From the Top: Examining How Changes in Coaching Instruction Affect Perceived Task Difficulty

Abstract

Coaching is a popular and effective developmental practice used in organizational settings with many practical benefits. Contemporary research reflects that a coachee’s (individual who is coached) performance is moderated by the method of instruction from and time spent with the coach. However, there is little to no literature addressing what effects altering these aspects of coaching has on a coachee’s perception of the task. The objective of this study will be to examine how changing coaching instruction and time spent with a coach will affect a coachee’s perception of task difficulty. A 2 x 2 between-subjects design on a sample of 117 randomly sampled undergraduate students will be used. Participants will complete the Tower of Hanoi (TOH) task three times and be exposed to two of four conditions of coaching between each completion of the task - experiencing one or two coaches, and being given continuous or interrupted instructions. Participants will then be instructed to fill the Single Ease Questionnaire (SEQ) to measure perceived task difficulty, and the experiment will conclude by completing the After Scenario Questionnaire (ASQ) to record the participant's overall perception of task difficulty. We hypothesize that the participants exposed to two coaches during their trials and who will be provided interrupted instructions will perceive tasks as more difficult in comparison to those exposed to the one coach condition and continuous instruction condition. Coaching will be more confusing for the coachee due to the inconsistent methods of instruction and less time spent with a coach, and subsequently the task will be perceived as more difficult by the coachee. By completing this research, we hope to shed light on the importance of consistent and intentional coaching practices and encourage organizations to prioritize coaching retention.