A peer-reviewed investigation analyzed 1,130 open-ended comments from 686 senior leaders and finds that coaching delivered via the AIIR Method generates meaningful business outcomes.
BALA CYNWYD, PA, UNITED STATES, July 31, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Every year, corporations pour billions into executive coaching and leadership development programs. The logical questions they keep asking are: “Does coaching actually shift leader performance?” and “How can we measure it?”
A fresh peer-reviewed study now provides an answer. Published in the European Journal of Training and Development (Emerald Publishing) and co-authored by AIIR Consulting Founder and CEO Dr. Jonathan Kirschner and Prof. Nicky Terblanche of Stellenbosch Business School, this research ranks among the largest qualitative investigations ever conducted on how executive coaching influences leadership.
The researchers examined 1,130 open-ended survey responses from 686 executives spread across more than 300 global organizations — most of them Fortune 500 companies. Every coaching engagement used the AIIR® Method (Assessment, Insight, Implementation, Reinforcement), AIIR’s proprietary four-phase executive coaching framework designed to produce lasting behavioral change. A total of 158 coaches delivered the coaching across North America, EMEA, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America.
Team leadership topped the list of areas where executives said coaching directly benefited their leadership — proof that coaching delivers results where it matters most to the business: how leaders run, engage, and develop their teams. The most frequently reported improvements from coaching were:
• Team leadership (24.2%) — managing, delegating, engaging, and guiding teams more effectively
• Communication (16.4%) — expressing ideas clearly and influencing stakeholders
• People development (16.0%) — mentoring, growing, and empowering others
• Executive presence (15.7%) — greater confidence and visible leadership authority
Crucially, the shifts that leaders perceived in themselves were mirrored by those around them. When executives were asked what feedback they received from colleagues, the top responses were team engagement (27.4%), executive presence (17.5%), and communication (13.8%) — a pattern suggesting that coaching generates consistent, observable behavioral change, with team leadership serving as the primary channel through which that change becomes visible across the organization. Additionally, leaders reported tangible organizational effects, citing improvements in business outcomes, cultural dynamics, and operational performance.
“I created the AIIR® Method in 2009 to bring psychological rigor to the executive coaching field,” said Dr. Kirschner. “Seventeen years later, peer-reviewed science validates what we’ve seen in thousands of coaching engagements: Leaders coached with the AIIR® Method don’t merely feel more effective — their teams, colleagues, and organizations see and feel the difference. That’s a win for any business aiming to boost the effectiveness of its leaders, teams, and entire organization.”
The article, “Executive Leaders’ Perspectives on the Impact of Executive Coaching on their Leadership Development,” is published open access (CC BY 4.0) in the European Journal of Training and Development, Vol. 50 No. 10, pp. 127–145, and can be downloaded free of charge at https://doi.org/10.1108/EJTD-03-2026-0066.
About AIIR Consulting
Established in 2009 by Dr. Jonathan Kirschner, AIIR Consulting is a global provider of executive coaching and leadership development services, trusted by Fortune 500 companies and organizations worldwide. Combining its deep understanding of leadership, the proven AIIR® Method, AIIR® Leadership Framework, business expertise, and practical know-how, AIIR delivers technology-enabled, human-centered solutions that enhance the performance of leaders, teams, and organizations. Find out more at www.aiirconsulting.com.
Ryan Daly
AIIR Consulting
+1 215-337-4939
info@aiirconsulting.com
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