The effectiveness of executive coaching in enhancing leadership development in a State-Owned Company in South Africa

Date
2021-02
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
Abstract
This study's primary purpose was to explore the views of the executives’ and senior managers’ experiences of the executive coaching process and how this has enhanced their leadership development in a South African State Owned Company (SOC). Additionally, it explored the purpose of the Human Resources Talent and Transformation Department for embarking on the coaching programme, and the tools it uses to measure the executive coaching effectiveness. The study assumed a qualitative design, using semi-structured interviews with eight previously coached executives, senior managers, and two HR Talent managers. The study applied thematic analysis to analyse the interviews, and then identified common themes across coached executives and HR Talent managers. Based on the literature review and study findings, there are six elements which are key to the coaching process: (1) choosing a coach, (2) relationship with coach, (3) coaching environment, (4) setting goals, (5) assessment process, and (6) organisational support. The study submitted that the executives viewed coaching as a process having a positive impact in their work and personal journeys. To achieve these outcomes, the coaches must show trust and confidentiality, empathy, create a safe environment, and skills. The coaches must be willing to be open, and committed to the coaching process. The study suggests that there is no universal measure of executive coaching effectiveness. One of the study recommendations is that the HR Talent must establish the evaluation method to provide a correct measure of executive coaching effectiveness. The findings provide value to other SOCs seeking to embark on coaching or currently running the coaching programme. The coaching community (coaches, coaches, and established accredited coaching bodies) may also find this study beneficial in understanding the complexity of the subject matter.
Description
A research report submitted to the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Management in Business and Executive Coaching, Wits Business School, in 2021.
Keywords
South African State Owned Company (SOC), Executive coaching, Coaching process, Coaching effectiveness, Leadership development, Human Resources Talent and Transformation Department, UCTD
Citation
Khanyile, Nonhlanhla Maureen. (2021). The effectiveness of executive coaching in enhancing leadership development in a State-Owned Company in South Africa. [Master's dissertation, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg]. WIReDSpace. https://hdl.handle.net/10539/38903