Coaching as a Tool for the Development of Managers and Specialists

This master’s thesis examines coaching as a tool for the professional and personal development of managers and specialists in an organizational context. The aim of the thesis is to understand how the benefits of coaching are perceived by coachees and evaluated by coaching sponsors, to identify the factors influencing its perceived benefits, and to compare the perspectives of both groups. The empirical part is based on qualitative research conducted through twelve semi- structured interviews with five coached managers and specialists and seven coaching sponsors. The data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. The findings show that coachees associated coaching primarily with increased self-awareness, greater professional confidence, and changes in workplace behavior, while coaching sponsors also captured observable manifestations of these changes and their broader organizational context. According to the respondents, the main factors influencing the benefits of coaching include the coachee’s motivation and active engagement, the coach’s professionalism and the quality of the coaching relationship, appropriate process design, and conditions in the work environment. The contribution of the thesis lies in connecting the perspectives of coachees and coaching sponsors and in formulating practical recommendations for the meaningful use of coaching in organizations.