Executive coaching: an exploration of the coachee's perceived value

PurposeThe goal of this qualitative study is to explore how different elements of the coach–coachee setting can affect the perceived outcome from coaching sessions by the coachee.Design/methodology/approachUsing thematic analysis on 197 semi-structured interviews of bank executives, the authors suggest an evidence-based sequential model on how the perceived value of the coaching process might be contingent on four elements.FindingsAs a result of the exploratory analysis, the authors’ suggest that the coach's guidance, coach's reliableness, coachee's willingness and coachee's self-awareness can determine the coachees' perceived effectiveness or usefulness from their coaching sessions.Originality/valueThere is little empirical data regarding the coachee's perceived value. The current study attempts to fill the gap in the existing literature by considering the coaching outcomes with particular regard to the executive's perceived value of coaching. This research adds to the literature on how to deliver effective coaching in organizations and provides empirical evidence to practitioners on how coachees perceive value from coaching.

The relationship between working alliance and client outcomes in coaching: A meta-analysis

A growing number of studies emphasize the working alliance between the client and the coach to be a key factor in coaching. Synthesizing 27 samples ( N = 3563 coaching processes), this meta-analysis sheds light on the relationship between working alliance and a broad range of coaching outcomes for clients. The meta-analytic results indicate a moderate and consistent overall relationship between a high-quality working alliance and coaching outcomes for clients ( r = .41, 95% CI [.34, .48], p < .001). Working alliance was positively related to all desirable coaching outcomes (range: r = .32 to .64), with the strongest relationship to affective and cognitive coaching outcomes. Moreover, working alliance was negatively related to unintended negative effects of coaching ( r = –.29). Results revealed no differences regarding the type of clients, coaches’ expertise, number of coaching sessions, and clients’ or coaches’ perspectives. Similar to other helping relationships like psychotherapy or mentoring, the results support the importance of a high-quality working alliance in coaching.