What does the research say about improvisation in coaching?

Michael J.B. Read (2013): The importance of improvisation in coaching,

Coaching: An International Journal of Theory, Research and Practice, 6:1, 47-56

Edited excerpt:

In this article, Dr. Michael Read introduces the important skill of  improvisation (spontaneous creativity and innovation) for coaches. His research examines:

1.       To what extent do coaches improvise during their coaching interactions?
2.       How important is improvisation to the coaching process
3.       If improvisation is important, in what coaching situations or activities do coaches utilize improvisation to the greatest extent?

  

With scarce previous empirical investigation of improvisation within coaching, this paper offers meaningful contributions to coaching theory and practice. Of the 113 coaches surveyed, over 73% reported improvisation to be very important or essential, suggesting that for coaches, improvisation is a vital part of their ongoing success. For example, coaches reported that they often improvise during coaching conversations or coaching sessions using a variety of

techniques.

This paper offers a first step towards understanding the relationship between coaching and improvisation. As organizations are thought to perform improvisation regularly, understanding this relationship may prove especially fruitful for coaches seeking constant innovation and for those who wish to lead improvisational acts. Leading client organizations to improvise for survival or recovery may be a valuable coaching skill.

The implications are far reaching; a quick coach decision made at a critical moment may result in much larger consequences. In organizations, it is often the spontaneous decisions or innovative ideas that can make all the difference _even more so in highly productive organizations. This places an importance on coach improvisation as well as conducting research to further extend our knowledge about this concept.

What do you think? Are you using improvisation in your coaching practice? Do you dance in the moment or go with the “flow”? And, more importantly, are you aware of when, how and why you are doing this?