I am a Professor of Economics and Personal Finance at the Open University. I also lead a coaching program for developing Faculty academics. My coaching qualifications and accreditations include a Level 7 Certificate in Executive Coaching and Mentoring from the Institute of Leadership and Management, a Certificate in Coach Mentoring supervision and Associate Certified Coach status with the International Coaching Federation. My services include leadership coaching, financial coaching, coach supervision and financial wellness education.

Academic life has changed a lot in the last decade or so. The pressure to teach well, publish in top ranked journals, win research grants and take on management tasks has led to a much more intensive working environment. Added to this, academics often see themselves – and are seen by others – in a powerful role where they dispense knowledge, wisdom, advice and answers. This can present a barrier to seeking help through personal and professional development. This is where coaching may be of tremendous service. Non-judgement and reflective inquiry help academics identify and overcome obstacles. The key here is that they take responsibility for setting outcomes and goals. The coach (academic manager/leader or external coach) acts as their thinking and accountability partner – but the action which leads to professional growth is decided upon and delivered by the individual academic. This approach creates a space where the academic can reflect upon what originally attracted them to the job – likely to include love of a subject area, the joy in sharing knowledge and the agency to engage in research and knowledge generation.

On this episode of The Coaching Show, Christopher and Alex were joined by George Callaghan. George is a Professor of Economics and Personal Finance at the Open University. He also leads a coaching program for developing Faculty academics. His coaching qualifications and accreditations include a Level 7 Certificate in Executive Coaching and Mentoring from the Institute of Leadership and Management, a Certificate in Coach Mentoring supervision and Associate Certified Coach status with the International Coaching Federation. His services include leadership coaching, financial coaching, coach supervision and financial wellness education.

NOTES:

-Coaching and academia

-Bringing love back to academia

-Coaching invites us to pause and listen

-Why coaching lends itself to academia

-Culture shifting

-Finding yourself a champion

-Self-less and being autistic as coaches versus coaching being about selfish

-What I can control versus how people interpret it

-His article on coaching: Introducing a Coaching Culture within an Academic Faculty International Journal of Evidence-Based Coaching and Mentoring, Vol 20 (1) pp83-92  https://radar.brookes.ac.uk/radar/items/0b9c41fe-c2a4-4348-92cf-0284c107a51e/1/

Email Address: George.callaghan@open.ac.uk