aligning organisational coaching with leadership behaviour

370 Pages·2011·2.21 MB·English

ALIGNING
ORGANISATIONAL COACHING
WITH
LEADERSHIP BEHAVIOUR

PAUL STEVEN TURNER

A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of
Birmingham City University
for the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy

October 2010

Business School Faculty, Birmingham City University
Acknowledgements

When commencing the thesis journey I was influenced by a saying attributed to
Confucius: “Knowledge without practice is useless, practice without knowledge is
dangerous”, which guided my research and business intent. My acknowledgements
therefore recognise the support I have received from academics and practitioners in
equal measure.

My thanks to ex business colleagues for their time and active help with particular
thanks to Andrew Messenger and Tony Dubberley, for their inspiration, help and
assistance.

My thanks to academic colleagues and my supervisors; Professor John Sparrow and
Doctor Les Franklin of Birmingham City University, who in different and
complementary ways guided me through the research challenges I confronted.

My special thanks to my sons Steven and Michael for their encouragement and
support; and to my fiancée, Joanna, for her patience, understanding, help and practical
assistance. Finally my thanks to my parents who gave me personal values without
which I would not have completed this research journey.

©2010 Paul Steven Turner
All rights reserved
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ABSTRACT

This case study investigated ways in which a coaching culture can improve
organisational effectiveness and had six objectives: (i) explore the view that coaching
in the workplace, supported by a strategic coaching framework, is an effective means
of enhancing employee engagement and performance; (ii) identify key characteristics
and barriers to building a management coaching capability able to deliver an improved
quality of performance in the workplace; (iii) develop a model of conducive attributes,
initiatives and management capabilities that enhance coaching effectiveness; (iv)
understand the nature of coaching within an organisation; (v) establish the most
effective ways in which coaching can achieve an improved quality of performance and
(vi) evaluate the effect of a ‘strategic coaching approach’ on engagement and
individual performance.

The research study was primarily based on data obtained from a UK building society.
A multiple methodological approach utilising data gathered from surveys, interviews
and discussion groups was designed to reflect the organisational nature of the research,
the views of the participants and to facilitate learning which may be transferable to
similar organisational contexts.

This research study was undertaken over a seven year period, to enable
contextualisation of the research activity within a realistic corporate planning cycle.
The research time span resulted in the research stance undergoing two stages of
evolution/perspective; from employee/researcher with an ‘insider’ understanding; to
the position of researcher with an ‘ex-insider/outsider’ perspective, the researcher
having left the organisation before the research was completed. Many participants
also contributed to the research from both perspectives since their career paths
followed similar trajectories.

The longitudinal nature of the study combined with the ‘insider/outsider’ research
stance has highlighted new insights into evidence-based learning providing an
enhanced understanding of culture, leadership, management skills and performance in
an organisational coaching context and which evidenced that organisational coaching
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has the potential to increase statistically significantly both employee engagement and
performance. In doing so the thesis challenges the skills driven competency paradigm
(often utilised singularly in organisations with the aim of achieving immediate
behavioural change) and argues that an ambietic, holistic approach encompassing a
range of organisational driven interventions focused on leadership development
acknowledging the importance of emotional intelligence, employee engagement, HR
alignment, evaluation and continuous improvement is needed to achieve a sustainable
coaching culture and the related performance benefits.

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LIST OF CONTENTS
Chapter 1 Introduction 8
1.1 Preamble 8
1.2 An Overview of the Context of the Research 11
1.3 The Case Study 17

Chapter 2 Literature Review 20
2.1 Introduction 20
2.2 Background to the Development of Coaching 21
2.3 Organisational Learning – Integrated Coaching Approaches 30
2.3.1 Coaching in a Sporting Context and Relevance to Business 30
2.3.2 Coaching in the Context of Other Personal Development and
Support Interventions 35
2.3.3 Coaching in an Organisational Learning Context 41
2.3.4 The Provision of Professional Coaching Services and Related
Standards 46
2.4 Business Practice, Applications and Approaches 52
2.4.1 Business Practice and Context 52
2.4.2 Organisational Coaching Applications 59
2.4.3 Coaching Models and Approaches 63
2.4.3.1 Context of Implementation 63
2.4.3.2 Conceptual Approaches 64
2.5 Leadership Coaching – Organisational and Cultural Change 73
2.5.1 Leadership in the Context of a Coaching Approach 73
2.5.2 Line Managers as Coaches in the Workplace – Skills,
Attitudes, Roles and Behavioural Sets 82
2.5.3 Coaching as a Strategic Lever to Achieving Organisational
and Cultural Change 88
2.6 Conceptual Framework of the Research 95
2.7 Conclusion 99

