20210308 AcknowledgementFirst, and foremost, I thank my family for their unconditional love, assistance, and encouragement throughout this incredible journey. A special thanks to my wife for being such a caring and engaged partner and to my daughters for their patience and wonderfully thoughtful questions and ideas about my research project. I thank you for tolerating and supporting many hours of studies at night or during the countless weekends; time, although worthwhile invested, I was not able to spend with you.I also thank my advisors, Professor Dr. Joe McNabb and Dr. Kim Nolan, for your highly professional, empathetic, and constant guidance throughout this process. I sincerely enjoyed my time as a scholar in your classes and our stimulating discussions and exchanges. I´m very grateful for how you have assisted me in dismantling my research topic into its individual parts to reassemble it to form an even more impactful piece on coaching and personal growth. I´m also very thankful to Professor Dr.Rainer Busch who acted as the third reader and who already thirty years ago was one of my university professors in Germany; a true source of wisdom and intellect.In addition, I´d like to express my gratitude to Danielle Monaghan, Vice President Talent at Uber, who in her previous function as my line manager at Amazon was very supportive of my doctoral studies from the very beginning. The same is true for Dirk Daniel, who as a long-time senior Amazon leader, constantly encouraged me to think big, bold, and beyond what one might believe is possible. Furthermore, I thank my colleagues, team members, and my external sparring partners -many of them being experienced coaches and learning experts -who not only assisted me with motivational questions on my progress and wellbeing, but also for their constant reminders to stay focused and unbiased. It is an honor and a pleasure to work alongside all of you and to know you. Finally, I´d like to extend my gratitude to our Seattle cohort, for the camaraderie, our various stimulating study sessions, the workshops, and get togethers. All the best for your future endeavors! 3 20210308 Dedication I dedicate this work to my amazing wife Bianca and our incredible daughters Jule and Felicity. You are the loves of my life, my inspiration, joy, and fulfillment. I wouldn´t have been able to become what I am without you.I also dedicate my research and this paper to everyone who has ever coached and supported someone else; or who plans doing so in the future. Thank you for helping people who are stuck in life or need honest guidance to unleash their innate potential to lead a rewarding life. 4