Voices of the Coached: Conversations with Those Who Have Participated in Executive Coaching Scott Rt Evor Morrell University of St
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University of St. Thomas, Minnesota UST Research Online Education Doctoral Dissertations in Organization School of Education Development 2011 Voices of the Coached: Conversations with Those Who Have Participated in Executive Coaching Scott rT evor Morrell University of St. Thomas, Minnesota Follow this and additional works at: https://ir.stthomas.edu/caps_ed_orgdev_docdiss Part of the Education Commons Recommended Citation Morrell, Scott rT evor, "Voices of the Coached: Conversations with Those Who Have Participated in Executive Coaching" (2011). Education Doctoral Dissertations in Organization Development. 8. https://ir.stthomas.edu/caps_ed_orgdev_docdiss/8 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the School of Education at UST Research Online. It has been accepted for inclusion in Education Doctoral Dissertations in Organization Development by an authorized administrator of UST Research Online. For more information, please contact [email protected]. VOICES OF THE COACHED: CONVERSATIONS WITH THOSE WHO HAVE PARTICIPATED IN EXECUTIVE COACHING A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of the University of St. Thomas By Scott Trevor Morrell In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of Doctor of Education October, 2011 i Voices of the Coached: Conversations With Those Who Have Participated in Executive Coaching We certify that we have read this dissertation and approved it as adequate in scope and quality. We have found that it is complete and satisfactory in all respects, and that any and all revisions required by the final examining committee have been made. Dissertation Committee ____________________________________ John P. Conbere, Ed.D. Committee Chair ____________________________________ Patricia Hedberg, Ph.D. Committee Member ____________________________________ Joseph Volker, Ph.D. Committee Member ____________________________________ Final Approval Date ii Acknowledgements I initiated this scholarly journey with the intent to better understand the experience of leaders who engage in executive coaching. No effort of this magnitude is done alone. Several significant individuals shaped the various stages of my academic pursuit within this publication. Therefore, I wish to provide my written gratitude and indebtedness to those individuals who contributed to my study. I wish to start my appreciation with the dissertation committee. To my chair, Dr. John Conbere, thank you for agreeing to provide candid feedback, a nurturing spirit, and holistic commitment to meeting my learning objectives. To my committee members, Dr. Patricia Hedberg and Dr. Joseph Volker, who provided practical insights to my study. Finally, to Dr. Rama Hart who kick-started my study and got me to the “third quarter” of the game. There is tremendous power in the inspiration of a team, in the case of my learning cohort; I owe a great deal of praise! To my Cohort III colleagues who influenced me beyond measure during our three years of formal classes together and moreover for the time since navigating through the dissertation study. While I thank each of you, a few were on the sidelines cheering me on when I needed it most. I wish to name, Kat Cannon, Bill Landherr, Jim Jordan, Lloyd VanderKwaak, Janet Webster, and Rachel Wobschall. You have influenced my experience beyond measure. To the six subjects who participated in this study. Each of you provided me your valuable time and energy by agreeing to participate in this study. I am so appreciative of your candor and honesty about the coaching experience. You principally have addressed my original intention for this study. Without your contributions this study would not have been possible. iii To my coaching clients who inspired this journey in the first place. I have often wondered what you were really thinking, feeling and experiencing in our coaching sessions together. I believe I have a greater sense of what you may have encountered in our time together. To my wife, Jennifer Morrell, who supported me through this arduous process. You alone know the trials and tribulations of this experience. Thank you for enduring my emotional roller-coaster over the time period of this study. Finally, I thank the Triune God, The Father, The Son – Jesus, the Messiah, and the Spirit for creating and sustaining me through the process. I hope that in some small way my efforts here build Your Kingdom. iv Abstract The purpose of this study was to understand the lived experience of leaders who engaged in executive coaching as a leadership development initiative. Through Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), six participants, three women and three men, shared their experience