The Effects of Managerial Coaching on Work Performance: The Mediating Roles of Role Clarity and Psychological Empowerment

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of managerial coaching on two dimensions of work performance: in-role behavior and innovative behavior. This study also aims to examine whether role clarity and psychological empowerment act as underlying cognitive and motivational mechanisms of the managerial coaching process to mediate the aforementioned relationship. The study addresses the following research questions. 1. What is the relationship between managerial coaching and employees’ in-role behavior? 2. What is the relationship between managerial coaching and employees’ innovative behavior? 3. Is the relationship between managerial coaching and employees’ in-role behavior mediated by role clarity and psychological empowerment? 4. Is the relationship between managerial coaching and employees’ innovative behavior mediated by psychological empowerment? Data were collected through an electronic survey at for-profit companies in South Korea in diverse sectors such as manufacturing, construction, distribution/sales, information technology, finance, and service/consulting. A convenience sampling method was used and resulted in a total of 273 returned surveys. To ensure the construct validity and reliability of each measure, the estimation of Cronbach’s alpha, exploratory factor analysis, and a series of confirmatory factor analyses were conducted. As a preliminary analysis, descriptive statistics and correlation analyses were conducted. Each study variable was correlated. To test the hypotheses on the direct effects, multivariate regression analyses were performed, and structural equation modeling and bootstrap estimations were used to test the hypotheses on the mediating effects. The findings showed that managerial coaching was positively related to employees’ in-role behavior and innovative behavior. In the structural equation model, role clarity was found to fully mediate the relationship between managerial coaching and in-role behavior; however, there was no mediating effect on the relationship between managerial coaching and innovative behavior. Psychological empowerment was found to fully mediate the relationship between managerial coaching and in-role behavior, as well as the relationship between managerial coaching and innovative behavior. This study expands the literature on the outcomes of managerial coaching by investigating an expanded view of work performance. In addition, the theoretical framework of the current study addresses the relationships between managerial coaching and two work behaviors, as well as the cognitive and motivational underpinnings of the mechanism underlying these relationships. The findings of this study can provide a strong rationale for the necessity of coaching practice in organizations and also offer guidance for interventions to implement coaching effectively. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed, followed by directions for future research.