Volume 2, Article 6
The Relationship between Leader Coaching Behaviours and Employees’ Creative Problem Solving: Insights from workplace
Kinga Szabó and Lucia Ratiu
Citation: Szabó, K., & Ratiu, L. (2021). The Relationship between Leader Coaching Behaviours and Employees’ Creative Problem Solving: Insights from workplace. International Journal of Coaching Psychology, 2, 6, 1-14. https://ijcp.nationalwellbeingservice.com/volumes/volume-2-2021/volume-2-article-6/
Processing dates: Submitted 12 February 2021; Resubmitted 13 May 2021; Accepted 27 May 2021; Published 9 December 2021
Abstract
Aims: This study investigated the predictive role of managers in facilitating employees’ problem-solving capacity by examining the way in which different coaching functions relate to problem-solving at the workplace and how rational problem-solving can influence that.
Methods: To investigate managerial coaching behaviours, three main components of coaching employees for performance – guidance, facilitation, and inspiration – were rated by the participants. Creative Problem-solving Ability Scale measured both types of problem-solving (rational and creative problem-solving). The analysis was conducted on a sample of 934 employees from several organizations working in various jobs.
Results: Results indicated that managerial coaching behaviour predicted rational problem solving and creative problem-solving. In addition, facilitative and inspirational managerial coaching behaviour predicted changes from rational to creative problem-solving.
Discussion: Based on our results, we suggest that managers who want their employees to adopt creative problem-solving behaviours display more facilitative and inspiration
coaching behaviours.
Conclusions: This study advances managerial coaching frameworks through empirical testing. Facilitative and inspiration behaviours prove to be more effective than guidance to generate creative solutions to problems.
Keywords: guidance coaching behaviour, facilitation coaching behaviour, inspiration coaching behaviour, creative problem-solving, rational problem-solving
Biographies
Lucia Ratiu is Senior Assistant Professor and teaches organizational behaviour and coaching at the Babes-Bolyai University, Romania. Her research interests include coaching and the psychological determinants of team and individual performance in organizations.
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6061-6478
Kinga Szabó is Senior Assistant Professor and teaches work psychology and creativity at the Babes-Bolyai University, Romania. Her research interests include coaching and the psychological determinants of creative behaviour.
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0206-1195