Coaching entrepreneurs towards growth: an experimental design study of coaching effectiveness for business leaders’ psychological capabilities

ABSTRACT

Coaching has a well-established history over the past two decades as a development tool and it can help entrepreneurs deal with the psychological challenges of building a venture. But there is a lack of understanding how coaching can support entrepreneurs on their journey. This study uses a coaching psychology framework to investigate the effectiveness of evidence-based (EB) coaching for entrepreneurs. The aim of this study was to understand how coaches can support cognition change, wellbeing, and accelerated performance improvement of entrepreneurs. The study used a within participant design, and data were collected using a pre and post coaching survey. The study involved n = 19 participants who were early-stage entrepreneurs. Pre and post surveys were assessed using paired sample t-tests. For cognitions, the results indicate higher levels in solution-focused thinking, hope sub-scales agency thinking and goal-orientation. No changes were found for sub-scales pathways thinking and self-efficacy. For Wellbeing, the findings show psychological wellbeing increased with sub-scales autonomy, self-acceptance, personal growth and purpose in life while relationship with others and environment mastery did not change. Negative emotions reduced while positive emotions did not change. For performance, the results show that participants progressed significantly towards attaining their coaching goals.

KEYWORDS:

• Entrepreneurial coaching
• evidence-based coaching
• mental health and wellbeing
• entrepreneurship
• experimental design

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

Data will be available upon reasonable request from the author Hannah Hinkelmann.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Hannah Hinkelmann

Hannah Hinkelmann holds a Bachelor of Science in business administration from WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management and a Master of Science in Coaching Psychology from the University of Sydney. She researched entrepreneurial coaching while attaining her Master's degree in Sydney. Hannah started her career with Microsoft and is passionate about democratising access to coaching through digital technology. She is based in Berlin and works as a sales professional at EZRA Coaching.

Sean O’Connor

Sean O’Connor is a Leadership Development Coach, Lecturer and Director of the Sydney University's Coaching Psychology Unit. He holds a PhD in Coaching Psychology from the University of Sydney, where he now teaches and researches the coaching ripple effect. Sean is interested in social network analysis, systems theory, creativity and group dynamics. As part of his PhD, in 2012 Sean completed the first research project worldwide assessing, through social network analysis, the impact that leadership development coaching can have on the well-being of individuals across the wider organisation.

Jonathan Passmore

Jonathan Passmore is a globally recognised coaching psychologist, executive coach, and supervisor, ranked among the top 10 professional coaches. He is an SVP at EZRA Coaching and a Professor of Coaching at Henley Business School. He has published widely over the past three decades on leadership, change and coaching. His work includes 40 books, over 200 scientific articles, and book chapters, making him one of the most published coaching researchers in the world.