Leader as Coach: Navigating Ethical Complexity Through Core Coaching Values
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51137/wrp.ijcod.829Keywords:
Leader-As-Coach, Ethics in Coaching, Coaching Values, Leadership Development, Coaching PracticeAbstract
Today’s leaders are increasingly expected to adopt a leader-as-coach mindset. This study explores how leaders can apply the International Coaching Federation’s (ICF, 2022) four core values of professionalism, collaboration, humanity, and equity when responding to ethical situations related to their roles. In this study, 40 public and private sector leaders from multiple industries spanning five Western nations, all applying a coach approach, shared their experiences in an online survey. All were leaders, with over half holding executive or senior leadership positions; 60% had taken leader-as-coach training; and 88% informally adopted a coaching style and were not ICF-credentialed coaches. Participants described real-life ethical challenges and reflected on the role each ICF core value played in their decision making. Thematic analysis revealed value-specific practices, such as boundary management, cocreating solutions, and cultural sensitivity. Findings highlight how leaders interpret and embody coaching values while managing confidentiality, role clarity, and systemic equity. The study also revealed the evolving support needs of leaders as they expand their ethical coaching practice. Practical implications for organizations include developing role-specific, stage-appropriate resources and fostering peer-based learning communities. These findings offer insight into the ethical development of leader-as-coach practitioners and inform future support systems in leadership development programs.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Rhonda L. Margolis, Sarah Evans, M. Beth Page (Author)
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