Tying leaders' identity work and executive coaching research together: an overview of systematic reviews and agenda for research

Lilith A. Whiley · Halley Miguel Pontes · Almuth McDowall

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Coaching Methods and Impact Leadership and Management in Organizations Psychology, Coaching, and Therapy

Abstract

Purpose Despite the interest in leaders' identity work as a framework for leadership development, coaching psychology has yet to expose its active ingredients and outcomes. Design/methodology/approach To do so, the authors reconcile published systematic literature reviews (SLRs) in the field to arrive at a more thorough understanding of the role of identity work in coaching. A total of 60 eligible SLRs on identity work and coaching were identified between 2010 and 2022. Four were included in the data extraction after selecting and screening, and the full texts of 196 primary studies reported therein were analysed. Findings Amongst the coachee-related factors of effective coaching, the coachee’s motivation, general self-efficacy beliefs, personality traits and goal orientation were the most frequently reported active ingredients, and performance improvement, self-awareness and goal specificity were the most frequently supported outcomes. The analysis indicates that leaders' identity work, as an active ingredient, can be a moderator variable for transformative coaching interventions, while strengthening leadership role identity could be one of the lasting outcomes because coaching interventions facilitate, deconstruct and enhance leaders' identity work. Further research is needed to explore the characteristics of these individual, relational and collective processes. Originality/value This study adds value by synthesising SLRs that report coachee-related active ingredients and outcomes of executive coaching research. It demonstrates that the role of leaders' identity work is a neglected factor affecting coaching results and encourages coaching psychologists to apply identity framework in their executive coaching practice.

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References

2021The PRISMA 2020 statement: An updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews 1993Perceived Self-Efficacy in Cognitive Development and Functioning 1997Transformative Learning: Theory to Practice 2015ROBIS: A new tool to assess risk of bias in systematic reviews was developed 2010WHO WILL LEAD AND WHO WILL FOLLOW? A SOCIAL PROCESS OF LEADERSHIP IDENTITY CONSTRUCTION IN ORGANIZATIONS.2007A meta-analytic examination of the goal orientation nomological net.1982Commitment, Identity Salience, and Role Behavior: Theory and Research Example 2005A Motivated Action Theory Account of Goal Orientation.

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