Abstract
The aim of the present study is to design a comprehensive model for conceptual development of teamwork coaching in Iranian government organizations with a data-based approach. The research method is developmental and exploratory in terms of its purpose, and qualitative in terms of its implementation method, and utilizes the data-based method. The statistical population includes 10 experts, experienced in the field of teamwork or coaching, selected as samples through non-random, definitive, judgmental and systematic sampling using the snowball method. The data collection tool includes semi-structured interviews. Data analysis is using coding and the data-based method. The results of the study showed that the five factors: the moderating factors of the implementation of teamwork coaching, the contextual factors of the implementation of teamwork coaching, the strategies of the implementation of teamwork coaching, the consequences of the implementation of the teamwork coaching system, and the causal conditions of the implementation of teamwork coaching are effective in providing a comprehensive model for the conceptual development of teamwork coaching in Iranian government organizations.
Introduction
Today, conventional and hierarchical structures have turned towards group structures, through which organizations have achieved productivity, savings, increased production, and profitability. Therefore, it is necessary to design and implement a teamwork system in the form of a macro-organizational strategy (Yaghubi, 2022). Teamwork has many benefits in individual and organizational dimensions, including a sense of personal security, a sense of satisfaction, the reduction of work difficulty, multi-skilling for individuals and a reduction in work accidents, increased productivity, balancing organizational layers, the formation of participation, and quick and timely decision-making by employees of operational layers for the organization. Accordingly, the formation of teamwork is considered as an important factor in improving quality and gaining competitive advantage (Ebrahimzadeh et al, 2015). Therefore, the most important concerns of a modern organization can be guiding and transforming teamwork towards improving performance. Heslin et al, (2006) found that in order to guide teamwork towards better efficiency, the organization needs an active, goal-focused, and person-to-person flow that is used to improve the performance of individuals and promote their professional path, which can even have a positive impact on their working lives (Kameli, 2016). Managers have gradually come to the conclusion that in order to carry out the complex activities of the organization, they need employees who work in groups of multiple people with complementary expertise to advance the goals of the organization (Kaviani et al, 2019). Today's advanced organizations have realized that humans play a more central role than ever before, and organizations are forced to adopt new methods in the field of human resource training in order to succeed and survive in a competitive world. Finding a way for managers to do this continuously and efficiently is one of their first challenges in employee teamwork. In general, considering the research gaps stated, today a new concept called coaching is being mentioned that can be a common answer to the aforementioned challenges. Coaching is one of the methods of training and improving employee performance that, like other training methods, is used for the growth and development of human resources. Coaching is an effective method for promoting learning that can have a positive impact on the organization's profits and losses and bring tangible benefits to individuals and organizations (Bakhshi, 2019). Therefore, considering the above, the main research question is: What is a comprehensive model for developing the concept of teamwork coaching in Iranian government organizations with a data-based approach?
Theoretical Framework
Teamwork
The concept of teamwork refers to the fact that individuals in groups are able to do things beyond what they can do alone and independently. Therefore, many organizations have turned to teamwork-based structures as a way to survive and win in today's competitive world (Yaghubi, 2022).
Coaching
Coaching is a course to empower individuals so that they feel relaxed and useful and feel satisfied by reaching their desired positions. This method, while paying attention to the problems and challenges facing the manager and employee, also focuses on his goals and tries to help him achieve better and faster results by creating the necessary support. Currently, coaching is considered one of the most efficient methods of developing individuals and a powerful approach to performance management. Unlike training, which usually includes a group of people and has a time limit, coaching is a focused and one-on-one method that can be implemented at any hour and any day (Abdi et al, 2018).
Ghafari et al, (2022) in a study identified a model to explain the concept of employee performance coaching in Iranian government organizations. The findings, using jointly extracted concepts, led to the identification of 5 factors of moderating, contextual, strategic, consequences, and finally causal conditions for implementing the performance coaching system. The results indicate that today's organizations, with more knowledge of the aforementioned factors, can respond better to competitive pressure and, as a result, achieve more efficient results by developing and implementing training and business strategies such as coaching.
Haji Zadeh et al, (2021) in a study identified and explained the effective factors of coaching operational managers of Persian Gulf Petrochemical Industries Company in order to motivate human resources. The results showed that out of 805 extracted concepts, 145 initial codes were identified in the form of 23 categories, including the central category, causal conditions, contextual conditions, intervening factors, strategies, and consequences. Also, the degree of influence of the relationships between the model variables was positive and significant.
Research Methodology
The research method is developmental and exploratory in terms of its purpose, and qualitative in terms of its implementation method, and applies the data-based method. The statistical population includes 10 experts, experienced in the field of teamwork or coaching, selected as samples through non-random, definitive, judgmental and systematic sampling using the snowball method. The data collection tool includes semi-structured interviews.
Research findings
Data analysis is using coding and the data-based method. The results of the study showed that the five factors: the moderating factors of the implementation of teamwork coaching, the contextual factors of the implementation of teamwork coaching, the strategies of the implementation of teamwork coaching, the consequences of the implementation of the teamwork coaching system, and the causal conditions of the implementation of teamwork coaching are effective in providing a comprehensive model for the conceptual development of teamwork coaching in Iranian government organizations.
Conclusion
The present study was conducted with the aim of designing a comprehensive model for conceptual development of teamwork coaching in Iranian government organizations with a data-based approach.. The results of this study are consistent with the results of Ghafari et al, (2022), Haji Zadeh et al, (2021), Dastgerdi et al, (2021), Mashhadi & Qoroneh (2021), McCarthy & Milner (2020), Podolchak et al, (2019), and Jafarpur (2018). Dastgerdi et al, (2021) showed that the core phenomenon of coaching includes work sessions, division of labor, and listening skills; which can be implemented innovatively according to different levels of coaching. The purpose of implementing strategies, which are selected purposefully, is to better manage and accomplish the desired phenomenon in the prevailing context and platform. Therefore, by using strategies, the core phenomenon can be implemented. Thus, codes that have a more operational flavor among the concepts answered in the interviews are classified as a strategy and a requirement. Considering the form and framework of the central phenomenon in the two concepts of goal enumeration and solution enumeration, the strategies section can also be divided into two sections for group members. The resulting codes in this section include emphasis on self-empowerment, emphasis on self-responsibility, transparency of processes, and dialogue-oriented space creation, which are classified in the concept of behavioral strategies.
Based on the research results, the following suggestions are made:
Encouraging employees to learn coaching concepts while working
Creating work groups and providing conditions for group work
Holding periodic coaching training courses for senior managers
Sending middle managers to learn how to teach and coach in the organization
Reducing organizational cultural barriers such as reducing the costs of people moving for advancement and performance improvement
Contracting long-term contracts with coaching training institutions and research centers in order to achieve long-term goals.