Predicting Managerial Coaching Behaviors by the Big-Five Personality Traits

Guohai Chen, Wen Huang, Yuwen Tang

School of Management, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, Guangzhou, China.

DOI: 10.4236/jhrss.2013.14011                

Abstract

The research of this paper aims to construct a Chinese Managerial Coaching Behavior Inventory and examine the correlations of managerial coaching behaviors and the Big-Five personality traits. In Study One, 196 managers from several companies filled out a self-complied Managerial Coaching Behavior Inventory based on Noer’s Triangle Coaching Model and Social Desirability Scale. A Chinese Managerial Coaching Behavior Inventory with 46 items was developed, including three subscales (namely, Accessing, Challenging, and Supporting) with high Cronbach alphas (all > 0.85). In Study Two, this inventory and the NEO Five-Factor Inventory were administered to 175 managers. Analysis showed that scores on the three managerial coaching behaviors Accessing, Challenging, and Supporting were positively related to those on Extraversion, Openness to Experience, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness, while they were negatively related to Neuroticism. Big-Five personality traits (particularly Extraversion, Openness to Experience, and Conscientiousness) were good predictors of managerial coaching behaviors. Implications for human resource management and enterprise coaching are discussed.

Keywords

Managerial Coaching Behavior; Inventory; Development

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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