Diversity in the global coaching community: Exploring race, gender, identity and belonging

Abstract

This paper examines data from a global survey of coaches (N=1380) undertaken by the research team in collaboration with EMCC Global, and with the support of a wide range of professional coaching providers, coaching schools and global coaching providers. This paper focuses on diversity within the global coach community, including race, gender and sexual orientation. There were seven hypotheses based on three broad topics: (a) Minorities and marginalised groups in the coaching community (gender, race, region) earn significantly different incomes. (b) Coaches of diversity (gender, race) have different preferences for digital coaching. (c) Coaches of diversity (gender, race) hold different perspectives on future trends in coaching. These were expressed in the seven hypotheses: (i) There will be a statistically different level of income generated by white coaches and coaches of colour. (ii) There will be a statistically different level of income generated by female and male coaches. (iii) There will be a statistically different level of income generated by coaches based within different regions. (iv) There will be a statistically different preference for digital coaching by white coaches and coaches of colour. (v) There will be a statistically different preference for digital coaching by female and male coaches. (vi) There will be a statistically different perspective on future trends in coaching by white coaches and coaches of colour. (vii) There will be a statistically different perspective on future trends in coaching by female and male coaches. The results indicated that region was a significant factor in explaining incomes, but that gender and race were not statistically significant factors. Secondly, there were gender differences in the use of digital coaching. Female coaches or coaches who did not identify as White were more likely to be engaged in digital coaching pre-Covid compared with other coaches, but this gap has narrowed since the global lockdown has drawn more coaches towards digital. Finally, the ‘future trends’ data highlights a number of differences based on gender and race, including the belief by female coaches that regular supervision is essential for professional coaches. The study has implications in terms of acknowledging the flexibility of coaching as a fair pay career for women and secondly the need to make coach training more available for coaches of colour through bursaries offered by providers and accrediting bodies.