Experiencing executive coaching

Executive coaching is an emerging occupation and field which despite its popularity remains neither clearly defined nor well understood both in theory and in practice. This research expands the limited understanding of executive coaching through its interpretation of coaching literature and exploration of the coaching experiences of two key parties in the coaching relationship: client executives and executive coaches. The emergent model: Creating spaces for reinvention through executive coaching highlights that at the core of the executive coaching experience is the co-creation of a coaching relationship space for self-reflection and experiential learning by a client executive that is facilitated by an executive coach. Executive coaching is viewed as optimal when it assists clients to develop the capability to become their own self-coach and continue their lifelong journey of learning from experience. The value of phenomenological research in executive coaching is illustrated. The model presented in this book is of value to the executive coaching industry trainers and educators and individuals and organisations seeking to understand and maximise coaching experiences.