Utilising evidence-based leadership theories in coaching for leadership development: Towards a comprehensive integrating conceptual framework

Abstract

Purpose:Examination of the coaching psychology literature shows that discussion about leadership coaching is disconnected from the scientific literature about leadership. Similarly, the latter has only recently begun to consider how leadership is developed. This lack of cross-engagement between two relevant evidence-based literatures is brought into sharp focus through leadership development coaching practice. This review from the perspective of external professional practice seeks to close the relevant knowledge gap through utilisation of a conceptual framework.Methods:Lane and Corrie (2009) proposed three criteria which needed to be satisfied for effective coachee formation through coaching. Elliott (2007a) developed a framework from client case studies and naturalistic participant-observer reflections on coaching practice for leadership development intentionally informed by a range of evidence-based leadership theories. This framework satisfies the criteria proposed by Lane and Corrie. It is here applied and extended to provide an evaluation of current limiting assumptions in both the evidence-based coaching psychology and scholarly leadership literatures.Results:The extended framework prompts systematic utilisation of salient knowledge domains, information inputs and processes for intentional coaching for leadership development. It demonstrates the necessary relevance of evidence-based leadership theories to coachee goal definition. It describes and contextualises coach-managed processes to establish, maintain and bound the coaching reflective space and demonstrates the relevance of other related literatures to inform coaching in organisations.Conclusions:The required parameters in coaching for leadership development proposed by Elliott (2005) are further refined by proposing a more comprehensive model for leadership coaching to guide responsible professional practice and future research.