In a study examining the impact of a combination of classroom training and coaching on job performance, 115 workers were evaluated, and 73 were randomly assigned to the experimental group and 42 to the control group. Both the experimental and control groups were given pre and post surveys that evaluated demographic characteristics and included a performance strategy inventory – which was created for the purpose of this study – that assessed the efficacy of responses to stressful situations and the level of impact stressful situations had on job performance.
While the subjects in the control group received nothing else, the experimental group received training on locus of control and its relationship to performance, goal setting, stress-reduction techniques, and creating action plans. Additionally, the experimental group engaged in a 30-minute tele-coaching session.
Relative to the control group, the experimental group were better able to problem solve, better able to respond to criticism, more flexible in responding to changing priorities, more capable of dealing with tight deadlines, and better at expressing themselves.