Prof. Nicky Terblanche and Snr. Researcher Frederik Kruger at Stellenbosch Business School, look into the flipside of coaching when it fails. As mismatched expectations, broken trust, and organisational detachment undermine outcomes, even well-meant coaching can do harm. The fix? Reframing coaching as a shared responsibility between coach, coachee, and the organisation itself.

The Darker Side of Coaching: Missteps, Misalignment, and Missed Potential by CoBS Editor Hari Chandana Chinni. Related research:  The coaching flipside: Factors underlying unsuccessful workplace coaching interventions and the implication for human resource development, Frederik Kruger, Nicky H. D. Terblanche, 2024, Wiley Online, https://doi.org/10.1002/hrdq.21548

We often hear about coaching as a powerful development tool. Organisations pour billions into it every year. And usually, the story ends well with better managers, clearer goals, and improved performance. But not all coaching experiences lead to growth. Some leave people confused, frustrated, and even disengaged. These are the stories we do not often hear. 

In a recent study titled The Coaching Flipside, Prof. Nicky Terblanche and Senior Researcher Frederik Kruger of Stellenbosch Business School explored what happens when coaching does not work. While most research celebrates coaching success, this focuses on the people who walk away feeling disappointed. Their voices offer a rare and important perspective on the kind of coaching that not only fails to help but actively damages trust, performance, and morale.

From a pool of over 357 professionals, the authors focused on 13 coachees who rated their experience as deeply negative. Their stories are striking, not because they’re dramatic, but because they’re surprisingly common-sense and yet often overlooked. If coaching is supposed to be a journey of transformation, the study shows what happens when the vehicle breaks down at the start and nobody’s quite sure who’s driving.

Three Reasons Coaching Goes Off the Rails

So, what exactly goes wrong? According to the study, it boils down to three key issues: mismatched expectations, poor relationships, and organisational interference

Mismatched expectations. Coaching should begin with a clear understanding of purpose. But in many of the above-mentioned cases, that clarity never came. Some participants didn’t even know why they were being coached. Others felt their coach didn’t understand their background, culture, or goals. One described the process as “going on a road trip without a map.” When the destination isn’t defined, and the route isn’t discussed, the result is confusion at best and disillusionment at worst.

Poor relationships. Coaching depends on trust. Without it, the sessions feel more like a performance review than a partnership. Many participants felt their coaches weren’t really listening or didn’t seem invested. Worse, some had coaches with personal ties to their managers raising red flags about confidentiality and safety. In such a fragile environment, the space for honest reflection disappears. Instead of growth, people hold back.

The organisation itself. While coaching may look like a private conversation between two people, the company is always in the background. And sometimes, that’s the problem. In some cases, coaching was clearly designed to serve corporate agendas and not the individual. Others reported little to no support in integrating lessons from the coaching afterward. And nearly all agreed: without meaningful involvement from HR or leadership, the entire process felt disconnected.

Why This Matters for HR and Business Leaders

The consequences go far beyond one frustrated coachee. When coaching fails, it doesn’t just stall development – it chips away at trust, motivation, and belief in the system. People start to question whether the organisation truly supports their growth or is just ticking boxes.

For HR professionals, this is a wake-up call. Coaching isn’t a quick fix or a one-size-fits-all solution. It needs thoughtful design, cultural sensitivity, and careful follow-up. The coach’s skills matter, but so does the system around them. Everything from how coaches are selected to how goals are defined shapes the experience.

A Call to Do Coaching Better

Terblanche and Kruger make a compelling case for what needs to change. They propose expanding the popular “working alliance” theory, which traditionally focuses on the coach-coachee relationship, to include the organisation as an active third player. After all, the company sets the stage, funds the process, and often defines success. Ignoring its influence is like pretending a referee has no impact on the game.

For HR teams and leaders, the finding offers two clear takeaways. Coaching is not just about hiring good coaches. It is about making sure the process is thoughtful, clear, and co-owned by the coachee. It isn’t just a personal development tool but a reflection of culture. When done well, it builds bridges between individual potential and organisational goals. But when done poorly, it becomes a silent barrier creating confusion, resentment, and lost opportunities. At its best, coaching builds confidence, improves performance, and strengthens workplace culture. But if it is handled poorly, it can quietly do the opposite. By learning from what does not work, organisations have a chance to make coaching not just more widespread, but more meaningful, more human, and more effective.

Coaching can still be a powerful tool. But only if we treat it with the care, clarity, and responsibility it deserves.

Useful links:

• Link up with Prof. Nicky Terblanche on LinkedIn
• Read a related article: Should managers treat their team members equally or equitably?
• Discover Stellenbosch Business School, South Africa
• Apply for the Stellenbosch MBA.

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