Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2005. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The concept of executive coaching has become known over the last 20 years. Executive coaching is a service that is provided to managers and leaders within organisations in order to help them to make changes that will lead to increased personal and organisational performance. Coaching helps leaders to function better in the business world by helping them to see beyond their own mindsets; helping them to learn new skills; and helping them to overcome deeply ingrained habits and behaviours that may be restricting their further success. Coaching is not targeted specifically at executives that are experiencing performance problems, but at any manager or leader that wants to learn or change in some way, or simply wants to further increase their performance. The need for executive coaching has arisen due to the speed at which the world is developing and hence because of constant change. Globalisation, technology, mass production and increased levels of democracy have lead to a highly competitive business world. The leader and manager of today have to be highly efficient and deal with a much broader range of tasks than ever before while being highly advanced in the areas of personal and interpersonal skills. These same changes that have affected the world have lead to changing social norms where people have the need to partiCipate and be heard. The traditional management approaches to business whereby leaders commanded their employees to execute their ideas, is no longer an efficient practise as business is just too complex to centralise decision making. The concept of organisational empowerment which became know in the late 1980's has to do with the top leaders of organisations sharing their power and authority with those lower down in the organisation. Empowerment is seen as the key to sustainable organisational success, however it is complex to implement, takes considerable time and needs dedication, focus and drive from top leaders to be successful. Top leaders however will need to transform their own styles, habits and skills in order to successfully empower their organisations. Executive coaching is seen as the best method to help leaders and managers to empower their organisations by assisting them to change their leadership styles, learn better personal skills and to properly plan and execute changes that need to be made within the organisation. The use of executive coaching will also teach executives how to coach all those within their organisations, which will further help change the organisation from a traditional culture to a culture of collaboration and support. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die konsep van bestuursafrigting het in die afgelope 20 jaar bekend geword. Bestuursafrigting is 'n diens wat gelewer word aan bestuurders en leiers binne 'n organisasie om hulle te help om veranderinge te maak wat sal lei tot verhoogde persoonlike en organisatoriese prestasie. Afrigting help leiers om beter te presteer in die besigheidswereld deur verby hul eie gedagte raamwerk te kyk, nuwe vaardighede aan te leer en om diep ingewortelde gewoontes en gedrag te oorkom wat sukses verhinder. Afrigting is nie net gefokus op uitvoerende amptenare wat prestasie probleme ervaar nie, maar op enige bestuurder of leier wat wil leer of verander, of prestasie wil verbeter. Die behoefte vir bestuursafrigting het ontstaan as gevolg van die tempo waarmee die wereld voortdurend verander. Globalisering, tegnologie, massa produksie en verhoogde vlakke van demokrasie het gelei na 'n hoogs kompeterende besigheidswereld. Die hedendaagse leier en bestuurder moet hoogs effektief wees, meer take kan verrig as ooit tevore en ook nog hoogs gevorderd wees in terme van interpersoonlike vaardighede. Hierdie veranderinge het ook gelei na veranderende sosiale norme waar mense meer betrokke wil wees deur insette te lewer. Die tradisionele benadering tot besigheid, waar leiers opdragte gee aan werknemers om hulle idees uit te voer, is nie meer effektief in die huidige komplekse samelewing nie. Die idee van organisatoriese bemagtiging, wat in die laat 1980's bekend geword het, het te make met die verspreiding van mag van die senior bestuur in die organisasie na laer vlakke. Bemagtiging is die sleutel tot volhoubare organisatoriese sukses maar, dit is moeilik om te implementeer, het baie tyd en toewyding nodig en benodig fokus van die top leiers om suksesvol te wees. Daarom moet top bestuurders hul eie styl, gewoontes en vaardighede transformeer om bemagtiging suksesvol te implementeer in hul organisasies. Bestuursafrigting word gesien as die beste metode om leiers en bestuurders te help om hul werknemers te bemagtig deur hulle te help om hulle leierskapstyle te verander, beter persoonlike vaardighede aan te leer en om beter organisatoriese beplanning en uitvoering te fasiliteer. Die gebruik van bestuursafrigting leer bestuurders hoe om ander te mentor wat die tradisionele kultuur van bestuur vervang met een van samewerking en ondersteuning.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2001. / The last few decades have been characterised by a high degree of rapid change in the business, social and political environment. The period we are currently living in has been referred to by one of the writers on the subject as a period of "hyper-change" In a period of "hyper-change" the consequences for global businesses is significant. Organisations constantly face new sets of challenges and before they have worked their way through one set another presents itself. In the area of skills development this could have major consequences for the leadership of organisations. It is said that the only way to succeed in a rapidly changing environment is to ensure that knowledge growth outpaces that rate of change. This implies rapid skills update as well. Under traditional leadership development approaches, through structured programmes, the rate of change in skills