A pretest-posttest study of leadership coaching: effects on leadership self-efficacy, leader authenticity, change

leadership and overall effectivenessCoaching in Leadership and Healthcare Conference

Institute of Coaching, October 18-19, 2019, Boston, MA

Peter Halliwell, PhD Candidate, University of Newcastle, AustraliaBrendan Boyle, Associate Professor, University of Newcastle, Australia

Rebecca Mitchell, Professor, Macquarie University, Australia

Introduction• Leadership is Important in Organizations

• However, Leader Development Still in Early Stages of Development

• Leadership Coaching is Increasingly Popular• However, Further Empirical Support Needed• Mechanisms of its Effect Remain Poorly Understood

• Therefore, Study Objectives:• What is Direct Impact of Coaching on Leader Attributes?• What is Direct Impact of Coaching on Leader Effectiveness?• What is Indirect Effect of Coaching on Leader Effectiveness

Through Enhanced Leadership Attributes?

(Rosenbach, 2018; Day & Dragoni, 2015; Grant, 2011; Bozer & Sarros, 2012)

Constructs Investigated• Leader Authenticity

• Considered a Root Construct of Positive Leadership

• Change Leadership• Significant Challenge Facing Today’s Leaders

• Leadership Self-Efficacy• Influences Leader Development

• Leader Effectiveness

(Avolio & Gardner, 2005; Harsch & Festing, 2019; Day & Sin, 2011)

Coaching’s Direct Impact (Hypotheses 1-4)• Participation in Coaching Positively Associated with:

• ↑ Leader Authenticity• ↑ Leadership Self-Efficacy• ↑ Change-Oriented Leadership• ↑ Leader Effectiveness

Coaching

Leader Authenticity

H1

H3

H2Leadership Self-

Efficacy

Change-oriented Leadership

Leader Effectiveness

H4

• Coaching has an Indirect Effect on Leader Effectiveness Through Enhanced Leader Attributes• Aligns with Coaching Frameworks where ‘Inner’ Benefits Precede ‘Outer’

Benefits

Mechanisms Of Its Effect (Hypotheses 5-9)

(Leedham, 2005: Peterson, 2002)

Method• Pretest-Posttest• Multi-Rater

• 70 Organisational Leaders (Coachees)• 234 Subordinates & Supervisors• 8 External Coaches

• Instruments• Leader Authenticity (16 item ALQ: Avolio, Gardner & Walumbwa, 2007) • Leadership Self-Efficacy (22 item LEQ: Hanna & Avolio, 2013)• Change-oriented Leadership (4 item MPS: Yukl, 2012)• Leader Effectiveness (5 items: Hoijberg & Choi, 2001; Yukl, 2015)• Coaching sessions; Organisational support (Control Variables)

• Intervention• 6 coaching sessions over 4 months

Coaching’s Direct Impact (Results)• Paired t-tests• Participation in Coaching Positively Associated with:

• ↑ Leader Authenticity (Supported – small effect)• ↑ Leadership Self-Efficacy (Supported – large effect)• ↑ Change-Oriented Leadership (Supported – small effect)• ↑ Leadership Effectiveness (Supported – small effect)

Table 2. Means, Standard Deviations, Paired t-tests and Effect sizes

T1 T2 Paired t-test & Effect size

M SD M SD t-value p value Cohen's D

leader authenticity 62.4 11.9 63.7 11.3 2.42 0.017 0.18

leadership self-efficacy 176.7 22.8 193.6 22.5 8.38 0.001 1.01

change-oriented leadership behaviour 15.1 3.3 15.4 3.4 2.33 0.021 0.15

leadership effectiveness 26.3 4.8 26.9 4.5 3.28 0.001 0.22

Coaching’s Direct Impact (Discussion)• Contemporary Evidence - Association with Enhanced

Authenticity and Change Leadership• Smaller Effects for Behaviours and Effectiveness

• Opportunities to Exhibit/Observe• Mechanisms of Coaching’s Effect

• Future studies • Control group to assess ‘causality’• Third and longer time point

Coaching

Leader Authenticity

H1

H3

H2

Leadership Self-Efficacy

Change-oriented Leadership

Leader Effectiveness

H4

ü

ü

ü

ü

“While quick fixes are sometimes possible, that’s not what coaching is about. The real benefits come from long-term, lasting change and that is almost always a ‘slow burn’ process” David Clutterbuck (2016)

Mechanisms Of Its Effect (Results)• Model Assessed with PLS-SEM (SmartPLS) and Latent Change Scores (LCS)

• Direct Paths Supported• Mediation Not Supported

üû

û

ü

ü

(Lohmoller, 1989; Wold, 1985; Ringle, Wende, & Becker 2015; Ferrer & McArdle, 2010)

Mechanisms Of Its Effect (Discussion)• Coaching has an Indirect Effect on Leader Effectiveness Through Enhanced

Leader Attributes

• Supports Frameworks where ‘Inner’ Benefits Precede ‘Outer’ Benefits

• Mediation Not Supported - Small Sample Size, Limited Time

• Enhanced Leader Authenticity has Largest Total Effect on Leadership

Effectiveness

∆Leadership Self-Efficacy

∆Change-oriented LeadershipR2=0.145

∆Leader Authenticity

∆Leadership Effectiveness

R2=0.284

0.252*

0.269*

0.224*

organisational support (CV)

coaching sessions (CV)

0.176* -0.111

0.270**

0.124

0.387*

-0.020

ü

ü

ü

û

Conclusion“Given the role that leadership plays in the current malaise around

financial crisis, climate control, and ethical debacles, which the media characterizes as a “failure of leadership”, understanding how to facilitate

the development of effective leadership is more crucial than ever.” (Ladegard & Gjerde, 2014, p.631)

Study’s Contribution• Further evidence of coaching’s efficacy• Mechanisms explaining its effect• Value in enhancing leader authenticity

Future Studies• Control group to assess ‘causality’• A third time point to assess mediation, development trajectory and sustainability of

effects

Acknowledgements• Institute of Coaching (IOC)• Scholars who Provided their Questionnaires• International Coaching Federation (ICF)• Participating Coaches• Participating Coachees and their Subordinates, Supervisors and

Organisations

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