Measuring the Progress of Your Coaching

Need some inspiration on measuring progress of your coaching sessions? There are things you can put in place when you are planning and contracting coaching. Paying attention to these early on will ensure you have the means to measure your coaching progress and your return on coaching investment. I’ve prepared a list to inspire you. Now you add to the list with your comments and inspire others.


What do you need to consider when planning and contracting coaching to ensure you have the means to measure your coaching progress and your return on coaching investment?

Do this before to start your coaching ….

Goals. Think about why you are initiating this coaching. What are your personal goals? What are the associated business goals? Why is this a priority right now? Why is this important? What is the business context – the bigger picture and/or must win battles? Seek goals that are stated in the currency of your organisation – for example, USD or EUR. These are most likely to be incremental revenue/profit or cost savings.

Metrics. What are the existing business metrics that can be used to set hard SMART goals for the coaching? What if any new hard measures that need to be set up before the coaching starts?

Indicators. What are the ‘soft’ goals that need to be considered that will indicate the coaching is making progress? An example might be coachee confidence. Before the coaching takes place you might ask your coachee: “How confident are you right now doing XYZ?” Use a scale out of 10. As the coaching progresses ask the same question. If for example the coachee says ‘6’, ask them what do they think needs to be done to move them from 6 to 7 or to 8.

Baseline. What feedback have you received from stakeholders about the coachee’s performance in relation to the planned coaching subject? What are your observations on their current performance? What other sources of evidence can you draw on to establish the current baseline?

Timeframe. When do things need to be completed by? What are the milestones? What is your best estimate for the number of coaching session that need to be contacted and scheduled right now?

Awareness. Where is your coachee’s current awareness on the goals and their performance? You don’t know? Then you should ask them! Use the FOFF model to explore their awareness. What the Facts as they see them; what are they Opinions and views; how do they Feel about things; what is their vision for the Future?

So you can measure this after you have done the coaching ….

Goals. Percentage achievement of currency goals. Any gaps remaining or over achievement. Return on coaching investment. Calculate the total number of hours you and the coachee spent on the coaching session including preparation, coaching and follow up. Ask your Finance or HR Partner how much it costs to employ each of you: wages, benefits, overheads and occupancy costs. You can do the rest of the maths.

Indicators. How has the coachee progressed as a person in the ‘soft’ measures you agreed? Go back to your 10 point scale. What has been the impact of the progress: on the coachee; on the business; on colleagues and stakeholders; and on you as their coach?

Baseline. What feedback, observations and other evidence to you have that there has been progress from the original baseline? What is your plan to close gaps? How will you celebrate success?

Think of this list as a thought starter. Lists like this work best when you use them for inspiration and you take what you want from them. The magic sparkly bit is when you use your own experiences to add new ideas, post your comments and share with others. Please use the Leave a Reply box below. Thanks.

There is further reading in the Coaches Toolkit – see Templates / Coaching Contract and Templates / Coaching Preparation.

To comment about this article please use the ‘Leave a Reply’ box below.

Author: Trevor Sherman

Trevor Sherman: Author, Blogger and Coach. What do I do? I develop leadership training material and personal learning modules. I am the owner and operator of this Blog. I coach senior executives for their development and role transition. I am based in Northamptonshire UK and operate globally - in person and through technology.

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