|
Research
Study on the
Effectiveness of
Coaching
Executive
Coaching and Consulting
Systems conducted an
outcome study on the
effectiveness of
coaching using awareness
and responsibility as
the dependent
variables.
Participants were
executives who were
being coached by other
professional coaches.
The research focused on
the executive's
perception of the
coaching process. The
study collected
quantitative and
qualitative data through
a survey and interviews.
Read the details of the
research project below
the charts.
Summary
Of Executive Coaching
Research
Project
Introduction
The
premise of the research
project was coaching
executives for both
professional and
personal growth would
facilitate making a
strategic shift in
organizations to a
coaching management
style. As executives
experience the process
and master their own
growth potential, they
will develop more
awareness and take more
responsibility for their
actions. The effects of
increased awareness and
responsibility can
filter through the
organization as
executives begin to
coach others. The shift
to a coaching management
style will have been
initiated at the top of
the organization with a
commitment from the
executives.
Objectives
The
study explored the
outcomes of the coaching
process from an
interpersonal and
intrapersonal nature.
The purpose was to
measure the executives
perceptions of the
coaching process to
explore what components
of the process were most
effective and whether
coaching sustained
behavioral changes.
Several research
questions were examined
to explain what makes
coaching effective. As
perceived by executives,
do the components of the
coaching process work
collectively to enhance
their performance or are
there isolated
components that are most
effective? Does the
coaching process
contribute to sustaining
behavioral changes? Do
gender, age, and
ethnicity affect the
process? Do time,
frequency, and modality
influence the process?
And lastly, does the
gender difference
between the coach and
executive affect the
process?
Methodology
The
study was a
cross-sectional survey
design using a
non-random sample of
executives who had been
or were currently being
coached. The study
collected both
quantitative and
qualitative data. A
survey questionnaire was
developed specifically
for the study and used a
5-point Likert scale to
measure the
effectiveness or
ineffectiveness of the
coaching process. Phone
interviews were
conducted with
executives who willingly
agreed to participate.
The
variables measured in
the study related to
components of the
coaching process and
their effectiveness in
sustaining behavioral
changes. The
independent variables
were goal setting,
feedback, rewards,
self-efficacy,
communication style, and
interpersonal skills.
The dependent variables
were awareness and
responsibility.
Intervening variables
were the
socio-demographic
characteristics and the
time, frequency, and
modality
characteristics.
The
data was analyzed using
the Statistical Package
for Social
Scientists. To test
the research questions,
the analysis used
descriptive statistics
with the appropriate
measures of association.
The qualitative data was
analyzed for themes to
compare to the results
of the quantitative
data.
Results
One
hundred and forty six
questionnaires were
mailed to participating
consultants for
distribution to
executives they coach or
have coached. Forty
eight questionnaires
were returned, for a
response rate of 32%.
From the 48
questionnaires that were
returned, 28 of the
executives agreed to
participate in a phone
interview. The response
rate for the interviews
was 58%. Interviews were
conducted with 25 of
those individuals. The
following information
represents descriptive
data of the executives,
coaches, and the
coaching process.
There
were 14 female
executives (29%) and 34
male executives (71%)
with a mean age of
44.5 years. The ethnic
categories were 1 Asian
(2.2%), 1
African-American (2.2%),
and 44 Caucasian
(95.6%). There were 7
female coaches (15%) and
40 male coaches (85%)
with a mean age of 48.3
years. All of the
coaches were Caucasian.
The
coaching experience had
ended for 9 of the
executives (18.7%) and
was ongoing for 37
(81.3%). The mean
for the ongoing coaching
was 1.2 years with a
range from 3 months to 3
years. The mean for the
coaching that had ended
was 1.3 years with a
range from 3 months to 2
1/2 years. The mean for
the length of the
coaching session was 1.3
hours with a range from
30 minutes to 2 hours.
The mode for the
frequency of the
coaching sessions was
weekly (37.5%) and other
(37.5%) which included
monthly, quarterly, or
annually. The mode for
the coaching modality
used was face-to-face
(73.9%) and phone
(26.1%).
The
associations between the
socio-demographic
characteristics and the
coaching components
ranged from very weak to
too weak to report.
Communication style
was the only component
that had weak
associations with both
age and gender.
Ethnicity had no
predictability since
Caucasian was basically
the only ethnic group
represented.
The
associations between
characteristics of the
coaching process and the
coaching components also
were weak. Frequency
of the sessions had more
affect on the components
than duration, length of
session or modality.
Interestingly, duration
had a negative
relationship with
awareness which could
indicate there is a time
factor in the coaching
process where awareness
begins to decrease.
