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Human Resource Education and Workforce Development

Competencies of Outstanding Executive Coaches: A Grounded Theory Approach

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

The personal, business, and executive coaching industry is large and growing. In spite of the size and growth of the industry, the coaching research literature reveals a lack of understanding about the competencies of outstanding executive coaches. This grounded-theory study sought to discover a model of executive coach competencies, through in-depth interviews with coaches rated as outstanding by a large purchaser of coaching services. Sixteen coaches participated in the recorded and transcribed interviews. A line-by-line analysis of the transcripts led to a competency model for executive coaching. For the coaching research community, this study will fill a key gap in our understanding of executive coach competencies. For coaching practitioners, this study will clarify what it takes to become an outstanding executive coach. For prospective coaches, this study will help in self-assessment against competencies and in selecting appropriate coach education programs to fill competency gaps. For buyers of coaching services, this study will be helpful in improving coach recruitment and selection procedures. In addition, large organizations with internal coaching programs might find the results of this study useful in selecting and preparing their coaches. Finally, for coach educators, this study may point to changes in curriculum, and to changes in how students are admitted, trained, and evaluated.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Level thesis:degree_level
Dissertation
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Human Resources Management
Grantor
Human Resource Education and Workforce Development
Year dc:date.available
2016

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Blumberg, Kent Mayo

Subjects

dc:subject × 3

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • unrestricted
  • Release the entire work immediately for access worldwide.

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:repository.lsu.edu:gradschool_dissertations-2147

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Lousiana State University
Base URL
repository.lsu.edu/do/oai/
Last updated
2026-07-24
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Blumberg, Kent Mayo. Competencies of Outstanding Executive Coaches: A Grounded Theory Approach. Dissertation thesis, Human Resource Education and Workforce Development, 2016. https://doi.org/10.31390/gradschool_dissertations.1148