Drawing on leadership and motivation theories, this study examines the effects of coaching leadership (CL) on job satisfaction (JS), innovative work behavior (IWB) and employee performance (EP) in Vietnamese startups. It also explores the mediating roles of JS and IWB, and the moderating effect of work autonomy (WAU).
The study utilized 424 valid survey responses from employees working in startup enterprises located in Hanoi, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City. Data analysis was conducted using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) via SmartPLS 4.0 to evaluate the interrelationships among the variables.
The results confirm the direct effects of CL on JS, IWB and EP, as well as the influence of JS on both IWB and EP, and the impact of IWB on JS and EP. IWB partially mediates the effects of CL and JS on EP, while JS also partially mediates the effects of CL on EP and IWB. A notable finding of the study is the moderating role of WAU in the relationships between CL and JS, as well as between CL and EP.
One limitation of the study is that the data were collected at a single point in time and from a single source, which may involve potential risks of common method bias and non-response bias, although diagnostic tests indicated that these biases had limited impact. Furthermore, the study was conducted within startups operating for less than five years in Vietnam; therefore, generalizing the findings to other types of organizations or different contexts should be approached with caution. Finally, WAU was found not to moderate the relationship between CL and IWB, which contrasts with the initial theoretical expectation.
CL emerges as an effective approach to enhance satisfaction, performance and innovation in startups, both within Vietnam and globally. Managers are encouraged to adopt this leadership style and focus on fostering employee outcomes such as job satisfaction, innovation and performance. Granting employees higher levels of autonomy appears to amplify the benefits of CL, particularly for satisfaction and performance, although additional or alternative strategies may be required to stimulate innovation.
The study contributes empirical evidence on the integrated relationship among CL, JS, IWB and EP in the context of startups in Vietnam – an area that remains underexplored in existing research. Its core value lies in identifying employee autonomy as a critical condition, thereby enriching theoretical understanding of the complex interactions between CL, JS, IWB and EP within early-stage organizations.
