A Work Behavior Analysis of Executive Coaches.

UNCG Author/Contributor (non-UNCG co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
Glenn Newsom (Creator)
Institution
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG )
Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/
Advisor
L. DiAnne Borders

Abstract: The term "executive coaching" recently has come into counseling parlance and is used to describe an intervention or set of interventions offered by a professional, the executive coach, to a managerial or executive client (Douglas & Moorely, 2000; Hart, 2002). Executive coaching has been defined and described in varied ways, but generally it is a one-on-one, confidential relationship designed to help the client improve job performance and develop professionally (Joo, 2005; Sherman & Freas, 2004; Whitherspoon & White, 1998). Because the description of executive coaching is reflective of counseling in multiple ways, comparisons of the disciplines are occurring. Executive coaching as a stand alone field is in its infancy, and although the attention to executive coaching among businesses, training professionals, psychologists, and counselors is at an all-time high, few empirical studies exist that examine the professionals involved in executive coaching, the skills and competencies required to perform executive coaching, the process of executive coaching, or the impact of coaching on individuals and organizations who receive the service (Feldman & Lankau, 2005; Joo, 2005). Likewise, the scientific lens is just beginning to be focused on executive coaching as it relates specifically to counseling, and considerable research is needed. It was within this environment that the current study was conceptualized. As a first step in clarifying the relationship between counseling and coaching, this study was conducted to establish an understanding of the work behaviors of executive coaches, and to determine the frequency and importance of the work behaviors used by executive coaches in their work, and to determine the extent to which known counseling work behaviors are used by executive coaches. In addition, this study was designed to examine the relationship of specific demographic variables (i.e., gender, educational background, professional work experience, and coaching experience) with participants' ratings of the frequency in which they engage in coaching work behaviors and the importance of such behaviors. Results indicate that counseling work behaviors are among the existing set of coaching work behaviors, and that a coaches' background affects how they engage in the executive coaching process. In addition, results provide data that could inform how counselors interested in the coaching field may transfer their counseling skills to the coaching enterprise and indicate what additional skills counselors need to obtain to be effective coaches.

Additional Information

Publication
Dissertation
Language: English
Date: 2008
Subjects
Personal coaching.
Executive coaching.
Professional development.
Employees $x Counseling of.
Employees $x Coaching of.

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