Research Paper By Steve Correa
(Executive Coach, INDIA)

Background

This is primary research that has been conducted by Steve Correa. Executive Coaching is at an infancy stage in India, and even while it is much talked about, the actual understanding of it is varied and its usage low in organizations. Very few research papers exist on this subject in India.

Acknowledgements

I have taken the help of two very creditable and lovely ladies:

1. Prof Vasanthi, from IIM, Bangalore
2. Mrs.Rupande Padaki, Professional Counselor
3. Also credit to a wonderful and energetic young man, Jigar Dhuvad.
4. Not young, but equally energetic, Vikas Mehta.
5. Ram Ramanathan – a friend, mentor and master coach

Research Objectives

• To Conduct an Employee Perception survey through a questionnaire
• To gather level of awareness around several issues on executive coaching
• As also study previous experience, need and criteria for selection of a coach, etc
• Write up  the Analysis and findings and publish paper
• Review EC practices and follow through work

Target Respondents

The primary purpose of the research is to study awareness of executive coaching. I was tempted to include the views of existing coaches as a separate work stream, as also the HR function itself as ‘buyers’. On good advice, I dropped the idea and focused just on targeting working executives.

These working executives have a certain life experience and it was important to gauge their awareness and perception of coaching, even more get their views, should they have been coached, (31% of the 83 respondents confirmed that they had indeed had previous experience in being coached).

I shall use eC at times to mean executive coaching.

Research Design and Questionnaire

Initial Field work

Pilot questionnaire

I conducted a few short interviews with friends, colleagues and basis this I was able to firm up a structured questionnaire. This questionnaire was built on Google Docs- Online Productivity tool. I wanted to use an application that could get populated on the internet directly. This would avoid all manual paperwork both from the respondent’s side and mine. Thanks to Google docs for making this possible.  In this research, we have steered clear away from use of paper. A few trees clearly. A small contribution to going green.

Also, the Google doc application allowed for the respondent to see the interim results, basis information till then. I used this as an incentive to invite responses.

The respondent was required to just click on the link which was sent in the e-mail (my cover note). This would take them to the site and he / she could fill the form online and the data was captured directly and comprehensively (no bypass was allowed!).

The Cover Letter

“Hi,

At the outset, please accept my apology for not addressing you by name on this e-mail.

You may be aware, that I work as an Executive Coach and HR Consultant. I am planning a study of employees and their views on Executive Coaching.

I request you to please complete a short questionnaire which should not take more than 10 minutes.

On completion of the questionnaire, you can review the spot interim responses from yourself and others who have completed it. I would really appreciate if you could please support me by also forwarding it to other friends/ colleagues at work so that I can reach my targeted respondents. I will be pleased to share my executive report with you once completed.

Thank you

Steve Correa

PS: I did some research on Voice of Youth recently and if you are interested I can share the link with you for that – and the Research findings. Do write in.

I would prefer if you click the link below which would take you to the Questionnaire, (else the questionnaire is alsoreproduced).