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

Research recognizes the pivotal role of developmental relationships in effective leadership development and in fostering professional growth. In this regard, peer coaching represents an effective pedagogical tool in leadership development programs, as a form of mutually beneficial relationship between individuals of equal status. Despite the growing interest in leveraging peer coaching, there is a remarkable scarcity of theoretical and empirical research on the adoption of this technique and the measurement of its effects. This study addresses this gap by developing an original 13-item peer coaching measurement scale that encompasses two dimensions: Peer Coaching Meaning Making, and Peer Coaching Supportive Relationship. The paper examines the validity and reliability of this peer coaching scale across different cohorts of master's degree students who attended a leadership course at a public Italian University. Results from the exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis confirm adequate psychometric properties in terms of criterion-related validity and reliability. Additionally, the results offer insights on the learning outcomes attained in three areas: students' peer coaching self-efficacy, their self-awareness, and their engagement in the leadership development program. This paper provides insights for educators and human resource development practitioners to effectively measure the impact of this collaborative relationship within a leadership learning journey.