The purpose  of  this  project  was  to  increase  coaching  effectiveness  in  complex assignments,  such  as  those  that  have  an  objective  of  increasing  an  executive’s capability  to  navigate  complexity  or  where  the  coaching  is  crossXcultural.  In  the context of complex assignments, a flexible framework is required that supports the coach in the process of developing an individualised programme that meets the needs of the coachee in their specific environment. \ud
It is argued that the concept of case formulation can be applied to executive coaching to provide the foundation for a flexible coaching framework. Through this project, the Purpose, Account,  Intervention, Reflect  (PAIR)  framework was developed, applied and evaluated with 12 coaching case studies in Australia and South East Asia.   \ud
A Realistic Evaluation methodology (Pawson & Tilley 1997) was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the coaching and to identify what factors made the coaching effective and in which contexts. Outcomes were measured using a 360° survey, pre and postXcoaching  interviews with  the coachee and  their manager, and coach and coachee session notes and reflections.  The mechanisms of coaching and significant context factors  were  identified  using  session  notes  and  reflections,  and  postXcoaching interviews. Successful coaching outcomes were identified in all 12 cases along with 17 key mechanisms of coaching effectiveness. Based on these findings, hypotheses regarding what makes coaching effective for which people and in what contexts were developed. \ud
This study demonstrates that the use of the PAIR framework facilitates the application of a case formulation approach to executive coaching and its use assists coaches in creating individualised coaching programmes. This study also demonstrates how the PAIR framework is flexible enough to meet a range of different contexts, including complex executive development and crossXcultural coaching assignments. Different combinations of mechanisms of coaching effectiveness were identified in each of the 12  case  studies  assignments,  reinforcing  the  need  to  develop  individualised programmes to meet the specific needs of each coachee. The implications of these findings  for  executive  coaching  practice  and  future  research  are  considered  and recommendations made for both practising coaches and researchers in the field