This article was originally published May 2017, in the WorldWide Coaching Magazine.
By Lyn Christian MCC, CFCC, CCMBIT COACH
“Getting results and changing lives, that’s what matters.”
—Henry Johnson, WWII Hero
We’ll discuss three results-oriented recommendations in this toolkit. And, in the end, my hope is you’ll engage on the appropriate WorldWide Coaching Magazine social media platforms and share your own ROI (return on investment) tools, tips and thoughts.
The first suggestion is to hire a specialist. Several years ago I hired a specialist and paid this person to review a few coaching engagements. Below you’ll find some of the results of this study. Today, they serve as wonderful tools, which I use in many ways including marketing materials.
An independent R.O.I. study showed that the PMTS system accrued a 42% increase in the number of trainings, that were booked, a 100% retention factor affording the company a savings of $57,381.00 during 2006 to 2007 – the year spent with Lyn Christian coaching the management staff.
Rich Tafel’s own Coaching with Lyn resulted in the creation of a new working identity (political strategist)—the impact or results were calculated at 372.8% return on his coaching investment or $4.73 for every dollar he invested.
– Rich Tafel ROI Study: Executive Summary created for Legacy Learning LLC February 23, 2004
When Rich began working as a Political Strategist, his consulting assisted his client to get a $3 million grant. The estimated 6,600% return reflects an exciting chain of impact.
– Rich Tafel ROI Study: Executive Summary created for Legacy Learning LLC February 23, 2004
You too can hire someone to review and calculate the ROI of your practice. However, you could also learn to calculate your own work by attending classes offered such as this one currently hosted by WBECS.
The second piece of guidance is to use Survey Monkey to keep up on the positive aspects of your practice as well as those elements that need adjustment. As client’s exit or graduate from my practice, I administer this survey. The survey goes out once a quarter and results are also reviewed once a quarter. Adjustments are made based on the feedback received in the subsequent reports. Click Here to take yourself through a sample of this survey. Feel free to use all or none of the questions you find here.
And finally, I monitor three key elements at the end of just about every coaching session. These elements are:
- The client’s perceived ROI (return on their investment of time, energy and focus)
- The client’s perceived results from the session
- The client’s perceived value from the session
I assess these elements by noting the answers to simple questions as we wrap up each session. Here are samples of how I weave such topics into parting questions:
- What are you glad we discussed today?
- How well did we hit the results you wanted from today’s call?
- What do you have now that you didn’t have before we started talking today?
- Where did you find value in today’s session?
- What is the return you experienced by investing time and energy into today’s session?
Again, please share your own ROI ideas, tips and tools on the WWC facebook page or Twitter feed.
Ethics and the Toolkit—Each month I strive to add value to the global conversations of trust and transformation by adding one resource regarding ethics. There’s never been a more pressing moment in history where truth and honesty should prevail. To that end, here is a section of Maria Simpson’s article, 8 Guidelines for Effective Coaching Relationships.
Define the limits of confidentiality.
a. The specific content of coaching conversations should be considered by the coach to be confidential. Without the protection of confidentiality, most staff members will be reluctant to disclose difficult or sensitive information that will help in understanding the situation, and coaching will not result in positive change.
b. The staff member can discuss the content of a coaching session with anyone the staff member chooses. Some coaching clients want to share new information or insight with others, including their managers. Others prefer to maintain confidentiality.
c. Unless the coaching client specifically authorizes the coach to discuss the details of conversations with others, the coach should limit feedback on coaching, especially with immediate supervisors, to very general comments such as the coaching client’s willingness to participate, level of engagement, receptivity to feedback, etc.
d. Although coaches are not legally included in the term “mandated reporters,” it may be useful to use the requirements of this position as a guideline for when confidentiality should be breached (when there is the real possibility of harm to self or others, such as possible workplace violence, for example).
e. When the coach determines that the coaching client has engaged in unacceptable behavior of some kind but which may not be considered potentially harmful to self or others, the coach must decide what to do consistent with his or her personal ethics and those published by various professional associations to which the coach ascribes. In some cases, the coach may not breach confidentiality but may encourage the coaching client to take the initiative and report the behavior by a certain deadline or the coach will end the coaching relationship while still maintaining confidentiality. These issues should be clarified with the organization and the staff member before coaching begins.