Professor David Clutterbuck’s career and reputation has been built upon a rigorous academic approach to research from real people working in the real world. We use that grounded data to shape the practical tools, techniques and theories we create rather than creating theories and frameworks in an academic environment and try to make them fit every day life.
Below you can find details of our current and past research projects – both ours and those from our partners who’s research we are happy to support. If you’d like to be involved in supporting any research or have your own research project to share, please get in touch via info@clutterbuck-cmi.com
Ongoing Research Projects
Team Coaching ROI & Fee’s
Purpose:
There is very little research to explore what fees Team Coaches charge (vs their 121 Coaching fee’s) and even less around the return of investment that team coaches can demonstrate to clients.
Lead researchers: Professor David Clutterbuck
Who can take part: Any team coaches from any accredited methodology.
Close Date: Until further notice
Everyone Needs a Mentor – Young Persons Edition
Purpose:
David regards this project as his most important yet. The vision is that every child in the world should be able to acquire the skills of a mentor as part of their educational and personal development.
The Young Persons edition of the most influential book on
mentoring, Everyone Needs a Mentor, is a practical response to
that opportunity and need. We aim to support millions of
children worldwide, of all backgrounds and cultures, to learn
the skill of being a mentor and a mentee, in order to achieve their
potential and to develop self-esteem and confidence as they
move through to adult life. In particular, we want to support
young mentors in developing economies and disadvantaged
circumstances.
Lead researchers: Professor David Clutterbuck
Who can take part:
We are seeking additional schools or organisations working with children to take part in our pilot scheme to test, prove and help improve our existing materials from anywhere in the World.
Please get in touch at info@clutterbuck-cmi.com for more details.
Completed Research Projects
Work-Life Balance
Purpose:
Hybrid working, AI-driven innovation in work practices and other pressures are making it increasingly difficult for knowledge workers to find a healthy equilibrium between the forces acting on their lives. This research was created to try and identify the major themes impacting coaches and HR when dealing with Work-Life balance issues.
The reports findings can be accessed here and were used as the basis of the short (8 hour) Work-Life Balance course
Supervising team coaches
Purpose:
The aim of this survey is to help establish current practice in a rapidly evolving field. Formal accreditations in team coaching have resulted in an estimated quadrupling of the number of coaches working with intact teams. Both EMCC and ICF require team coaches to be supervised, but there are no formal guidelines as to what effective supervision looks like in this context or whether supervisors are trained and or accredited.
Awaiting results publication
Team Coaching in Pairs
Purpose:
All the major authorities on team coaching recommend that, unless a team is very small, two coaches should support each other. Despite this, there is very little research or evidence to explore this area.
The reports findings can be read here.
Coach Maturity
Purpose:
The Coach Maturity Research Group, was set up to explore how coaches evolve in their practice and identity over time.
The reports findings are awaiting publication as a book in 2026 entitled: “The Becoming of a Coach” (Routledge). You can see more here at the LinkedIn Group
Managing Organisational Politics
Purpose:
This research draws on the experiences of coaches, mentors, leaders and managers from around the world in managing organisational politics.
The research findings were used as the basis of the publication Managing Organisational Politics: How coaches and mentors can help
Coaching Complexity
Purpose:
This research explores how coaches add to value to their clients at increasing levels of systemic complexity.
Our project identified 10 levels of complexity in coaching which we explore in the forthcoming publication by Routledge in late 2026 as “Beyond Team Coaching” . We have been fortunate to add chapters by some of the most notable authorities in complex systems in addition to our own research.
Managing Human Resource Transitions to Director
Purpose:
This research draws on the experiences of existing HR Directors to identify the informational and awareness gaps that those who are about to become HR Directors should really know.
The research findings were published here as a blog ( If I knew then what I know now… what aspiring HR Directors need to know) & formed the basis of a one dat short course for Aspiring HR Directors.
2023 Global Research Study – key themes facing coaches : Digital Coaching, AI and Coaching Ethics
Purpose:
The focus for this short study is to explore a series of key themes facing coaches in 2023 such as Digital Coaching, AI and Coaching Ethics, as well as finding out about day-to-day practices.
The reports findings can be accessed here.