Now showing 1 - 8 of 8
  • Publication
    Business coaching : The translation of the therapeutic habitus into the managerial realm
    (EGOS European Group for Organizational Studies, 2011-07-07) ;
    The aim of this paper is to trace the processes of translation through which coaching transports, transforms and transgresses therapeutic discourses into the managerial realm. Our empirical analysis, firstly, shows the architectures of coaching as a site of translation between two professional fields, management and therapy. Second, our analysis reveals that coaching as discursive practice is formed through the contextualized interplay between several more or less dominant discourses into relational patterns or translative moves with distinctive effects such as assimilation, unfolding or countering. In the discussion, we suggest that the described translative process is itself situated in and fueled by a larger socio-cultural transformations towards the agenda of what has been termed soft and emotional capitalism (Thrift, 1996; Illouz, 2007). This paper thus documents that coaching like no other psy-practice in management, aligns through various translative moves the intimacy of the therapeutic with the aims of improving managers (self-) management functions
  • Publication
    Coaching : Between creating visions and impairing vision
    (SCOS, 2010-07-07)
    Work coaching has become a frequently used organizational intervention, but is hardly researched. The rhetorical legitimation of this practice often lies within the heritage of Human Relations' functionalistic logic and its focus on cultivating the happy-performative worker. While positive effects of coaching have been extensively discussed in the practitioner and academic literature, critical reflection of this emerging field is rare. This contribution discusses three blind spots of work coaching in the literature: coaching by prescription, coaching as a deflector of organizational conflicts and coaching's role in intensifying techniques of the self. These considerations, the analysis of illustrative case examples and narrative interviews leads to the consideration of coaching as a disciplinary practice. Furthermore, based on a critical-dialogical position I argue that coaching conversations can also be understood as a reflective practice. In a modest way such conversations may enable spaces for alternative visions which supplement the dominant paradigm. In sum, this paper seeks to deepen the perspective on the political dimension of the use of coaching in organizational settings.
  • Publication
    The Psycho-Managerial Complex at Work: A Study of the Discursive Practices of Management Coaching
    (Difo-Druck, 2013)
    This thesis investigates how psychotherapeutic and managerial practices sustain a complex relationship that instigates the alignment of emotions towards managerial discourses of professionalism and productivity. To explore this ‘psycho-managerial complex' the thesis takes specific interest in ‘management coaching', which has recently become an influential and widely used person-centered Human Resource Management intervention. It is suggested that management coaching represents a new generation of person-centered interventions that encourages employees to engage in intensive self-work and promotes the regulation of emotions. Based on a theoretical framework which emphasizes the processual dynamics of discourse, two supplementary empirical studies are conducted to explore the concrete discursive practices of management coaching. The first empirical study (‘talk in coaching') is based on transcribed coaching sessions and investigates the discursive positioning processes between a professional coach and middle managers in three separate management coaching cases. This study suggests that the coach consistently uses internalizing and emotionalizing problem constructions to frame the managers' experiences and applies linguistic practices commonly found in psychotherapy. Furthermore, it is shown how the coach attempts to persuade managers to work on their experiences and regulate their emotions to become more productive and more professional workers. The second empirical study (‘talk about coaching') is based on 31 transcribed interviews with main stakeholders of the coaching and explores how coaches, managers and HR-managers legitimize the use of coaching processes in organizations. The analysis suggests that the key stakeholders generally account for management coaching by drawing upon variations of managerial and psychotherapeutic discourses. Moreover, the analysis unravels the emergence of three relational patterns through which these managerial and psychotherapeutic discourses are related in the form of assimilation, unfolding and countering moves. It is suggested that these complex discursive maneuvers enable the translation of psychotherapeutic practices into the work realm. The findings of the two empirical studies are further discussed in relation to the ongoing transformations of capitalism towards a soft / emotional capitalism by which intimacy and productivity are espoused to unleash the whole of human resourcefulness. Overall, the thesis illustrates how the psycho-managerial complex is constituted in and through management coaching. It situates the study of management coaching into the emerging field of Critical Human Resource Management and connects these to discussions concerning the transformation of capitalism and the management of emotions. Moreover, the thesis introduces discourse analysis as a means to study and reflect critically on concrete discursive practices and their processual unfolding in the field of Organization Studies.
  • Publication
    Counseling in High Performance Organizations : Individuel reenactment of todays universities performatiy discourse
    (Conference Proceedings, 2009-05-14) ; ;
    Context An intensive change process concerning the curricula in German speaking universities has been initialized through the Bologna Process. This process is accompanied with higher pressure for students to adjust their vita according to the demands of the labor market early in their studies. With the uncertain development of the labor market, fears of recession and out-sourcing of many traditional jobs, the pressure towards "performance biographies" has increased in almost all academic sectors. At the same time reports on the health of students are showing an alarming level of mental health problems, abuse of alcohol and drugs as well as high prescription rates of psychotropic drugs. In this context counseling approaches have gained importance at universities. The question arising here is, which type of counseling approach renders sustainable in the described climate of performativity. Diagnosis The University of St. Gallen was the first University in Switzerland to adapt the Bologna Reforms. Extensive data from the counseling center shows an increase of students who seek coaching in order to "optimizing their performance". At the same time these students report feeling a high level of pressure and show psychosomatic or depressive symptoms. In this regard counseling stands in the ethic dilemma of fulfilling the clients wish of "optimizing performance", thus standing in danger of pushing student over their boundaries and helping them genuinely cope with the workload associated stress. Solution Solution focused counseling has proven to be an excellent method to integrate both needs for students, often at the same time. This counseling method encourages students to look for new solutions by questioning their mindsets, offering a mental room for critical reflection and encouraging them to seek different perspectives on their situation. Outcome Experience has shown that escaping the logic of "more of the same behavior will lead to a better performance" is often the key to regaining mental functioning and at the same time regaining the ability to perform again. Even though symptoms are often severe at the beginning of counseling, average counseling duration lies between one and two sessions and only few student need additional psychotherapeutic support. Reflection A systematic evaluation is needed to undermine the reported effects. Further research should also concentrate on preventive aspects, encouraging students to actively seek room away from professional activities. As the rising pressure of performativity is not just an issue at universities, effects on organizations are to be discussed in the reflection.