Chapter 3 Research Methodology 100
3.1 Introduction 100
3.2 Research Paradigm and Philosophy 103
3.3 Case Study Profile 119
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3.4 Research Framework and Strategy 125
3.4.1 Research Strategy 125
3.4.2 Initial Facilitated Group Discussion Sessions 134
3.4.3 9Factors™ Methodology 134
3.4.4 Coach and Coachee Questionnaires 139
3.4.5 Coaching Impact Assessment 140
3.4.6 Discussion Groups and Interviews 141
3.4.7 Elite Interviewing 145
3.4.8 Return on Investment 146
3.4.9 Final Reflective Sessions 147
3.4.10 Supplementary Data Gathered in the Course of the Research 147
3.5 Conclusion 148

Chapter 4 Research Findings 153
4.1 Introduction 153
4.2 9Factors™ Methodology Survey Data 153
4.2.1 Comment upon 9Factors™ Methodology Survey Data 165
4.3 Questionnaire Findings 166
4.3.1 Questionnaire to Employees who Received Coaching 166
4.3.1.1 Comment upon Employee (Coachee) Questionnaire
Findings 170
4.3.2 Questionnaire to Managers who Coached 171
4.3.2.1 Comment upon Manager (Coach) Questionnaire
Findings 172
4.3.3 Comparative Analysis of the Responses from Coaching
Managers and Coached Employees 174
4.3.3.1 Comment upon Comparative Questionnaire Findings
of Coaching Managers and Coached Employees 175
4.4 Discussion Groups Findings 176
4.4.1 Introduction 176
4.4.2 Employees Who Received Coaching (Coachees) 177
4.4.2.1 Comment upon Employee (Coachee) Discussion
Group Findings 183
4.4.3 Managers Who Coached (Coaches) 183
4.4.3.1 Comment upon Manager (Coach) Discussion
Group Findings 190
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4.5 Data from Manager Interviews 192
4.5.1 Comment upon Manager Interview Findings 193
4.6 Coaching Assessment Records 193
4.6.1 Summary Outline 193
4.6.2 Financial Return on Investment 198
4.6.3 Participant Perspective - Qualitative Data 200
4.6.4 Comment upon Coaching Assessment Records 204
4.7 Final Reflective Sessions 205
4.7.1 Introduction 205
4.7.2 Employees’ (Coachees’) Perspective 205
4.7.2.1 Comment upon Findings from Employees’
(Coachees’) Final Reflections 210
4.7.3 Managers’ (Coaches’) Perspective 211
4.7.3.1 Comment upon Findings from Managers’
(Coaches’) Final Reflections 213
4.7.4 Comparative Discussion of Final Reflections of Employees
(Coachees) and Managers (Coaches) 214
4. 8 Supplementary Data from External Reviews and Benchmarking 215

Chapter 5 Discussion 218
5.1 An Overview 218
5.2 Research Learning in the Context of Other Work 226
5.3 Summary Comment of Key Findings 241
5.4 Limitations of Research 250

Chapter 6 Conclusion 254
6.1 Overview 254
6.2 The Changing Organisational Environment and the Impact of
Leadership Coaching Approaches 254
6.3 The Evaluative Process 259
6.4 Cultural Change Levers 261
6.5 Key Themes of Research Findings 267
6.6 Recommendations for Future Research 270

Bibliography 278
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Index of Formatted Data (Templates, Diagrams, Charts)

Figure A Conceptual Framework of the Research 96
Figure B 9Factors™ Methodology Survey 2000 – 2007 155
Figure C Mean Scores, T-Scores and Statistical Significance for Engagement
Scores from Employee Sources for Each of the Survey Years of the
9Factors™ Methodology Survey 156
Figure D Level of Attendance and Coaching Accreditations, 2000 – 2008 157
Figure E 9Factors Methodology Survey Ratings 2002 – 2007 Comparative
Data Accredited Coaches to Manager Population 161
Figure F Coaching Feedback Questionnaire – Pre/Post Coaching 162
Figure G Coaching Feedback Questionnaire Percentage Change 163
Figure H Prioritised List of Benefits Emanating from Coaching Sessions as
Cited by Employees Who Received Coaching 178
Figure I Diagram of Benefits Emanating from Coaching Sessions as Cited
by Employees Who Received Coaching 179
Figure J List of Key Coach Attributes Identified by Employees Who
Received Coaching 181
Figure K List of Other Positive Attributes of a Coach 182
Figure L Areas of Coaching 194
Figure M Summary of Coaching Assessment Records Data 196
Figure N Triangular View of Coaching in the Workplace 230
Figure O Cultural Change Levers 263
Figure P Coaching Technique -v- Relationship Building Skills 265

