Conceptual foundations of coaching for the emotional recovery of leaders

The article examines the theoretical foundations of coaching aimed at the emotional recovery of leaders operating in a VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity, ambiguity) environment. The relevance of the study is justified by the growing level of stress experienced by executives. The absence of systemic recovery mechanisms leads to reduced productivity and increased staff turnover, underscoring the economic significance of the topic. The objective of this work is to develop a conceptual coaching model that integrates five key theoretical frameworks to form a managed five-stage cycle of a leader’s emotional recovery. To achieve this aim, a systematic analysis of 16 sources was conducted: meta-analyses, industry reports, ICF standards, and APA regulations, as well as a comparative content analysis of theories and quantitative effect indicators. The novelty of the research lies in the synthesis of diverse psychological and neurobiological approaches into a single, integrative coaching model, in which each intervention is grounded in a specific mechanism of action and has a measurable outcome. A logic-structural matrix matching theories to coaching phases is proposed, and based on this, a managed five-stage cycle (diagnosis, awareness development, experimentation, integration, evaluation) is adapted to the intensive pace of executive work. The key results show that using together emotional intelligence methods, positive interventions, resilience programs, and executive coaching makes a leader’s return to normal psychological balance successful and creates a good economic impact. This five-step cycle makes the process repeatable and allows quick changes in interventions using both personal feelings and objective measurements. This article will be particularly beneficial to executive coaching practitioners, HR directors, and researchers in organizational psychology.