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 / A flow experience is described by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, the founding thought leader of the experience, as “the holistic sensation present when we act with total involvement” (1975, p.43). Flow experiences have been linked to positive outcomes for individuals and organisations (Csikszentmihalyi & LeFevre, 1989; Engeser & Rheinberg, 2008; Privette, 1983; Salanova, Bakker, & Llorens, 2006) suggesting that this is a desirable experience to facilitate in the workplace. Csikszentmihalyi states that there is much that can be done to introduce more flow to the day-to-day experiences of life, including at work (1999), yet, despite the documented role of organisational leaders as “climate engineers” (Linley, Woolston, & Biswas-Diener, 2009, p. 37) there has been no specific consideration of the flow experiences of executives as leaders. The possible relationship between coaching and flow experiences has to date received attention in mainstream literary circles, and superficial attention in academic literature (Britton, 2008; Wesson & Boniwell, 2007). Coaching executives to achieve flow has not been considered in existing literature in the Executive Coaching domain, but since Executive Coaching is still viewed as emerging (Hamlin, Ellinger, & Beattie, 2008), a confirmation that Executive Coaching can be applied to foster flow experiences in the workplace would add to the credibility of this field. The purpose of this study has been to identify how the emerging discipline of Executive Coaching can facilitate the creation of flow experiences in executive workplaces. The answer to this question has been sought through building an understanding of how flow is experienced by executives in the workplace, and then investigating how flow experiences can be facilitated in executive workplaces. The research study adopted a qualitative approach due to the known suitability of this method to consider the life experiences of participants. Face- to-face, semi-structured interviews were used as the core data collection method addressing a sample size of 16 respondents, made up of 13 executives and three executive coaches. This approach has previously been applied to collect rich narrative data on flow experiences. The study found that whilst executive flow experiences show some commonalities with the existing literature on flow and flow experiences at work, several distinct antecedents for and characteristics of executive flow were identifiable. These precursors and features of executive flow were attributed at three levels: a) at the level of the organisation; b) through the type of work, and c) at the individual level. Executive experiences of anti-flow, the opposite of flow, were also identified. These were typically characterised and initiated by opposite factors to those linked to flow experiences. The study outcomes identified the ability of executives to proactively pursue flow experiences, and further showed that self-awareness and an awareness and use of one’s strengths increase the likelihood of flow experiences. The study thus found that there clear focus areas exist which can be manipulated through interventions to increase likelihood of executive flow experiences. The study outcome that the three areas that impact executive flow experiences correlate to Executive Coaching focus areas introduces the possibility that coaching may be a suitable intervention to increase the likelihood of executive flow experiences. This developing hypothesis is subsequently supported by the final research theme that Executive Coaching may be able to support the executive in cultivating the respective individual, organisational and work conditions to increase the likelihood of flow experiences at work. / MT2017

Men’s underutilization of mental health services continues to be one of the most consistent findings in the help-seeking literature. Many scholars suggest that the culture of therapy may be at odds with masculine socialization and men who might be most in need of help are not seeking or receiving it. Interestingly, this aversion to seeking help is not reflected in the recent growth in the practice of executive coaching. However, no studies have investigated coaching as an alternative treatment option. The purpose of this study was to explore men’s attitudes and preferences about seeking professional help based on practitioner title (psychologist or executive coach), examine the stigma of seeking professional help based on intervention (therapy or executive coaching), and provide additional data on barriers to seeking help. It was hypothesized that men’s conformity to masculine norms would be related to attitudes, stigma, and preferences for seeking help in several important ways. First, most men would have more positive attitudes toward seeking help from executive coaching than therapy. Second, differences in attitudes would be most pronounced for more “traditional” men. Third, executive coaching was expected to be less stigmatizing than therapy. Finally, although men might view a psychologist as more expert and trustworthy, coaching would be a more attractive treatment option. Two-hundred-nine working adult men in the U.S. participated in the online study. After filling out demographic information and assessing their conformity to masculine norms and help-seeking attitudes, participants chose one of three audio vignettes depicting a man getting professional help for a work concern. Afterwards, their attitudes toward seeking help, evaluations of the session, and ratings of stigma for the vignette character were collected. Participants also listed reasons for and against seeking professional help. Results indicate that men in the study had similar help-seeking attitudes for therapy and executive coaching; however, conformity to masculine norms predicted stigma for seeking help, and therapy was viewed as the more stigmatizing intervention. Several interesting themes around reasons for and against seeking help for both modalities also emerged. Implications of the study, as well as limitations and directions for future research, are discussed. / text

