Managerial Coaching Behavior and Employee Outcomes: A Structural Equation Modeling Analysis

During the last two decades, managerial coaching has become increasingly popular in organizations. Despite its popularity, there is a paucity of empirical evidence in the study of managerial coaching outcomes. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between perceived managerial coaching behavior and employee self-reported affective and performance-related outcomes based on perceptions of selected organization employees. Three theories, path-goal leadership, career motivation, and organization support, were used to frame the hypothesized conceptual model of managerial coaching outcomes for the current study. The systematic review of relevant literature identified satisfaction with work, role ambiguity, satisfaction with manager, career commitment, job performance, and organization commitment for the potential outcomes of managerial coaching. A 36-item survey including seven existing instruments was utilized to collect data. An estimation of the readability level for the survey was Flesh-Kincaid Grade Level 7.1. The survey was sent electronically to all employees in the selected government organization. The sample included 431 respondents representing a population of 1,399 employees. Descriptive statistics, principal component analysis, Cronbach?s alpha estimates for reliability, correlation analysis, two-step modeling techniques for structural equation modeling, and Sobel tests were the analysis methods used in the study. The results of the analyses indicated that the hypothesized conceptual model was adequately supported by the empirical data of the study sample (?2/df = 3.53; CFI = .91; IFI = .91; RMSEA = .08). The further investigations suggested that managerial coaching had a direct impact on employee satisfaction with work and role clarity and an indirect impact on satisfaction with work, career commitment, job performance, and organization commitment. Role clarity, as a direct outcome of managerial coaching, influenced job performance?such mediation was consistent with the hypothesized model for the study. The hypothesized model had clear and comprehensive illustrations of how managerial coaching affects work and organization-related variables, satisfaction with work, role clarity, career commitment, job performance, and organization commitment. This study provides empirical support to the proposed benefits of managerial coaching in organizations, and enhances the selected theories by offering additional empirical support to them.