Challenges of Internal Coaching and Ways Organizations Can Provide Support to Build a Robust Practice - A Qualitative Study

Oct 21, 2026

Uploaded by Đào

Internal Coaching offers organizations an effective, scalable talent-development approach, but its insider dynamics generate distinct operational and ethical challenges. This qualitative study investigates those challenges and specifies the organizational support needed to sustain a robust internal coaching practice. The study analyzes semistructured interviews with 11 internal coaches across multiple industries and countries. Results highlight tensions involving role conflict, objectivity, and organizational alignment, advancing theory and informing strategies for designing developmental and cultural support structures that strengthen coaching practice and effectiveness.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages14

Reading Time35 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Internal coaching definitions and rationale

Challenges and research gap

Structural and cultural barriers

Challenges of Internal Coaching and Ways Organizations Can Provide Support to Build a Robust Practice—A Qualitative Study Abhijit Bhattacharya 1 International Journal of Evidence Based Coaching and Mentoring 2026, Vol. 24(3) 467–479 © The Author(s) 2026 Article reuse guidelines: [sagepub.com/journals-permissions](sagepub.com/journals-permissions)[ ](sagepub.com/journals-permissions)[DOI: 10.1177/17418305261455153](DOI: 10.1177/17418305261455153)[ ](DOI: 10.1177/17418305261455153)[journals.sagepub.com/home/ecm](journals.sagepub.com/home/ecm) Abstract Internal Coaching provides organizations with an effective and scalable approach to developing talent, yet its insider dynamics create distinctive challenges. This qualitative study examines these challenges and identiﬁes the organizational support required to sustain a robust internal coaching practice. Semistructured interviews with 11 internal coaches across multiple industries and countries were analyzed thematically. Findings reveal tensions related to role conﬂict, objectivity, and organizational alignment. The study contributes to theory by extending understanding of internal coaching within organizational systems and offers practical insights for designing strategic and developmental support structures that strengthen coaching cultures and practitioner effectiveness. Keywords internal coaching, coaching culture, role conﬂict, boundary management, strategic support Introduction In an era of accelerated organizational change and strategic emphasis on talent development, coaching has emerged asa central lever for fostering growth, performance, and leadership capability. The global coaching industry is estimated tobe worth approximately USD20 billion (International Coaching Federation, 2024), reﬂecting its widespread adoption across sectors. Within this expansive ﬁeld, internal coaching, coaching conducted by employees within the same organization, has attracted increasing attention as a costeffective, scalable, and contextually grounded means of development (Schalk & Landeta, 2017) . However, its distinctive insider context introduces unique challenges that differentiate it from external coaching, particularly concerning conﬁdentiality, boundaries, and role complexity (Frisch et al., n.d.) . Internal coaching has been variously deﬁned. Frisch (2001, p. 242) described it as “a one-on-one developmental intervention supported by the organization and provided by a colleague of those coached who is trusted to shape and deliver a programme yielding individual professional growth.”Baldwin and Cherry (2020, p. 3) reﬁned this deﬁnition to“an individual within an organization who has received formal training in coaching skills, operating within a structured coaching arrangement, without formal authority over the coachee, who facilitates the personal and professional growth of others.” These perspectives collectively highlight internal coaching as a formalized developmental practice distinct from mentoring or managerial coaching (DiGirolamo & Tkach, 2019) . The increasing prominence of internal coaching stems from its alignment with organizational imperatives for continuous learning and leadership agility. It not only reduces dependency on external consultants but also contributes to cultivating a coaching culture—a collective mindset where reﬂective dialog and feedback are embedded into daily practice (Gavin, 2018; Milner et al., 2020) . By internalizing coaching capabilities, organizations democratize access to developmental support beyond executive levels (Bowman, 2016) . Leading ﬁrms such as Google and GlaxoSmithKline have exempliﬁed this integration, embedding internal coaching as a core element of their leadership and performance frameworks (Machon, 2016) . 1 Organizational Psychology, University of Essex, Hyderabad, Telangana, India Corresponding Author: Abhijit Bhattacharya, Edgewood University, Hyderabad, Telangana, India. Email: [Bhattacharya

FAQs

What makes internal coaching challenging in organizational settings?

Internal coaching creates tensions tied to insider dynamics, including role conflict, boundary complexity, and the need to maintain confidentiality and neutrality. These pressures can generate ethical and psychological strain and affect the working alliance.

How was the study conducted and what data were analyzed?

The study used semistructured interviews with 11 internal coaches across multiple industries and countries. Interview data were analyzed thematically to identify recurring challenges and support needs.

What kind of organizational support is needed for a robust internal coaching practice?

A robust practice depends on organizational endorsement and alignment, along with developmental resources and a culture that enables open dialogue. Leadership support and a conducive coaching culture strengthen practitioner effectiveness.

Oct 21, 2026

Uploaded by Đào