The role of interpersonal relationships in leadership-based programs: Development and validation of a peer-coaching scale

Research recognizes the pivotal role of developmental relationships in effective leadership development and emphasizes the importance of interpersonal connections in fostering professional growth. In this regard, peer coaching has been increasingly employed in leadership development programs but, despite the growing interest in leveraging peer coaching as an effective pedagogical tool, there is a remarkable scarcity of theoretical and empirical research on the adoption of this technique and on the measurement of its effects, especially in the higher education. This study addresses this gap proposing a peer coaching’s measurement scale that encompasses two components (Coaching Efficacy, and Coaching Relation). The paper examines the validity and reliability of the peer coaching scale in different cohorts of master’s degree students who attended a leadership course delivered in a public Italian University. The results from the validation of the scale and the students’ reflections on their learning experience provide suggestions on how to encompass developmental relationships within the design of a leadership learning journey.