Helen Ogilvy & Vicky Ellam-Dyson

Objectives: This study investigated the involvement that line managers have when their direct reports are receiving coaching from either an internal or external coach; what hinders and facilitates line management involvement; and in what ways does line management involvement affect the outcome of coaching.

Design: A cross-sectional qualitative design was used to explore coachee’s and line manager’s perceptions of line management involvement, as well as facilitators and barriers to their involvement.

Method: Eighteen coachees and twelve line managers participated in semi-structured interviews. Qualitative analysis revealed that the involvement of line managers varied.

Results: Factors inhibiting involvement included cognitions that it was a personal process, and management involvement was not necessary. Factors facilitating involvement included managers beliefs that coaching was valuable and their understanding of how coaching worked within their organisations. Line management behaviours found to facilitate coaching comprised five clusters: supporting, collaborating, informing, management style and challenging. Behaviours found to hinder coaching comprised two clusters: restrictive and passive.

Conclusions: This study provides a useful insight into factors that influence line management involvement, the type of management behaviours that facilitate and hinder coaching outcomes, and the consequences for transfer of learning.

Keywords: Line manager involvement, coaching outcomes, learning transfer.

Full article: Volume 7, Issue 1 pages 39 - 54