Exploring the Role of Psychological Ownership in the Coaching Process

Psychological ownership is a cognitive-affective construct that is used to measure individuals’ feelings of possessiveness towards material and immaterial objects. The existence of psychological ownership strengthens an individual’s feelings of responsibility towards and influence over a target and has behavioural effects on both the individual and the organization for which the individual works. The aim of this chapter is to explore the theory underlying the role that psychological ownership can play when applied to the GROW model of coaching within a multicultural context. It is posited that psychological ownership can enhance a coach-client relationship and can help a client to solve problems, make better decisions, learn new skills, and even progress in a role or career. Furthermore, psychological ownership may enhance an individual’s perception of meaningfulness and self-determination during the coaching process, which may have positive outcomes for both the individual and the individual’s organization in a multicultural context such as South Africa.