Coaching program for District performance: a case study of Rwamagana District (2016-2019).

Abstract

The coaching approach has been recognized and adopted by the Government of Rwanda as one the tools to improve capacities of public servants in general and employees at local government level in particular. Since 2011, a coaching program for local government was introduced as a way to improve the performance of districts. The central aim of this study is to examine the effect of coaching program to the organizational performance of the local government (LG) entities with the following specific objectives: analyze the coaching approach in the context of LG entities; assess the relationship between the coaching interventions and district Imihigo performance and analyze the changes occurred in district performance during fiscal years 2016-2019 as a result of coaching interventions. The study used a mixed method involving quantitative and qualitative data. The sample size for this study was 85 employees from Rwamagana District using simple random sampling method. Data have been collected using online questionnaire and interview though phone call due to the Covid-19 restrictions. The findings from the study showed that coaching approach is relevant to the context of local government and its interventions has an influence to the district performance. During the fiscal years 2016-2019, the study revealed that a number of positive changes occurred in Rwamagana District as a result of coaching program. The study recommends to both central and local government as well as to the stakeholders involved in coaching to continue coaching initiative for further capacity development of local government staff and officials in order to enable them effectively deliver on its mandate. Beneficiaries of coaching should also own the whole process of coaching as to make the program more effective and sustain its results. In order to further understand the effect of coaching to local government organizational performance, the study suggests that similar research should be extended to more districts and more areas of focus other than performance contract-Imihigo.