Capitalizing on coaching investment: enhancing coaching transfer

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to raise organization's and practitioner's awareness of how to maximise coaching investment via enhancing coaching transfer.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is based on a research project that comprised two sub‐studies. The first employed used semi‐structured interviews and qualitative analysis techniques to explore coachees' (N=25), coaches' (N=9) and organizational stakeholders' (N=5) perceptions of a successful coaching outcome and the facilitators and barriers to transfer. The second study administered a self‐report questionnaire developed from the results of Study one to coachees (N=110) to explore possible relationships between transfer and coachee motivation, work environment psychosocial factors and situational factors.

Findings

Coachees, coaches and organizational stakeholders described coaching outcomes as comprising intra‐personal development, personal and performance outcomes. Further, they described transfer as associated with a pro‐development organizational climate, psychosocial support and the coachee having a pro‐development attitude. Correlational analyses of questionnaire data supported these findings.

Research limitations/implications

The findings were based on self‐report. Despite the limitations of self‐report data, they provide a useful indication of the factors which likely impact on coaching transfer.

Practical implications

The findings are valuable in that they provide practical guidance to assist organizations and practitioners maximise coaching investment.

Originality/value

Although this study drew on training transfer research, it was original in the field of coaching.

Citation

Stewart, L.J. and Palmer, S. (2009), "Capitalizing on coaching investment: enhancing coaching transfer", Development and Learning in Organizations, Vol. 23 No. 3, pp. 14-17. https://doi.org/10.1108/14777280910951559