Can I improve my personal goal level through executive coaching over time? A randomised control trial study

While existing literature strongly supports the effectiveness of executive coaching, there is a scarcity of empirical studies that assess how coaching facilitates change over time and its potential conditions. This study, conducted in a corporate setting using an experimental design with two measurement points, explores the potential of executive coaching to enhance the perceived coaching client’s personal goal level over time and the possible moderators. Two hundred and two managers from 13 organisations were randomly assigned to a coaching or waiting list condition. Managers in the coaching condition received four weekly coaching sessions from 33 external coaches. The results indicate that managers who received coaching significantly improved their goal level compared with those who did not, suggesting that executive coaching is an effective learning intervention for improving goal measurement for individuals with different backgrounds. The general self-efficacy was not a condition for increased goal level for those who received coaching, highlighting that coaching is an effective tool regardless of the participant’s level of general self-efficacy. However, low general self-efficacy predicted the decision to withdraw from the study, emphasising the importance of the general self-efficacy trait in assessing the readiness of those involved in coaching.