Executive coaching : a tool for advancing blacks into senior management positions

Abstract

The shortage of blacks in senior management and executive positions is a South African phenomena. Following decades of academic and economic segregation by the apartheid regime, many black individuals find themselves lacking the necessary technical and soft skills to operate effectively in organisations. This study explores whether executive coaching can be used to bridge the soft skill gap. The study further explores the characteristics of the coachee, the coach and the coaching relationship required for a successful intervention. A qualitative exploratory research was undertaken with fifteen one-on-one interviews conducted with qualifying black managers to capture their perceptions about the use of executive coaching as a developmental tool. This research has shown that executive coaching can be used as a viable developmental tool to prepare black managers for senior positions. A profile of an ideal candidate, an ideal coach, and an ideal coaching environment has been put together in a proposed framework that will hopefully facilitate the achievement of the goal.