Drawing the Triangle: How Coaches Manage Ambiguities Inherited in Executive Coaching

Abstract Executive coaching is a common leadership development intervention whose complexity is underestimated. The triangular relationships between coachee, coach, and organization give rise to conflicting interests (Fatien-Diochon, 2012). This study examines how coaches perceive triangular relationships and reflect on conflicts of interest and ethical issues. During semi-structured interviews, nine coaches drew their interpretations of how triangular relationships unfold in executive coaching processes. Coaches’ explanations were categorized into three groups. There are coaches who underst...