Ethics of multi-party contracting in coaching

Abstract

This chapter aims to explore ethical considerations in coaching research and practice within multi-party contracting in coaching. Given that social and contextual factors have been overlooked in contemporary coaching literature, this chapter analyses in what way power dynamics in coaching relationships and organisational hierarchy impact on the multi-party negotiation process. To offer a comprehensive picture of the multi-party contracting process in coaching settings, different types of contracts (e.g., business, learning and psychological contracts) are introduced. According to existing relevant literature, coaching can be used as an instrumental tool to standardise employees’ behaviours (i.e., control) or a social process to facilitate individuals’ critical and creative thinking. Hence, hidden agendas and potential ethical issues between different parties are addressed. Moreover, several empirical studies in multi-party coaching relationships and contracting are synthesised to specify the best practice and coaches’ future development. Examples include having a transparent contracting process and awareness of power dynamics in the organisation.

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