While there is an abundance of empirically based information on the broad subject of executive leadership and executive leader development, opportunity for further research is driven by complexity of the executive’s world and the related need to function at high levels of learning agility. In fact, learning agility has been identified by Korn/ Ferry (Korn/Ferry, 2011) as the single most important predictor of executive success. This study seeks to explore non-traditional forms of executive leader development based on an integrated theoretical lens, including learning and executive development theories as they relate to learning agility. Executive Coaching is of primary interest as an executive development theory, with a diagnostic element designed to provide insight about development issues, particularly those around leadership pipeline cross points. The Competing Values Framework, as applied here for individual executive growth and development constructs, offers an additional theoretical lens as well as a structure for practical application. Using an engaged scholarship approach through Action Research, this is explored with a focus on executive development options that go beyond traditional leadership training models, and with research, insights analyzed through the CVF assessment and structured interviews. Among the findings are insights which confirm the learning agility construct claims that it is a key predictor to executive success as executives traverse career transitions. More specifically, the insights which proceed from this study also support the reasons that self-discovery learning interventions impact learning agility for senior executives. They include: The Participants in this study demonstrated Learning Agility Development as defined for this research, providing evidence that Learning Agility can be developed Executive Coaching and Related Self-Discovery Constructs contribute more to Learning Agility Executive Development when the executive coach offers a fluid approach which includes significant engagement and mutual dialog as well as inquiry. Learning Agility Development is related to one’s ability to manage Competing Values, especially Competing Values that are unique to the individual. Individual Awareness, its connection to reflexivity, and the movement of tacit knowledge to explicit knowledge is a key finding related to senior executive learning agility development. A Systems Approach to Learning Agility Executive Development which includes a systemic framework, a defined process/structure, and individual customization is indicated for senior level executives. The study offers extensions to existing theories as well as a practical theory-and-findings-based executive development methodology.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Western Sydney, 2006. / A thesis presented to the University of Western Sydney, College of Arts, School of Education, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Includes bibliographies.

M.B.A. / Different types of mentoring were investigated to determine this state. Individuals as well as organisations were approached to investigate mentoring from both aspects (Organisations mentoring programmes and individual mentoring experiences). This study was conducted by using secondary data from the literature study and primary data from questionnaires. This was done by approaching HR departments to distribute questionnaires to employees within their organisation and consultants who distributed questionnaires to employees within the organisations they were consulting to. The literature study reviewed previous research within this subject and was useful in preparing the questionnaires as well as comparing against the answers received. By using the HR departments and consultants the researcher felt that the intended persons would be reached. Also the thought behind this methodology was that if a person of authority were to distribute the questionnaires there would be an increase in the response rate and limit the amount of spoilt papers. The downside to this method was the possibility of respondents doctoring their answers to make their superiors look better than they were. Hopefully this was overcome by the option of anonymity. HR consultant organisations were also contacted to ascertain how many actually conducted formal mentoring programmes for other organisations. Finally the research highlights that although mentoring does take place in organisations today, the vast majority are informal and left up to the individuals to foster themselves, whereas there is a vast shortage of formal mentoring programmes initiated by organisations themselves. Also, of organisations in the workplace that are HR orientated, very few provide dedicated mentoring programmes as part of their services.

This study set out to explore and describe the experiences of executives and coaches when going through a process of executive coaching. The rationale was that an understating of their experience and their perceived benefits that they gain from a coaching process, might afford insight into a relatively new field. Subsequently this could perhaps contribute to the knowledge of executive coaching in South Africa and develop the discipline further by focusing on the experiences of the different parties. A qualitative approach was followed since it provides rich, descriptive data that increases the contextual depth. To ensure the quality of the research, sensitivity was given to criteria of transferability, credibility and dependability. Exploratory research was employed because executive coaching in South Africa has not been documented that extensively. This method was also chosen because the researcher aimed to describe and interpret the context-bound research subject. Grounded theory was used to analyse the qualitative data. Ten participants were interviewed individually to collect information regarding their experiences. Five coaches and five coachees were interviewed, the interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed from a grounded theory perspective. The findings indicated the experiences of coachees and coaches when going through a coaching process. There are five transcending findings that the researcher found very interesting although these were not all linked to the research questions. They are as follows:<br> 1) Approach / focus of coach seems closely linked to experience of coachee<br> 2) Coaches use very different paradigms / models <br> 3) Use the term executive coaching interchangeable with other terms<br> 4) Coach not unaffected by executive coaching relationship<br> 5) Important for the coachee to feel that the coach understands his/her culture The first indicates that the approach of the coach seems closely linked to the experience of the coachee”. The second indicates that coaches use different paradigms and some followed a more involved process. The third indicates that coaches also use different terms to refer to executive coaching which may lead to misunderstandings in the field. The fourth transcending finding indicates that the coach is not unaffected by the coaching relationship and that they also value growth and development from coaching. The last transcending finding indicates that the coachee feels it is important that the coach understands his/her culture and background. This study contributes to the field of coaching, more specifically, executive coaching in South Africa. The findings also stress the importance of understanding and respecting the diversity in South Africa, specifically in terms of our cultures, backgrounds and different frameworks. Copyright 2008, University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. Please cite as follows: Hattingh, M 2008, An explorative comparison of the value and experiences of the coach and coachee during executive coaching, MCom dissertation, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd < http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-02162012-120517 / > C12/4/133/gm / Dissertation (MCom)--University of Pretoria, 2011. / Human Resource Management / unrestricted

