Neutral In-Tensions: Navigating Neutrality in Coaching

Pauline Fatien (), Dima Louis () and Gazi Islam
Additional contact information
Pauline Fatien: EESC-GEM - Grenoble Ecole de Management
Dima Louis: EESC-GEM - Grenoble Ecole de Management
Gazi Islam: EESC-GEM - Grenoble Ecole de Management

Grenoble Ecole de Management (Post-Print) from HAL

Abstract: Neutrality in coaching, as an often-mentioned yet under-theorized norm of practice, is illustrative of how a lack of conceptualization leaves professionals with eclectic and contradictory tools and techniques. Therefore, the current study examines coaches' attempts to practice neutrality, with diverse implications for their conceptions of professional practice. Through a qualitative study of 57 executive coaches using a critical incident technique, we identify situations of conceptual and practical complexity. The ongoing practice of enacting neutrality gave rise to diverse tensions, to which coaches responded by formulating individualization and socialization strategies that had different consequences in terms of forms of awareness. Considering neutrality in terms of situated, engaged, and processual practice, we use these findings to theorize its enactment within the interest-laden world of organizations. Our study contributes to the theory and practice of coaching while also furthering understanding of the dynamic nature of seeking neutrality in professional contexts.

Keywords: coaching; neutrality; tensions; qualitative research (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023-09-01
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Published in Journal of Management Studies, 2023, 60 (6), pp.1485 - 1520. ⟨10.1111/joms.12883⟩

There are no downloads for this item, see the EconPapers FAQ for hints about obtaining it.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:gemptp:hal-05731823

DOI: 10.1111/joms.12883

Access Statistics for this paper

More papers in Grenoble Ecole de Management (Post-Print) from HAL
Bibliographic data for series maintained by CCSD ().