Zooming in on the self in workplace coaching: Self‐regulation and its connection to coaching success

Abstract

The coachee's self is central to coaching. Yet the roles that different self‐related concepts play in coaching have been insufficiently studied. Specifically, self‐control and self‐regulation have been conflated or treated as identical concepts. Using the theory of personality systems interactions, we investigated how the development of self‐management competencies (SMCs) within coaching facilitates coaching success in two studies with professional samples. Additionally, we examined how coaches support coachees' development of these competencies. Study 1 employed a longitudinal design. Caregivers working as managers engaged in a 5‐month coaching programme. Goal attainment increased, need frustration decreased and the SMCs self‐regulation and self‐access increased, with self‐regulation predicting coachees' goal attainment. In Study 2, we conceptually replicated the finding that self‐regulation is positively related to coaching success. With a cross‐sectional design, we matched self‐reported data of 298 coachees with self‐reported data of their 75 respective coaches. In a structural equation model, we found that a strong coaching relationship reported by the coaches positively related to the SMCs reported by the coachees. Self‐regulation again showed the strongest effect on coaching success. These findings provide theoretical insights into the different effects of self‐regulation and self‐control on coaching effectiveness and suggest areas of focus for coaches.