Abstract
Leadership development is an ever-present issue in a constantly changing and complex world in which organizations increasingly need leaders who are prepared for new contexts. Coaching, as a practice of personal and professional development and as a skill, has emerged as a way of promoting the development of leaders. The aim of this research is to explore the influence of coaching skills on the commitment and development of leaders in organizations. Results show a positive relationship between leaders' coaching skills and organizational commitment, highlighting coaching as an effective tool for promoting employee commitment in organizations. This research did not show that coaching competences influence the implementation of leadership development practices within the organization, or even the promotion of coaching as a practice. Finally, no evidence was found that organizational commitment influenced the existence of leadership development practices. Implications and recommendations for future studies were also presented.
TopCoaching In The Organizational Context: Concepts And Assumptions
The term ‘coaching’ has its roots in 16th century England, initially referring to professionals responsible for driving carriages. Over time, the concept evolved and was used in English universities around 1850 to describe professionals who assisted students during exams. Only in 1950 did coaching acquire a meaning closer to contemporary understanding (Fernandes, 2014).
Several definitions converge on the purpose of coaching: assisting individuals in achieving goals and objectives, promoting changes in their lives, and unlocking their potential to improve performance (Campos et al., 2012; Ferreira et al., 2019). This practice, based on interactions and specialized techniques, aims to potentiate satisfactory changes for the coachee (Loli & Treff, 2018).
Key Terms in this Chapter
Leader Development: The process of developing and preparing individuals to assume leadership roles.
Organizational Commitment: Is a key driver of employee engagement and performance.
Leadership Development: Is a development process adapted to the specific needs of the organization and the individual/leader.
Leadership Development Practices: Strategies and activities used to develop leaders that can include, for example, Executive Coaching/Coaching, Mentoring, Networks, Job Assignments and Action Learning.
Coaching: A collaborative process that helps individuals and organizations improve personal and professional performance, develop new skills, and achieve specific goals.