Is individual coaching better than group training?
Individual coaching is highly satisfying and superior for achieving personal goals, while group training is better for gaining knowledge, and self-coaching is largely ineffective on its own.
Source
Comparing the Effectiveness of Individual Coaching, Self-Coaching, and Group Training: How Leadership Makes the Difference
What they did
The researchers recruited 134 university students who struggled with academic procrastination, though only 84 completed the entire study. These participants were randomly assigned to one of four conditions: individual coaching, group training, self-coaching using a manual, or an inactive control group. Over three sessions lasting about two hours each, the researchers evaluated how well these different setups reduced procrastination and helped students meet their goals.
What they found
Both individual coaching and group training significantly reduced procrastination compared to no intervention at all. Individual coaching led to the highest levels of satisfaction and was the only method that significantly outperformed the control group in helping participants actually achieve their personal goals. In contrast, group training was the most effective approach for teaching specific facts and time-management strategies, while self-coaching failed to produce significant improvements compared to the control group.
The limits
What it doesn't show
This study relied heavily on students' own self-reported ratings of their procrastination and goal progress, which means the results could be biased by participants overestimating their performance. Additionally, because the sample consisted entirely of university students at a single institution, we cannot assume these findings apply to professionals in corporate workplaces. The study also had a high dropout rate, particularly in the self-coaching group where 61 percent of participants quit, which limits our ability to draw firm conclusions about that method's true potential. Finally, because the researchers only measured outcomes immediately after the three sessions ended, it remains unclear whether these benefits persist over the long term.
Key terms
- Transformational Leadership
- A style of guidance where a leader or coach inspires and motivates followers by supporting their personal development and encouraging new ways of thinking.
- Transactional Leadership
- A style of guidance focused on clear agreements, responsibilities, and contingent rewards for meeting specific targets.
- Autonomy Support
- The degree to which an instructor or coach respects an individual's perspective, provides choices, and encourages self-initiation.
- Intrinsic Motivation
- The drive to engage in an activity because it is inherently interesting, enjoyable, or personally satisfying.
- Procrastination
- The voluntary delay of an intended course of action despite expecting to be worse off as a result of the delay.
- Self-Coaching
- A self-directed development process where individuals perform exercises and reflect on their goals using written manuals without the help of a physical coach.
Flashcards
Research intelligence for this paper
See its role on concept claims, tensions it is part of, placement history, and related discoveries.
Quiz yourself
What experimental design did the researchers use to compare the different interventions?
Common questions
Why was self-coaching so ineffective in this study?
Self-coaching requires high levels of self-regulation and motivation. Since people who procrastinate already struggle with self-regulation, attempting to complete the program entirely on their own with a manual proved too difficult, leading to a massive dropout rate.
Did group training help people reach their goals?
Yes, participants in the group training did make progress toward their goals, but this progress was not statistically greater than the progress made by students in the inactive control group who simply set goals.
How did the coaches' leadership style influence the outcomes?
When coaches used transformational and transactional leadership styles, it made the participants feel more supported in their autonomy. This feeling of independence boosted their intrinsic motivation, leading to better goal achievement and higher satisfaction.
Which method should an organization choose to develop its employees?
If the objective is to teach specific tasks or skills to a large number of people cheaply, group training is highly effective. However, if the focus is on highly personalized development goals, individual coaching is the better investment despite its higher cost.
More on Motivation