How UK Business Coaches Cope and Persist Towards Higher Levels of Objective and Subjective Success in Boundaryless Careers

Abstract

This research explores how UK business coaches navigate boundaryless careers and the psychological mechanisms that enable them to cope and persist towards higher levels of objective and subjective success. Through a mixed-method approach, including qualitative interviews (Study 1) and quantitative survey (Study 2), this project offers a robust perspective on the drivers, barriers, and dynamics shaping the lives of business coaches and the role of Psychological Capital (PsyCap) in their journey. Study 1 (N=15) delves into the intrinsic drivers, barriers, enablers, and strategies that lead coaches to objective and subjective success in their careers. The study highlights the profound themes, sub-themes, and specifics that influence a professional’s ability to cope and persist, including professional network(s); the desire to effect positive change and assist others in achieving more; the aspiration for a flexible and balanced lifestyle; personal growth; financial stability; and meaningful impact. Additionally, the study underscores the role of client success as a primary source of job satisfaction for business coaches and the importance of social connections in their careers. Through the lens of boundaryless careers and agency theory, the findings align with the role of coaching in promoting overall well-being and work-life harmony among clients, emphasising the importance of constructs such as resilience, goal persistence, self-efficacy, optimism, and a positive mindset as strategies to overcome challenges inherent in boundaryless careers—constructs that exist in the core-construct of PsyCap. Study 2 (N=85) extends the research from Study 1 and adopts a quantitative approach to investigate the link between PsyCap and performance and well-being outcomes discussed in Study 1 and potential mediating pathways. The results form a model that assists coaches and others in boundaryless careers to cope and persist in their careers. The study supports the direct effects of PsyCap on business coaches' ability to cope, persist, and achieve outcomes such as coach revenue, number of clients, client retention, as well as well-being factors such as life satisfaction and reduction of job insecurity. The mediation effects of motivational, affective, and behavioural pathways are also explored with job engagement being highlighted as a key mediator between PsyCap and the number of clients a coach has. The theoretical, empirical, and practical contributions of this research contribute to the fields of boundaryless careers, positive psychology, and coaching practices, offering nuanced insights and implications into the factors shaping success and well-being within the context of business coaching. The study provides insights into the UK coaching industry, offering implications for professional development and sustainable practice.