growth is not sufficient to ensure that the executive and the organisation remain ahead of change. Indeed, traditional programmes are not even able to effectively deliver the kinds of skills that are needed by today's executive. The skills referred to here are softer skills such as communications skills, diversity awareness, conflict resolution, listening skills and so forth. In the last two decades a new trend has developed in the USA. ..coaching, more precisely executive coaching. Started in 1982 by a financial analyst, Thomas Leonard, the practice of coaching seems to have grown exponentially over the last two decades. The popularity of coaching is ascribed mainly to its effectiveness in being able to deliver quick results. It has also proved to be popular among executives for its flexibility around time and structure of process allowing the executive to focus on areas of improvement that will the greatest impact. Coaching has made its mark as one of the essential development tools that must be found in the portfolio of options of any people development strategy.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / The purpose of this research assignment was to identify the role of coaching to improve decision-making by senior business managers. The research reviewed the theory of decision-making, business coaching and a coaching approach. The research captured the perceptions amongst a group of senior managers regarding the contribution of business coaching and coaching tools to their decision-making. The research then tracked how these perceptions changed as the group experienced coaching. The research identified how to use coaching for decision-making by teams and individuals. Action research was the methodology used for conducting this research and was preferred because of the opportunity to pilot an approach in a real situation involving senior managers as participants in a process that allowed for adjustment and learning along the way. The sample comprised a team of group account managers in a South African beverage manufacturing company. An action research process of plan, act, observe and reflect was used with CLEAR (contract, listen, explore, action and review) as coaching approach, and coaching tools comprising Kolb’s experiential learning and reflective practice. The action research was a five-phase process, which included team sessions and individual coaching sessions. The findings showed that coaching makes a positive contribution to more effective decision-making by senior managers. Participant perceptions were that the CLEAR coaching approach made a positive contribution to more effective decision-making, with Kolb’s experiential learning and reflective practice making important contributions. Based on the research findings, business leadership and management should pay specific attention to their business decision-making practices and put programmes in place to ensure effective decision-making. It is also an imperative for senior managers to identify opportunities to improve their decision-making skills through coaching or other means. Coaches working in the business environment should develop their knowledge of decision-making and adopt focused approaches to increase the decision-making effectiveness of their clients. This research with a sample group of five senior managers occurred in a competitive fast moving consumer goods business environment over a twelve-week period. Further research could include samples that are more diverse, at different levels in an organisation, in different industries and over longer periods. Opportunity also exists to conduct further research into the role different coaching approaches and coaching tools could play with respect to improving decision-making effectiveness.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The South African coaching and mentoring industry is a fragmented and unregulated work environment with no entry barriers. Industry standards and quality are undefined and dependent on a myriad of coaching training institutions, of which only one, the University of Stellenbosch, is registered with and quality assured by the National Qualifications Act. The result is a mixed bag of coaching approaches, philosophies and methodologies which are not necessarily grounded in evidence-based practice. Thus the industry is characterised by market confusion and an influx of untrained or poorly trained practitioners. Although coaching is not a high-risk occupation, it still carries a significant responsibility. It directly influences decision-making in business and in the lives of individuals. Consequently it has the potential for a considerable positive impact on society. However, the unregulated environment of South African coaching exposes the public to coaching behaviour which may be incompetent and unethical. The global demand for coaching has been growing steadily over the past few years and South Africa is no exception. Unfortunately this growth is at risk of stagnation and decreasing levels of trust – typical ingredients for a fad recipe. It must be stated though that there are pockets of excellence, often supported by international qualifications and credentials. In early 2013 the newly elected executive committee of COMENSA (Coaches and Mentors of South Africa) embarked on a bold journey to rectify this situation. A decision was made to professionalise the coaching industry by registering with government as a self-regulated professional body in 2014. To prepare for this, COMENSA launched a strategy for the development of local standards, credentialing and continuing professional development based on international benchmarking. This research documented the launch of the strategy through a monitoring and evaluation framework. It investigated the strategy's activities in relation to intended results. It also probed a number of direct stakeholders regarding their understanding and expectations of the strategy as well as their attitude towards it. The research yielded in-depth insights into the objectives of the strategy – some of them unstated in the strategic document, but still intended. It also uncovered a stakeholder view which contained indicators of the market confusion mentioned above. Finally, it identified a potential misalignment between the expectations of the strategy and the requirements contained in the government policy on self-regulated professionalisation. In conclusion it must be added that this research was the first phase of a longer-term monitoring and evaluation project on the impact of a professional coaching environment. Key words: COMENSA; coaching; professionalisation; self-regulation; monitoring and evaluation; impact evaluation; evaluating strategy. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Geen

