Leadership coaching is widely used to support both professional and personal development. Many organizations invest in coaching for their upper management and executive teams to enhance leadership effectiveness. However, when coaching fails to create meaningful progress—perhaps due to leader stagnation or unproductive sessions—it can result in wasted time, money, and lingering leadership challenges that impact the organization as a whole. To make coaching more effective, it is crucial to understand what drives successful outcomes, and new research (Solms et al., 2025) helps us do exactly that.
COACH-COACHEE FIT
The researchers examined a voluntary coaching program in the Netherlands involving six sessions per participant. Their findings suggest that matching coaches and coachees based on superficial similarities—such as gender or personality—can actually undermine the relationship rather than enhance it. The study also found that many coaches place too much emphasis on building rapport and trust, rather than on helping coachees achieve their goals. Ultimately, the most effective coaching relationships were those in which coaches fostered reflection and helped coachees translate intentions into actionable behavior. This led not only to improved outcomes but also to more positive perceptions of the coaching experience.
PRACTICAL TAKEAWAYS
These findings emphasize the critical role of the coach-coachee relationship in determining the success of coaching programs. To improve coaching outcomes, the authors recommend that organizations do the following:
- Enable coachees to reflect on their personal needs and preferences before selecting a coach, which will ensure better alignment.
- Avoid matches based on superficial traits like gender or personality.
- Place greater emphasis on setting clear goals and creating space for reflection during sessions, rather than focusing primarily on building rapport. This will help coachees translate intentions into action and achieve their goals.
Solms, L., van Vianen, A. E. M., Nevicka, B., Koen, J., de Hoog, M., & de Pagter, A. P. J. (2025). It’s a match! The role of coach–coachee fit for working alliance and effectiveness of coaching. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 98(1), Article e12523.
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