Coaching Ethics : Making Ethical Decisions

Coaching philosophies differ all over the world, from one sport to another. They are the central foundation to any good coach’s success in his/her respected programs. A coach’s philosophy does not only guide and lead the other members of the staff in the right direction, but it also allows each athlete to know what is expected of them, and how they should behave. By being aware of a coach’s philosophy, the athlete is fully responsible for his/her actions both on and off the field of play. In the words of the great Nick Saban, "It 's about what you control, every minute of every day. You always have to have a winning attitude and discipline, in practices, weight training, conditioning, in the classroom, in everything. It 's a process."

Joe Ehrmann describes how he has developed his philosophy of coaching by relating the story of his life in his youth, high school and in college describing two different types of coaches he had played for. The first are coaches who were impersonal, authoritarian, and sometimes abusive which he calls transactional coaches; this is in contrast to the humane coaches he calls transformative coaches. Coaches must face this responsibility because we all remember our coaches. “This is the awesome power and responsibility of coaching: You give your players memories, for better or for worse that stay with them until the day they die” (Ehrmann, 2011 p 46-47). Joe Erhmann goes on to ask, “What is the moral and ethical composition of their program?

I will inspire athletes to demonstrate good character. Sports do not have an influence on one’s character; however, coaches can strongly impact athletes’ character, both negatively and positively. For this reason, I will work to coach in ways that support the growth of athletes’ character and create learning opportunities and situations in which athletes can practice and learn from. As a coach, I will lead by example and demonstrate good character because actions speak louder than words. I will do this by embodying sportsmanship and respecting athletes, opponents, other coaches, and referees. I will also show this to athletes by respecting, caring, and being trustworthy. I will also lead by example by staying

The EAI indicates that ethical guidelines have changed from individual character to organizational ethics (Ethics Awareness Inventory, 2011). The prime focus of this change are client-patient relationships in psychological counseling and clinical practice (Fisher, (2013). Psychological counseling and clinical practice are both constructed on ethical guidelines with the possibility for misuse of power and negligence to discretion (Fisher,

Bluckert, P. (2005). Critical factors in executive coaching- the coaching relationship. Industrial and Commercial Training, 37(7), 336-340. doi:10.1108/00197850510626785

Jack and Susan are newlyweds they have been married 8 months, they are both in their late twenties and have come to me seeking financial coaching. Susan is what we would call a spender (Murphy, 2009); she uses money as a source to make her happy, therefore to her buying, spending equal happiness. Jack however a worrier (Murphy, 2009) worrying about if they will be financial is secure in their retirement. I had each of them complete the FINANCIAL DNA assessment online as well as to answer separate questionnaires regarding how they view money, where they see themselves in the future, how they communicate about money, and lastly to make a cash flow sheet for the month. In addition, I sent them information explaining my ethical code and that I am a Christian coach, therefore my coaching will come from a biblical perspective, I also made it clear I will by no means give them specific investment or financial advice, that is not my job.

Being a leader has many advantages and disadvantages. Could coaching an employee be helpful for all involved? Being in a management position there is the need to be the devil’s advocate and approaching employees in a delicate manner to engage in the conversation that something issues need to change. What is the definition of coaching when working with adults in a workplace? Do managers need to be coached on how to coach? These are items will be addressed in this essay for anyone who is in or is planning on being in a managerial role. All the skills needed to provide a safe and healthy work environment for every employee.

What is coaching – “The coach works with the clients to achieve a speedy, increased and sustainable effectiveness in their lives and careers through focused learning. The coach’s sole aim is to work with the client to achieve all of the client’s potential-as defined by the client” The Coaching Manual Starr, J 2008.

Taking the time to reflect on why it is someone coaches is beneficial for personal growth, and for creating an awareness of one’s changes in motivation, which affects behavior. Therefore, changes in motivation can be reflected in someone’s behavior and his or her well-being. Those who feel that they are coaching because they want to, will be successful, and feel that coaching allows them to acquire relationships with their players, and display more motivation for coaching. Being aware of why someone coaches their sport is an important part of reflective practice. One person’s

Both agencies can be of tremendous value to a consultant because the consultant is problem-focused while the coach builds on client’s strengths (Smith, 2007). In addition, consultants gather data and sometimes conduct research to report on what needs to be done, but a coach will facilitate growth to obtain desire results. Ethics and Laws are equally important in any profession, but the idea is if the ethics code is applicable to a situation and deem to be the higher standard versus the law then use the ethical standard. If not, and the law is the higher standard in an ethical dilemma then obey the law, you can’t go wrong. However, if the Ethics Code standard appears to conflict with the requirements of law, then psychologists should have a written record of their ethical stance, but not break the law and move forward to resolve the conflict to the best of their ability. The ICF states, “individuals or organizations retain consultants for their expertise. While consulting approaches vary widely, the assumption is the consultant will diagnose problems and prescribe and, sometimes, implement solutions. With coaching, the assumption is that individuals or teams can generate their own solutions, with the coach supplying supportive, discovery-based approaches and frameworks” (ICF,

Coaching is the art of facilitating another person’s learning, development and performance. Through coaching people are able to find their own solutions, develop their own skills and change their own behaviors and attitudes.

My topic is similar to yours. I have always been intrigued to examine the relationship between coach and athlete. In my experience, I have found coaches who provide positive support and are constructive with their criticism are more enjoyable to play for and give the athlete a more positive experience. Coaches that come across as condescending seem to push kids away from the game. It is important that the student-athlete has a positive experience, especially student-athletes at a young age. I feel if a student-athlete has a negative experience at the interscholastic level he or she will be less likely to stick with the sport.

In their book titled “How to Create a Coaching Culture,” Jones & Gorel, 2014, opined a coaching culture is one where people are empowered and where

Workers in the helping professions endure a massive amount of ethical and professional issues. These issues affect the practice of counseling and the relationship with the client. The book Issues and Ethics in the Helping Professions by Corey, Corey, and Hallanan gives many themes that one will encounter throughout their career. The book also gives possible solutions to problems and stimulates different ways to think about issues. The authors of this book provide good knowledge and information for anyone in the helping professions.

My experiences with my professional coaching sessions were very challenging to say the least. When I decided to begin graduate school, I never imagined I would be coaching my peers and they would be coaching me during my first quarter. Nonetheless, I enjoyed the experience and I learned a lot while participating. In my circle of friends, I am the one always handing out advice whether it is solicited or not. Because of this, I assumed these sessions would come natural to me. However, I learned by me forcing my opinion and advise on others I was trying to control them. Whitmore (2009), states