How Goal-focused Coaching Influences Employee In-role Behavior: A Moderated Chain Mediating Model

Abstract

Abstract: Goal-focused coaching has received a lot of attention in the academic and practical circles for their ability to guide employees out of the work puzzle. Although it can be theoretically deduced that the goal-focused coaching with objective aggregation is helpful to improve the employee's in-role behavior, what internal mechanism and boundary conditions of the goal-focused coaching with objective aggregation affect the in-role behavior has not been systematically explained and empirically studied. Based on the understanding of the existing research gap, this paper constructs a regulated chain multiple mediating effect model depended on the path-goal leadership theory. To test the model, data were collected from 275 dyads of employees and their immediate leaders. The results show that:(1) goal-focused coaching is positively related to employee in-role behavior; (2) role clarity and goal commitment mediate the relationship between goal-focused coaching and in-role behavior; (3) perceived leader support respectively moderates the relationship between role clarity(goal commitment) and in-role behavior; and (4) perceived leader support respectively moderates the relationship between goal-focused coaching and in-role behavior through role clarity and goal commitment. This research indicates that the model of a moderated mediation can better explain the mechanism of goal-focused coaching on in-role behavior, indicating the special predication of goal-focused coaching for role clarity and goal commitment, which not only enriches and extends the scope of related coaching, but also provides a beneficial enlightenment to the employee performance management practices.

Key words: goal-focused coaching, role clarity, goal commitment, perceived leader support, employee in-role behavior

Tu Xingyong, Liu Leijie, Zhang Yiping, Liu Xiangyang, Jiang Jing. How Goal-focused Coaching Influences Employee In-role Behavior: A Moderated Chain Mediating Model[J]. Management Review, 2020, 32(6): 220-231.

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