The
following results relate
to the main focus of the
study. Which of the
identified components
were most effective in
the coaching process?
The findings indicated
there were two isolated
components that affected
both of the dependent
variables. Self-efficacy
and communication style,
had moderate
correlations to both
awareness and
responsibility. Rewards
and feedback had
moderate correlations
only with
responsibility.
Responsibility had
stronger associations to
all the components when
measuring the
effectiveness of the
coaching process.
However,
awareness had higher
percentages of agreement
for sustaining
change. The
statements for awareness
and responsibility
measured the
effectiveness of
sustaining change based
on combined percentages
of statements rated as
"highly effective" or
"somewhat effective".
The percentage of
agreement for awareness
statements are as
follows: Understanding
how my actions impact
others, 93.8%;
challenged my own
actions, 89.6%; more
sensitive to others,
85.5%; better
relationships, 81.2%;
and better balance in my
life, 70.9%. The
percentage of agreement
for responsibility
statements are as
follows: applied to
future choices, 91.7%;
maintained goals
achieved, 83.4%; applied
to other areas in life,
83.4%; encouraged others
to achieve, 81.3%; and
stretched my abilities,
81.3%.
The
following findings
relate to the six
questions used for the
phone interviews:
How
was the coaching process
initiated for you and
what were your thoughts
about it?
It
did not matter if the
process was
self-initiated or
part of a corporate
program most
individuals were
receptive,
enthusiastic, and
positive about it. A
few were neutral to
skeptical about
getting involved at
first but became
advocates of the
process.
How
was a base line
established to measure
your progress and by
what percent do you
think your performance
increased?
40%
indicated no baseline
was established, 28%
said 360's or some
variation of a 360
was used, 24% stated
goals were used, and
8% used personal
values. Although only
32% gave actual
percentages for
performance
increases, the
remaining 68%
perceived positive
results.
What
were the greatest
obstacles you
experienced in the
process?
40%
said the element of
time, 20% indicated
the corporate
culture, 24% said
there were no
obstacles, and 12%
said other people in
the organization.
What
have been the most
valuable learning
experiences you have
gained from the process?
Three
themes emerged
involving "self",
"others", and the
"coach". All
indicated they had
learned more about
themselves and/or
gained new skills,
35% commented on
improved interactions
with others, and 16%
commented on the
benefits of having an
objective person to
use as a reality
check.
Has
the experience affected
other areas of your life
and if so, how?
All
replied positively
that their personal
life had changed with
regard to
interactions with
family members,
relationships with
others, deciding what
is important and how
they use their time,
and finding a balance
in their life.
Is
there anything I haven't
asked you about your
coaching experience that
you would like to
comment on?
Three
themes emerged from
the question. The
"coaching process"
was seen as valuable,
the "coach's"
personality and
skills were
important, and "self"
as relating to growth
, increased
confidence, and
receptiveness to
change.
Conclusions
The
communication style of
the coach and a greater
sense of mastery and
competence for the
executive, i.e.,
self-efficacy, indicates
an increased awareness
and responsibility
results from the
coaching process. This
finding supported themes
that emerged from the
interviews. Executives
indicated they had
become more aware of
others and self and took
more responsibility for
their actions through
the coaching process.
Sustaining
behavioral changes as
measured by the high
percentage of agreement
regarding the
effectiveness of
awareness and
responsibility also
supported findings from
the interviews. All the
executives perceived
positive performance
changes, 37% stated they
were coaching others,
all indicated their
personal life had been
influenced by the
coaching process, and
all agreed they had
learned more about
themselves. This would
support Bandura's social
learning theory that
self-efficacy is what
sustains behavioral
changes.
Coaching
is effective as
perceived by the
executives interviewed.
There was unanimous
agreement that coaching
has had a positive
influence on their
professional and
personal development.
The agreement was
reflected by the metrics
in the survey measuring
the effectiveness of
coaching in sustaining
behavioral changes.
The
findings of the study
were from a relatively
small sample size and no
cause and effect
conclusions can be
stated with any
certainty. Since the
findings were
subjective, follow up
interviews could be
conducted to determine
if perceptions change
and regressions to old
behaviors occur.
Larger
outcome studies will
eventually need to be
conducted for
organizations to justify
the cost of a coaching
program and determine
what the return is on
their coaching dollar
investments.
Research
conducted by
Carol
Gegner, MA,
MS
March
31, 1997
Copyrighted
Contact
us today! Just send an
email to
info@coachexecs.com
or call
our office headquarters
located in Northern
California at
(925)933-1051.
|
