Business coaching for creativity at work : towards the development of a ‘coaching for creativity’ framework that uses intrapersonal factors as mediators

The purpose of this thesis is to find an answer to how coaching can enhance creativity at work and to develop a framework as fundament for appropriate coaching interventions. In the study a systematic literature review is used for the integration of coaching research with creativity literature. After the taxonomy of coaching and description of employees’ intrapersonal factors as antecedents to creativity, seven intrapersonal factors are considered as mediators between coaching and creativity at work, namely: creative self-efficacy; creative role identity; goal orientations; regulatory focus; intrinsic motivation; mood and affect; and creative skills. Following this, nine propositions are provided on how business coaching is likely to enhance creativity at work. The results are combined into a coaching-for-creativity-framework, including coaching approaches and tools which have already been found to be effective in the area of business. Recommendations are made for future research and for using business coaching as a personal development tool in organizations in order to enhance creativity at work. Keywords: coaching, creativity, innovation, creative self-efficacy, creative role identity, achievement goal orientation, regulatory focus, intrinsic motivation, mood, creative skills, framework, employee