The goal-focused coaching skills questionnaire: Preliminary findings

Goal-focused coaching is increasingly being used to help people set and reach personal and workplace goals. However, coaches' coaching skills are rarely measured. This exploratory study reports preliminary findings on the initial development and validation of a self-report measure, the Goal-focused Coaching Skills Questionnaire (GCSQ). Some participants also completed the Schutte Emotional Intelligence Scale (Schutte et al., 1998) and the Insight subscale of the Self-reflection and Insight Scale ([SRIS-IN], Grant, Franklin, & Langford, 2002). Convergent, face validity and test-retest reliability were found to be good, and scores on the GCSQ distinguished between professional and nonprofessional coaches. Scores on the GCSQ were also related to measures of emotional intelligence and personal insight. Behavioral observations following a coaching session indicated a significant correlation between coachees' ratings of the coaches' skills and the self-reported skill ratings of the coaches themselves. Limitations of the study are discussed and future research suggestions presented.