inventory (Peterson & Seligman, 2004)

  7. Methodology • Data collection: full transcripts, reflexive diary, observation, semi-structured questionnaires • Data trustworthiness: reflexive diary & critical friends • Thematic analysis to interpret data – amalgamation of inductive & deductive coding.

  8. Strengths as Springboard • Effective in eliciting narrative • Coming to terms with leaving the military and taking stock of present position • Effective in exploring identity • Reconciling authentic self and military self • Identifying authentic strengths and weaknesses - and accepting weaknesses

  9. “You’re given a job, and expected to perform against these standards. So after a few years – what really is me? You need to find yourself, get grounded. It’s where you start and stop, and where the military bit starts and stops.”

  10. Strengths as Compass • Generating a vision • Strengths insufficient on their own – required values and interests/passions discussions. • Exploring job fit • Useful start-point for job criteria. “I want to find out what it is I really enjoy and why, and I want to see if I can find another jobs that satisfies that.”

  11. Strengths as Tools • Using strengths with coaching goals • Most chose to work on weaknesses, and tune down strengths. “I find working on weakness more motivating. I find strengths comforting. Strengths make me think that I could get a job, but the weaknesses could be the reasons I may not get one, so knowing them and attacking them is a way to drive yourself forwards.”

  12. Strengths as Tools • Useful focus in job search process • Provided a language for communicating via CV, at interview or social media • Helped bridge the military-civilian language barrier “You’ve got to show that you’re commercially aware, and explain military to non-military. If they ask you about leading a team in a high pressure environment, and the answer is about being shot at in Afghanistan, how do you relate that to a commercial environment?”

  13. Strengths Transition Coaching Model

  14. Implications & future research • Effective approach for a complex transition: prompts narrative about past, present and future • Helpful vehicle for separating military vs individual identity: addressed ‘strengths blindness’ • Coach training in narrative and strengths processes • Future research into using weaknesses vs. strengths, or a combination – client education or trial and error? • Growth vs. fixed mind-set • Future research: the military ‘superstrings’?

  15. Your questionsContact: alison@alisonzarecky.comLinkedIn: alisonzarecky

More Related