Abstract
Background and objectives: Executive coaching is a rapidly growing field, and researchers are currently investigating the change mechanisms of coaching. Psychotherapy research has focused on commonalities between specific theoretical approaches. Coaching research has demonstrated the importance of the alliance and has recently begun investigating other change mechanisms as proposed by psychotherapy. The present study investigates the participants’ experience of a specific coaching method, including aspects of the alliance, the method/rationale, and how the coaching has influenced the participants. The study is an independent research project, and the author has collected the data material. Methods: Nine leaders/managers (seven males and two females) were interviewed about their coaching experiences with the same coach and method. The data material was analyzed using the qualitative method Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Results: Four themes captured the participants’ experiences of the coaching. The first theme captured previous coaching experiences and how this influenced their expectations for the present coaching. The second theme comprised the participants’ description of the coaching process. The third theme included the establishment of trust in the coach. Additionally, it captured the coach’s application of the personality framework. The participants’ descriptions illustrated the complex interactive nature of the relationship and method. The fourth theme encompassed the perceived outcome and how coaching led to an ongoing integration process of the personality framework for some participants. Conclusion: It was concluded that the participants’ general high interpersonal trust facilitated the establishment of the personal bond and further engagement in the tasks and goals of the coaching. Belief in and acceptance of the method was important for their engagement and was further increased by interactions with the coach. Further, learning experiences between sessions and after the coaching facilitated the integration of the personality framework. In this short-term coaching, the participants highlighted how the coach’s competent application of the personality framework increased their awareness of themselves, others, and their social reality. Integration work appeared to be an ongoing process during and after the coaching. It is argued that psychotherapy research and coaching research could learn from each other.