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Management in Business Executive Coaching Johannesburg, 2017 / Personality match between a dyadic pair in helping relationships has shown to improve the process and outcomes. Does the same apply to executive coaching? Coaching is deemed to be effective but why is this so? This study explored the role of personality similarities on the executive coaching process. By understanding the role personality plays it was anticipated that: understanding would be elicited as to why coachees select their particular coach; better matching could occur between the executive coach and coachee; the process would be more beneficial due to this similarity and there would be a better return on investment for organisations who could assess coaches and coachees and pair them accordingly based on similarities in personality. This study utilised the five factor model (FFM) of personality to explore the personalities of the coaches and coachees across eight coaching dyads. This study utilised qualitative methodology that of eight case studies made up of eight coaching dyads. All 16 respondents were interviewed using a semi-structured interview. This served as the primary data source. The interviews were recorded, transcribed and uploaded into Atlas ti software for analysis. Content analysis was used and a codebook was created inductively, resulting in 94 codes. The 16 respondents then completed the Wave personality questionnaire as the secondary data source. The assessments were uploaded onto Atlas ti software and were analysed qualitatively using content analysis. 34 codes were created deductively using psychometric principles and the Wave personality questionnaire’s measures. The 128 codes were then categorised into 27 categories and 11 themes. Similarity in personality did not appear to have as great an influence as was anticipated on the executive coaching process within each dyad. Although there was a perception of personality similarity in the majority of the cases, there was very little to substantiate this according to the FFM. This study argues that this perception of similarity is due to the rapport built between the coach and coachee as well as the adaptation of the coach to the coachee’s style and needs. This creates cognitive resonance and reinforcement-affect. Due to this perception it is evident that the training of coaches must focus on the coaching skills of openness and trust building. ii Despite similarities or dissimilarities in personality, all eight dyads indicated satisfaction with the coaching process, the coaching relationship and the outcomes. Across all coaches there was no similarity in personality factors. However, across all coachees, there were similarities in personality regarding change orientation, optimism and openness to feedback which speaks to coachee readiness. This study argues that coachee readiness should be assessed for in order to determine readiness for coaching which will allow for more beneficial outcomes. The relationship, rather than personality similarity, was deemed to be the fundamental component in the coaching process. A relationship based on trust and openness allows the coachee to become vulnerable. This vulnerability allows for validation of the coachee by the coach and it is this validation which allows for growth and development. / MT2017

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, Graduate School of Business Administration, 2017. / Coaching is a young, growing professional practice with its origins in many older established fields of knowledge. There is considerable research into what coaches think about their work and the theories and methods underlining these approaches. However, there is a great deal less research on how the executives or coaching clients experienced the coaching. This research answered the questions from the coached executive perspective by first wanting to know (1) what the lived experience of the coaching executive was; and (2) based on that lived experience, what theory about the coaching process would emerge. This emerged theory would be grounded in evidence from the coachee. A total of 17 clients were involved in the research. While the research had a strong phenomenological underpinning, the method used was that of constructivist grounded theory. There were five key findings with theoretical propositions behind each of the findings. The findings are: (1) Coaching is a response to an unmet need in an individual who lives in a volatile, ever changing world with great complexity. Coaching provided a wellness model that is collaborative, client driven, and adaptable. A primary need in people is to have a sense of well-being and personal meaning in this world. (2) Even though the coaching is a response to a need, the coaching client still needs to be ready to be coached. A client readiness theory with integrated components was developed based on the clients’ lived experience. The interrelationships based on the client’s perceptions were a new contribution. (3) There are several processes in coaching but the key focus of the processes is that they are active and present. The processes also understand the relationship between the ‘being’ and ‘knowing’ of the coach and the ‘doing’ of the coach. The doing covers the active processes but it is the way in which the coach does these processes (the being) that influences their efficacy. (4) The coach needs to be authentic, credible and present. (5) Brain integration leads to deeper self-awareness, well-being and personal meaning. This theory of brain integration is based in Interpersonal Neurobiology, and the nine domains of integration assist in providing an overarching framework in which to position the outcomes of coaching. The contribution was broad in that it looked at all aspects of the coaching process: the coach, the coachee, the process, the outcomes and the context and provided an integrated framework. / MT2017

