Executive coaching as an accelerator for whole system organizational change

This dissertation presents the results of an exploratory case study in which a grounded theory approach was used to examine the role that executive coaching with an intact senior leadership team plays in the process of organizational change. The study describes how a whole system approach to executive coaching was combined with a systemic approach to organization development (OD) to contribute to a successful organization culture change initiative in the technology industry. Ten key learnings from the case are presented. Results suggest that executive coaching is a powerful adjunct to organization development (OD) when it is: (1) done with a comprehensive understanding of the strategy, structure, and cultural dynamics (including the history) of the organization engaged in the change initiative; (2) conducted simultaneously with the most senior executive and the members of the senior leadership team; and (3) a core component of a systemic approach to organizational change. A theoretical model is offered depicting how a whole system approach to executive coaching influences individual, senior leadership team, and organizational learning processes.