Appendices

Appendix 1 Coaching Models and Frameworks 309
Appendix 2 9Factors™ (Nine Factors) Cultural Assessment Questionnaire 318
Appendix 3 Coaching Feedback Survey Questionnaire – Coachees 326
Appendix 4 ‘What’s it Like to be Coached?’ Questionnaire 328
Appendix 5 ‘What’s it Like to Coach?’ Questionnaire 331
Appendix 6 Participant Communication for Discussion Groups 335
Appendix 7 Managers’ Interview Questionnaire 337
Appendix 8 Group Discussion Sessions; Semi-structured Framework 345
Appendix 9 Coaching Impact Assessment Record 348
Appendix 10 Organisational Coaching Development Stages – An Approach 350
Appendix 11 Coaching by Managers – A Model 363
Chapter 1 Introduction

1.1 Preamble

Coaching has become increasingly popular since the late 1990s as organisations and
their workforces have had to cope with the challenge of a changing and increasingly
complex workplace. The use and utilisation of coaching within the workplace has
taken many forms over the past few years, yet despite the onward march of coaching
through the ranks of myriad organisations there remains a knowledge gap in terms of
the key elements of effective coaching within organisations. This research study
considers the role of coaching within an organisational context in terms of culture,
leadership, management skills and performance. There are six objectives, namely to
(i) explore the view that coaching in the workplace, supported by a ‘strategic coaching
framework’, is an effective means of enhancing employee engagement and
performance; (ii) identify any critical key characteristics and/or barriers to building a
managerial coaching capability; (iii) develop a model of conducive attributes,
initiatives and management capabilities that enhance coaching effectiveness; (iv)
understand the nature of coaching within an organisation; (v) establish the most
effective ways in which coaching can achieve an improved quality of performance and
(vi) evaluate the effect of a ‘strategic coaching approach’ on engagement and
performance.

The central focus of the research is to better understand the nature of coaching within
an organisation and, in doing so, to establish the most effective ways in which
coaching can achieve an improved quality of performance. In summary, the research
seeks to evaluate the effect on employee engagement and performance of a strategic
coaching approach and to identify the key characteristics of successful coaching
interventions.

The thesis commences with an introduction which sets out the general background to
the research work highlighting the key structural elements of the literature review,
including an overview of the organisational case study context. The broad nature of
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coaching created a high potential for exploration of multiple threads of research across
a wide spectrum and against this background the aims and objectives of the research
were critical to identifying key emergent themes within the literature review. The list
of personal development and other related categories which link to coaching are
innumerable and the concept of direction of fit (Anscombe, 1957) offered a
challenging backdrop by which to consider intentions and beliefs in order to develop
the literature review and achieve an open, challenging and free thinking exploratory
style within a robust research framework. As such, the literature review explores those
key elements that relate to organisational culture, leadership, management skills and
performance, whilst firstly considering the historical context of coaching in settings
other than business. To not follow a thread of research which whilst not linked
directly to organisational coaching at its conception, in turn played a significant part in
the development of such coaching applications, as in the case of Gallwey (1986),
would endanger enlightenment of the research enquiry. Similarly to not acknowledge
that coaching is intertwined with a host of other personal development interventions,
which may or may not be labelled for the convenience and understanding of those
practitioners or students who use or study such methods and many of which have been
practised at a higher incidence within business environments, would arguably produce
a formalised and constraining research approach not conducive to effective research
work.

The case study approach provides the setting for the focus on coaching within the
workplace and the particular characteristics of the organisational setting are
summarised so as to provide initial background information on the arena of the
research fieldwork. A balance within the literature review process was therefore
sought to acknowledge the interdisciplinary nature of the research and ensure an
understanding of coaching in a workplace setting through a review of leadership,
organisational development and culture, business practice, professional development,
personal skills and attributes and coaching models and concepts, all from the
perspective of a coaching context. The content of the literature review includes
published work that informed the research up to the commencement of, and during,
the final review phase during 2010.

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