A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Johannesburg, 2015 / The purpose of this study was to explore and identify the contribution that leadership coaching, facilitated by MBA alumni, could make to MBA students’ leadership development. The research study employed a mixed method sequential exploratory design with data collected from over 350 MBA students and more than 90 MBA alumni coaches. The outcomes of the study indicated that the MBA leadership coaching sessions had provided the MBA students with a new personalised learning experience that had increased their self-awareness, strengthened their self-development skills, and built a foundation for their future leadership development. The research study made a theoretical contribution to the fields of leadership development and coaching, by showing the contribution that a person-centred coaching approach, focused on individual facilitation and development, can make to MBA leadership development. The main contribution to practice was that the study established that using MBA alumni to facilitate MBA students’ leadership coaching could be a highly beneficial and financially viable alternative to using professional coaches for this purpose. A methodological contribution was made by demonstrating how a three-phased mixed method sequential exploratory design could yield a multi-faceted and fully integrated understanding of the outcomes of a study of this nature. Recommendations are made for future research, including exploring whether similar outcomes of MBA leadership coaching can be observed at other business schools in South Africa or elsewhere, as well as the desirability of conducting a follow-up study on the MBA students that participated in this study. This could establish what impact the coaching sessions have had on the MBA students’ leadership development over time. / MB2016

The perceptions held by newly promoted managers or those managers who have moved between managerial roles, when it comes to their own job performance in the workplace, remain interesting. An exploratory research design method was followed with the aim of providing evidence-based literature in order to explore how coaching can influence the perceived job performance of these managers, considering the amount of effort needed from them to adjust to their roles. The study was conducted using a convenience non-probability sample of managers who are working in different sectors ranging from public utilities, the media as well as engineering and gas industries. Data were collected from the research participants who were readily available and transcripts were produced. In order to maintain accuracy, the transcripts were based on recordings of the outcomes of semi-structured, one-on-one interviews conducted using a research interview discussion guide. A triangulation process to collect data from different sources was used, focusing on managers who received coaching and managers who did not receive coaching, as well as the managers managing the aforesaid categories of managers. The data collected were transcribed and then analysed using Atlas.ti software, based on themed content analysis. The results provide a South African perspective on the perceived influence of coaching on newly promoted managers or those managers who have moved between managerial roles. The findings demonstrated that coaching can contribute positively to the role transition and work adjustment of these managers, as one of the managers who had been coached indicated, saying, “It assisted me in affirming myself in the role.” The meaning attached to the findings is that coaching can contribute towards building the necessary confidence to lead and manage others. However, the lack of a common criterion for measuring successful job performance, focusing on specific managerial competencies, remains a challenge. The research participants in this study took up coaching for different reasons and the level of impact was thinly spread across these dimensions. Therefore, more scientific research still need to be done to get empirical evidence on the impact of coaching on perceived job performance in a South African context, using a common criterion and specific managerial competencies. / MT2017

Thesis (M.M. (Business Executive Coaching))--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, Graduate School of Business Administration, 2015. / The study explored the CEO transition process that takes place in the handing over of the organisation from the outgoing CEO to the incoming CEO and how executive coaching can facilitate the transition process. The past two decades have seen a reduction in the tenure of CEOs. In addition the transition period has contracted. This means that the incoming CEO is often faced with many challenges that may have been alleviated in a longer or more structured transition process. As CEO succession has a major impact on the organisation, and is disruptive in itself, executive coaching might present an opportunity to manage the transition and improve the settling in and effectiveness of the incoming CEO and thereby the performance of the organisation. . Friedman and Olk (1995), Garman and Glawe (2004) and Vancil (1987) defined a structured CEO succession and transition process in organisations. The transition process is