PRESS RELEASE
COACHING AT WORK AWARD WINNERS 2015
6 July 2015
A host of movers and shakers received accolades for their contributions to coaching, at this year’s Coaching at Work Awards.
The awards were announced by editor Liz Hall at a ceremony at the end of the annual Coaching at Work conference in London on 1 July, which was then followed by a reception to celebrate the awards and Coaching at Work’s tenth anniversary. Award winners were given a plaque if they got ‘first `prize’ and a certificate if they came second (Highly commended). A full conference report, with photographs of the winners, will appear in Coaching at Work’s September/October 10th anniversary special issue.
“We are delighted to acknowledge with these awards the particularly high quality of the articles submitted by the winners and those highly commended, and the generosity and passion exhibited by those winning and highly commended in the Internal and External Champion categories. We hope the awards will encourage others to share their research and thoughts in the form of articles, and their time, energy and passion,” said Coaching at Work editor Liz Hall.
Winners
Louise Buckle (Internal Coaching Champion)
Tatiana Bachkirova (External Coaching Champion)
Peter Hawkins (Best Thought Leadership)
Bridget Farrands (Best Practical Article)
Dee Cullen and Sarah Edwards (Best Case Study)
Sarah Gilbert, Michelle Lucas and Eve Turner (Best Research Article).
Highly commended
Sally Bonneywell (Internal Coaching Champion)
Darren Robson (External Coaching Champion)
John Blakey (Best Thought Leadership)
Lindsay Wittenberg (Best Thought Leadership)
Sara Hope and Louise Buckle (Best Practical article)
Clive Mann (Best Case Study)
David Megginson (Best Research Article).
The Awards nominations and judging process was the same as in previous years. First the Coaching at Work team drew up a shortlist of potential winners in each category. It then invited members of the Coaching at Work editorial advisory board to make their choices in each category, arriving at winners and highly commended (runner-up) in each.
Below are some of the judges’ comments.
INTERNAL COACHING CHAMPION 2015 AWARD
WINNER: Louise Buckle
Judges’ comments included:
“Louise is doing a lot to shape and manage coaching in both KPMG and the broader field”
“She is a pioneer!”
“She is a true champion of coaching!”
“Not only is Louise involved in best practice initiatives within KPMG, inspiring other organisations to raise the bar, she is generous with her time and energy outside of the organisation, regularly attending the former Accreditation Forum (now Collaborating for the Future of Coaching) group and writing articles to raise the bar in the wider industry, for example.”
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Sally Bonneywell
Judges’ comments included:
“Sally gets my vote. Having been an internal champion of coaching in a major corporate myself, I know how hard it is to engage senior leadership consistently on this topic. It is one thing to do this in a major consultancy like PwC or KPMG but I think it is harder to do it in a corporate because at the end of the day GSK’s business is about pharmaceuticals, not management consultancy.”
“Sally is highly passionate about the power of coaching.”
“She’s not only making things happen internally but commits much of her time to industry-wide initiatives such as the Accreditation Forum.”
EXTERNAL COACHING CHAMPION 2015 AWARD
WINNER: TATIANA BACHKIROVA
Coaching at Work profile:
Judges’ comments included:
“For her passion for coaching; the part she is playing in getting coaching research on the agenda; her critical mind & courage in challenging thinking”
“Tatiana has often been in the shadow of other key research names. It would be great to see her recognized for her contribution – and as a female in a field where the ‘movers and shakers’ in the UK at least are males; time for a re-balancing of the genders in academic research into coaching.”
“Tatiana deserves far more credit for her pioneering work than she has had. (Though CAW has helped to redress the balance.) She brings academic rigour and genuine originality of thought.”
“Tatiana’s humility has meant that she has not shouted from the rooftops, yet her emerging voice is powerful and extremely welcome.”
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Darren Robson
Judges’ comments included:
“For his commitment and passion for making a difference to society with his MOE Foundation charity helping the disadvantaged; his many years of contribution to the Association for Coaching, his generosity and passion generally for coaching”
“He’s doing a lot of good stuff regards coaching making a difference in the world. He is a good example of a male role model for the younger generation i.e. going beyond the ‘alpha male’ stereotype of leadership and showing a more caring approach to masculine identity.”
