Executive Coaching as a Leader/ship Identity Enhancement Space

Abstract

This article, drawing on qualitative Narrative Inquiry doctoral research, investigates how executive coaches support Leader/ship identity work among senior leaders, based on insights from 34 expert coaches operating across 10 countries worldwide. Leader/ship identity is conceptualised as a unified construct encompassing both Leader and Leadership dimensions. The article presents two conceptual frameworks on identity and Identity work, alongside with an empirical Mechanism of Executive Coaching, centred on three themes: Holistic and Dynamic Identity Work, Contextual and Intrinsic Influences, and Coaching Support Enables. Coaching is positioned as an Identity Enhancement Space, with the article offering conceptual, practical and global contributions, and calling for future longitudinal, multi-perspective research.

Keywords

• executive coaching
• leader/ship identity work