No abstract available / Business Leadership / Ph. D. (Business Leadership)

No abstract available / Business Leadership / Ph. D. (Business Leadership)

Le recours au coaching comme outil de développement des cadres a augmenté de manière exponentielle au cours de cette dernière décennie. Cependant, les études empiriques sur l’impact du coaching professionnel et les mécanismes à l’œuvre dans celui-ci restent rares.<p>Notre recherche vise à répondre à ce manque en étudiant (a) l’impact d’une intervention de coaching professionnel sur les compétences managériales, l’intelligence émotionnelle, le bien-être et l’atteinte des objectifs, (b) les facteurs qui jouent un rôle dans le succès de l’intervention et les mécanismes par lesquels le coaching produit du changement chez les individus.<p>Pour étudier ces questions, une étude longitudinale a été menée sur 50 cadres à haut-potentiel d’une grande entreprise de télécommunications. Les cadres étaient répartis aléatoirement entre le groupe expérimental (25 participants) et le groupe contrôle (25 participants). L’ensemble des participants a passé une évaluation à 360° de leurs compétences managériales, ainsi que différents questionnaires d’intelligence émotionnelle, de personnalité et de bien-être. Suite à ces évaluations, les 25 participants du groupe expérimental ont reçu 7 sessions de coaching étalées sur un an. L’année suivante, les 50 participants ont repassé les mêmes tests. Des entretiens semi-directifs ont ensuite été menés avec les participants du groupe expérimental afin de recueillir leurs auto-évaluations et perceptions des facteurs qui ont joué un rôle déterminant dans leur évolution. Toutes les sessions de coaching ont été données par le même coach, l’auteur de l’étude, afin de stabiliser et de contrôler la méthodologie de coaching adoptée avec les différents participants.<p>Les analyses statistiques sur les données quantitatives indiquent un impact positif et significatif du coaching sur les compétences managériales et l’atteinte des objectifs de développement. L’impact sur l’intelligence émotionnelle et le bien-être dépend lui des dimensions spécifiques considérées. Les analyses qualitatives des entretiens rétrospectifs menés avec les coachés mettent en évidence les différents facteurs vécus comme clés par ceux-ci, ainsi que les mécanismes par lesquels ces facteurs impactent le succès de l’intervention de coaching.<p>Les implications théoriques et pratiques de ces résultats sont discutées, notamment en termes de compréhension des mécanismes de changement à l’œuvre dans le coaching et d’amélioration des dispositifs de coaching et de formation professionnelle des coachs.<p> / Doctorat en Sciences économiques et de gestion / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / Purpose – The purpose of this research was to examine the translation of ‘moments of insights’ into sustainable change(s) by executive coachees with different learning styles six to 12 months after the executive coaching intervention had ended. Design/methodology/approach – In this qualitative study, 12 coachees who had completed coaching programmes six to 12 months prior to commencement of the study were selected based on Kolb’s four learning styles (that is, three coachees per learning style). The coachees or research participants were executives, senior managers, professionals or entrepreneurs who had been coached by executive coaches. Essentially, there were three parts to the research process. The first step was to source a sample of coachees using the Kolb’s learning style inventory. The second step was to conduct a semi-structured interview with each coachee. All the interviews were recorded and transcribed for analysis. The third step was to analyse and compare the data using thematic analysis. The findings were interpreted and links were made to the relevant literature. Key findings – Coachees with different learning styles seemed to remember their ‘moments of insight’ in alignment with their learning styles. These coachees, with different learning styles, appeared to translate their ‘moments of insight’ into sustainable change congruently with their learning style preferences. Where any variation was noted in the findings within a learning style, generally it was associated with the coachee having a more balanced learning style, or having a more extreme style within the relevant quadrant of the learning grid. Research limitations/implications - The sample size of this study was small. Nonetheless, the study was intended to be qualitative rather than quantitative. Practical implications – There are implications of this research for both coaches and training institutions for coaches. For the coaches: To recognise how ‘moments of insight’ could lead to transformation of coachees with different learning styles. Knowing and understanding learning style preferences can deepen and further embed learning with regard to the coaching process. Training institutions for coaches: These training institutions need to consider incorporating learning styles in the content of their programme, so that coaches can optimise their coaching of individuals with different learning styles - and learn to work more effectively with metaphors in their coaching interventions with coachees having different learning styles. Originality/value – The study adds to the body of knowledge on understanding how coachees’ different learning styles can impact on coaching, the learning process and the sustainability of changes emanating from the coaching.