conceptualised as a settling-in period where the designated CEO and outgoing CEO work together in a dual capacity whereby the organisation would slowly be transferred from one to the other over a period of months or even years (Kakabadse & Kakabadse, 2001). The Chairman plays an influential role in selecting the incoming CEO (Dalton & Dalton, 2007b; Engelbrecht, 2009; Fredrickson, Hambrick, & Baumrin, 1988) and in supporting the incoming CEO in his/her initial appointment period (Kets de Vries, 1987). There are various factors that determine the selection of an insider CEO or outsider CEO based on the performance and future strategy of the organisation (Dalton & Kesner, 1985; Friedman & Olk, 1995; Khurana, 2001; Ocasio, 1999; Zajac, 1990). The selection of the incoming CEO is important as it impacts the market value of the organisation and creates disruption within the organisation (Grusky, 1963). The incoming CEO, whether an insider or outsider CEO appointment, experiences many challenges when taking up the position. These challenges include delivering continuous growth, improved performance and profitability of the organisation (Bower, 2007; Giambatista, Rowe, & Riaz, 2005), managing key relationships with the Chairman, Board of Directors, Shareholders, key customers and suppliers as well as the management of people within the organisation. Other challenges are of a more personal nature, such as self-doubt and balancing work-life (McCormick, 2001; Stajkovic & Luthans, 1998; Stock, Bauer, & Bieling, 2014). Many of these challenges can be attributed to the reduced transition period that an incoming CEO has (Charan, 2005). iv There are various support structures available to the incoming CEO to supporting the incoming CEO in his/her initial appointment period. These include the Chairman, mentors and executive coaching. Various coaching models were considered in supporting the incoming CEO through the transition period and the challenges experienced (Bond & Naughton, 2011; Passmore, 2007; Saporito, 1996). The aim of exploring executive coaching models was to recommend a coaching framework that could be used in the CEO transition process. The research methodology used in the study was qualitative. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken in order to gain insights from the lived experience of CEOs, Chairmen and Board of Directors of organisations (Ponterotto, 2005; Wimpenny & Gass, 2000). Further to this an analysis of the CEO turnover in the Top 40 companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) was undertaken, which served to triangulate the results from the respondent interviews. It was found that there was both planned and unplanned CEO succession in organisations and this impacted the transition process and period that took place between the outgoing CEO and the incoming CEO. Planned CEO succession usually arose from the planned CEO retirements and allowed for a long transition period. An unplanned CEO succession arose from the untimely resignation, retirement or death of the existing CEO. This left the newly appointed CEO taking the position with a very short transition period, if at all. Following from the planned and unplanned CEO succession there was found to be a mismatch between the theory of the CEO succession and transition processes and the practice thereof. This seemed to be more evident from a South African perspective as most of the literature on the subject of CEO succession and transition processes was internationally based with very scant South African literature available on the topic. Executive coaching can provide the structure for the incoming CEO to orientate him/herself to the organisational dynamics, setting the vision and strategy for the organisation as well as the effective execution of that strategy. Further, executive coaching can assist the incoming CEO in the personal challenges of leadership, managing people and stakeholders as well as self-doubt and work-life balance that the newly appointed CEO may experience.

Thesis (Ph. D. in History, Anthropology, and Science, Technology and Society (HASTS))--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Program in Science, Technology and Society, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 207-218). / In recent years, coaching has become a major form of personal and professional development service offered to executives to help develop leadership skills, enhance performance, and remediate patterns of problematic workplace behavior. This dissertation examines the emergence and development of executive coaching in the United States as a new form of professional expertise. Drawing on eighteen months of ethnographic research, the majority of which took place in New York City, this study analyzes the ways in which executive coaching brings together theories of individual psychology and of organizational efficiency in order to increase functionality and productivity at work. Executive coaching is: a) a new form of professional expertise, b) a management tool to increase productivity and efficiency at work, c) a window to changing notions of the self and personhood in America and, finally d) an access point to the corporate world. This study explores these four dimensions of executive coaching. I argue that the emergence of coaching is a product of and a response to a fast changing business environment where continuous improvement is required to adapt to the volatility of changes. Change in the larger context (corporate settings and business environments) is not to be resisted or criticized but to be enabled through the change of the self. This dissertation illustrates and explains the grounds of a shift away from systemic approaches and systemic criticism towards individualistic approaches. Coaching emerges in and becomes an illustration of a neo-liberal economy that emphasizes constant retraining of a self that is versatile, pragmatic and fragmented. / by Esra Ozkan. / Ph.D.in History, Anthropology, and Science, Technology and Society (HASTS