Abstract
The predominant focus of theory and research on managerial coaching has primarily examined how managerial coaching behaviors affect subordinates’ job-related variables. We deviate from this prevailing research approach, examining the potential influence of managerial coaching on subordinates’ psychological distress. Specifically, based on the Conservation of Resources (COR) theory, we hypothesize that managerial coaching affects subordinates’ psychological distress through the mediating role of psychological capital (PsyCap), and that growth need strength (GNS), moderates this indirect association. We employed a cross-level moderated mediation model and collected data from 288 subordinates within 76 teams. The results indicated: (a) Managerial coaching showed a negative correlation with subordinates’ psychological distress; (b) Subordinates’ PsyCap mediated the link between managerial coaching and their psychological distress; (c) The indirect connection between managerial coaching and subordinates’ psychological distress through PsyCap was moderated by GNS, showing a more pronounced effect for subordinates with low GNS compared to those with high GNS. This study offers insights into the mediating role of PsyCap, clarifying how managerial coaching affects subordinates’ psychological distress. The findings enhance existing literature by introducing GNS as a significant moderator, shedding light on the factors contributing to subordinates’ heightened psychological distress in response to managerial coaching.
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Data availability
The datasets generated during and/or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
Notes
Harvard Business Review (2023, Oct 31). Successful Leaders Are Great Coaches. https://hbr.org/2022/10/successful-leaders-are-great-coaches
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This study is supported by The People’s Psychology Innovation Research Fund of the Department of Psychology at Renmin University of China (No. RXB007).
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Jian Song: Conceptualization, Methodology, Formal Analysis, Visualization, Writing – Original, Review, and Editing. Yingwu Li: Project Administration. Resources, Funding Acquisition, Writing –Review, and Editing, Supervision.
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Song, J., Li, Y. Managerial coaching and subordinates’ psychological distress: a cross-level moderated mediation study. Curr Psychol 43, 15725–15736 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-023-05530-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-023-05530-z