BEST THOUGHT LEADERSHIP ARTICLE/ARTICLE SERIES 2015
WINNER: PETER HAWKINS for his article “Cracking the Shell” (Volume 10, Issue 2) http://www.coaching-at-work.com/2015/02/19/cracking-the-shell/
Judges’ comments included:
“This article busts some of the widespread myths about coaching and was both challenging and inspiring.”
“An important contribution to the path to mastery”
“Succinct, challenging and punchy”
“The issues it addresses are so fundamental and largely avoided”
HIGHLY COMMENDED: JOHN BLAKEY for his article “On trust” (Volume 10 Issue 1)
Judges’ comments included:
“Originality on a long-established concept; plus John has contributed to the wider field and his contribution is largely come ‘quietly.”
“A refreshing look at something we take for granted as important.”
HIGHLY COMMENDED: LINDSAY WITTENBERG for her Reflections column series
Judges’ comments included:
“For her honesty and willingness to share her vulnerability”
“I always relish reading Lindsay’s very open astute reflections, they really resonate and open a coach’s mind with thought provoking reality. They really make one think, are grounded on experience and are very well received”
BEST PRACTICAL ARTICLE 2015
WINNER: BRIDGET FARRANDS for her article “How to use polarities” (Volume 9 Issue 5) http://www.coaching-at-work.com/2014/08/14/how-to-use-polarities/
Judges’ comments included:
“Polarities is an interesting emerging tool in coaching. Bridget did well to bring this to the attention of the CaW community and help us understand how we might use it in our work”
“ I particular liked this, because it explored a theme that coaches often don’t even have in mind.”
“Polarities are at the core of gestalt and Bridget Farrands is a well-regarded practitioner. She makes this intervention accessible and relevant to practitioners”
HIGHLY COMMENDED:
SARA HOPE AND LOUISE BUCKLE for their article “Inside out, outside in: five years on” (Volume 9, Issue 6)
Judges’ comments included:
“This was an interesting article that would speak to many coaches about career options and paths.”
“Very interesting to see a follow-up to an earlier article to see how things have progressed.”
BEST CASE STUDY 2015
WINNERS
DEE CULLEN AND SARAH EDWARDS for their article “Testing the reality”(Volume 10, Issue 2)
Judges’ comments included:
“For the rigour, commitment to learning, and attention to detail of the scheme and how the learning is shared in this article.”
“I have a lot of respect for how PwC has implemented its coaching strategy. This article captured their best practices well and I think this deserves to be recognized.”
“An inspiring example of best practice.”
“PWC have been pioneering in coaching – I recall speaking to them some considerable years ago, when coaching was just on the rise. As you would expect from a professional services organisation, they have implemented coaching in a professional and sophisticated way. It would be great to see their hard work recognized.”
HIGHLY COMMENDED
CLIVE MANN for his article “The Big Four” Volume 10, Issue 1
Judges’ comments included.
“For its detail, setting out best practice and the implications for others.
“The Big Four have a lot of attention at the moment so this was topical”
“For its depth and detail”
BEST RESEARCH ARTICLE 2015
WINNERS
SARAH GILBERT, MICHELLE LUCAS AND EVE TURNER for their article “Chain Reaction” (Volume 10 Issue 1)
Judges’ comments included:
“A multifaceted article, practical and inspiring.”
“Being a researcher now myself I realise how individualistic the academic culture is. Therefore, I think that collaborative research and writing is the way forward – ‘two heads are better than one’. The practitioner community has some good examples of this approach and I think this should be recognised and encouraged.”
“for its rigour and commitment to learning.”
HIGHLY COMMENDED
DAVID MEGGINSON for his article “Waking up the Dead” (Volume 9 Issue 5)
Judges’ comments included:
“This is a hidden issue that is important to bring into open discussion.”
“A taboo subject refreshingly covered.”
Coaching at Work is an independently owned magazine, which publishes bi-monthly in a printed and digital format, in addition to monthly newsletters. It has been going since 2005. It also organizes events such as an annual conference and masterclasses. Its global LinkedIn group has more than 40,000 members. www.coaching-at-work.com
For more information, or for quotes, contact Liz Hall, the editor, at liz@coaching-at-work.com
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