of the client side of executive coaching. Data collected through one-on-one interviews provided rich descriptions of the client’s perceptions during their coaching engagement. Thematic findings include three Super-Ordinate themes: A Hope & Faith in the Coaching Process, The Journey and Memory Book. Sub-themes under Hope & Faith in the Coaching Process: investment in me, know oneself, expect the unexpected, and ascension. Sub- themes under The Journey: attending, facing warts, freckles and scars, Johari Window, and leader as humanitarian. Sub-themes under Memory Book: nostalgia, self-reflection, client-coach fit and still learning. The three Super-Ordinate themes and sub-themes provide significant insight to the lived experience of leaders in coaching. The research provides recommendations to organizations who may hire a coach, to the executive who is new to coaching or a veteran of coaching, and to the executive coach. Future research is suggested for both positivistic and interpretive studies. v Table of Contents Acknowledgements………………………………………………………………………ii Abstract………………………………………………………………………………….iv Table of Contents………………………………………………………………………...v List of Tables and Figures………..…………………………………………………….viii Chapter 1: Introduction…………………………………………………………………..1 Statement of the Problem…………………………………………………………2 Researcher Interest……………………………………………………………….2 Purpose of the Study……………………………………………………………..4 Research Question………………………………………………………………..4 Definitions………………………………………………………………………..5 Significance of the Study………………………………………………………...8 Assumptions …………………………………………………………………….10 Organization of the Study ……………………………………………………….11 Chapter 2: A Review of the Literature …………………………………………………..13 What is Executive Coaching? …………………………………………………………...13 Is Executive Coaching Effective? ……………………………………………….15 Models of Executive Coaching ………………………………………………….16 Coaching Practices ………………………………………………………...........18 Client Perspectives ………………………………………………………...........19 Chapter 3: Research Methods…………………………………………………………....23 Phenomenological Study ………………………………………………………..23 Recruitment of Subjects …………………………………………………………24 Criteria ……………………………….. ………………………………………...25 Role of the Researcher……………………………………………………... …..26 Data Collection Procedures ……………………………………………..............27 Data Analysis Procedures ……………………………………………………….27 Validity ………………………………………………………………………….34 Ethical Issues ……………………………………………………………………35 Chapter 4: Findings ………………………………………………………………...........36 Participants Snapshot ……………………………………………………………36 vi Profiles of Interview Cases ……………………………………………………...37 Super-Ordinate Themes …………………………………………………............63 Super-Ordinate Themes One - Hope and Faith in the process....….......................65 Investment in Me ………………………………………………..66 Expect the Unexpected ………………………………………….68 Know Oneself …………………………………………………...71 Ascension ………………………………………………………..73 Super-Ordinate Theme Two - The Journey ……………………………………..76 Attending ………………………………………………………..77 Facing Warts, Freckles and Scars ………………………………79 Johari Window……………………………………………….......81 Steering Small……………………………………………83 The Safety Net…………………………………………...84 The Sounding Board………………………………..........85 Concern With Changing Too Much……………………...86 Leaders as Humanitarian ………………………………………...87 Super-Ordinate Theme Three -The Memory Book ……………………………..91 I’m Still Learning ………………………………………………..91 Client-Coach Fit …………………………………………………93 Self-Reflection …………………………………………………..96 Nostalgia ………………………………………………………...97 The Lived Experience …………………………………………………………...98 Chapter 5: Discussion …………………………………………………………………101 Implication of Findings ………………………………………………………...102 The Organization ………………………………………………………………102 The Executive ………………………………………………………………….104 The Executive Coach …………………………………………………………..105 Organization Development Consultants………………………………………..107 Organization Development Scholars…………………………………………...109 Future Research ………………………………………………………………..110 Personal Insights ……………………………………………………………….112 vii Conclusion ……………………………………………………………………116 References……………………………………………………………………………..118 Appendices ……………………………………………………………………………125 Appendix A - Sample Invitation ……………………………………………………...125 Appendix B - Informed Consent ……………………………………………….……..128 Appendix C - Semi-Structured Interview Guide …………………………….…….….133 Appendix D - Data Analysis Form ………………………………………………..….137 viii List of Tables and Figures Table 1 Participant Snapshot….………………………………………………………...37 Table 2 Themes by Subject….………………………………………………….............47 Table 3 Frequency…..…………………………………………………………………..48 Table 4 Essential Passages….…………………………………………………………..49 Table 5 Summary of Themes…………………………………………………………...63 Figure 1 A Conceptual Framework for Successful Executive Coaching……………….18 Figure 2 Johari Window………………………………………………………………...82 Figure 3 The Lived Experience………………………………………………………..100 1 Chapter 1 The International Coaching