Executive coaching and employee performance in corporate organizations in Uganda: a case study of selected corporate organizations in Kampala District

Abstract

This research was conducted with the aim assessing the impact of executive coaching on employee performance in corporate organizations in Uganda; Kampala district. The researcher used the integral theory of everything, the most recent in the people development world, modeled by Wilber, (2000). The theory of everything focuses more on coaching and mentoring as key performance improvement interventions. The study adopted a cross-sectional survey design using a randomly selected sample of executives in MTN Uganda head office, Century Bottling Company head office, SCiUG (Save the Children in Uganda) and DFCU. Through questionnaires, interviews and review of documents, a survey was carried out on coachees, supervisees and coaches who formed the study sample. Both qualitative and quantitative data analysis methods were used to summarize, organize, edit and code the collected data. The data was further analyzed using correlation and regressional techniques to determine the relationship between executive coaching and employee performance. It was established that coach characteristics, coachee characteristics, coach/coachee relationship and coaching methods, all have a positive relationship with employee performance. Regarding coach characteristics, questioning skills featured prominently as a vital element necessary to cause a positive impact on employee performance. Regarding coachee characteristics, the respondents cited openness as the most important in ensuring a positive impact on employee performance. As regards coach/coachee relationship, it was established that the coach’s compatibility with the coachee was more important than trust and confidentiality. The findings also showed that external coaching is the most preferred method of performance improvement as compared to internal coaching. The researcher recommends that organizations should use coaches that have the right competences, experience and good questioning skills, focus on using external coaching than internal coaching method.