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How to Measure the Progress of a Life Coaching Client?

Measuring or evaluating the progress or results of something as intangible as life coaching can be a challenging task. Although qualified life coaches and institutes have tried and tested assessment tools or specific approaches to make analysis based on a person’s future life, it is still difficult to get proper result reports. 

How to Measure the Progress of a Life Coaching Client coaching client

Who Opts for Life Coaching? 

This is non materialist coaching; goals are intangible but beneficial and profitable for a better future. The type of individual who appoints a life coach is somebody who intends to make a significant life change and boost their likelihood of succeeding in their profession or personal life, whatever that may be. 

Celebrities, corporate executives, creative professionals, businessmen, leaders, homemakers, administrators, field experts, small company owners, start-up founders, etc., can all engage in life coaching. These individuals have all seen a vacuum between where they’re at in life and where they would like to be; a year or two later, turn to coaching for assistance in achieving their objectives. 

Some people might think that only professionals can indulge in life coaching, but frankly, it is for everyone. 

Why is it Important to Measure the Progress of Your Client? 

Measuring your client’s progress is important because how else would you know if all the coaching sessions are working and the person is walking on the right path. By measuring the progress, you can become aware of how effective the coaching is going and whether or not things are working according to the initial plan. 

You won’t know if the coaching sessions are positive if the client’s progress is not measured, similar to how you won’t realise what you have learned or understood during the class without a test. The measurements enable you to decide between continuing the same coaching techniques or changing course to improve the outcome.

Why Should You Keep a Progress-tracking Sheet Handy? 

Progress tracking sheets or tools are among the most important aspects of coaching. They are perfect for tracking the changes occurring in behaviours, outlook on life and in general, and how the trainee is responding to the coaching program. 

We cannot emphasise the Importance of personalising it for every client as per their goals and needs as much as we would like to. The progress sheet needs to reflect what the client wants to achieve. Only then can you move along with a conviction.

This sheet helps you stay on track or gives you an idea if there is a need to change the approach because things might not always work according to plan. Making modifications in the coaching techniques to fit the individual is key to successful outcomes, and a progress sheet assists you in it. 

It is wiser to keep it handy not just because of the client and their progress, but it is also a great tool to see your own progress. Tracking sheets give you room for change which can aid in making your efforts worthwhile. 

Some Question to Gauge the Progress of Your Client

Here are some of the questions you should keep in mind during the progress measurement analysis. They will help you a great deal as most of them will cover the basis on which you can make assessments. 

1. Has the client made many new discoveries?

This question will help you understand the client’s approach to life during or after the coaching session. Discovering new things and aspects of life is one of the most common practices, as coaching tends to change how people think and perceive matters. 

The new discoveries don’t have to be groundbreaking; even if your client has discovered a new way of solving a problem that they were not aware of earlier is a big step up. You will guide your client to keep an eye out for such things so that they can tell you when you ask them about it. 

2. How important is the new learning to the client?

You need to have an idea about what impact the learning will have on your client’s life. You should be aware of the Importance of your teachings; if they are not aligned with the goals and objectives of your client, then there is no point in it. 

All the coaching and efforts will fall flat if the learning is not what the client asked for or needs. Your progress measurements will suffer a great deal without a proper learning prospect.

3. How different is the client because of the coaching experience?

This basically sets the tone of your progress measurement because everything more or less revolves around this question. You will have to notice major and minor changes in habits, moods, work ethic, personal life, handling stress, decision making, communicating, etc. 

All the minor changes will have a major impact on your client’s personal and professional life success and betterment. 

4. Have they been able to probe deeper into their sense experiences?

This question works on the emotional level and will provide you with answers that will make or break your efforts. Sensory experiences are different for everyone; for instance, what you feel looking at a child playing might be different for someone else. These sensory experiences play an important role in our lives more than we can imagine. 

Life coaching addresses how you might improve your day-to-day life by engaging your senses. By asking this question, you will understand how the client has started looking at things and what changes they are noticing in their sensory experiences. Diving deep into such experiences makes us empathetic towards life.

5. Can they rate the difference on their own?

A person making changes in their life knows the best about how they impact their personal and professional lives or if everything is still the same. Your progress measurement will become easier if the person who underwent the coaching can rate the differences they observe post the sessions. 

Their ratings will help you measure the progress, and you can work on improving the aspects they are not completely satisfied with. 

6. Have their family and friends seen any change?

Another particularly helpful approach to measuring progress is to analyse what their family and friends have to say about the possible changes in a coachee’s life. 

You will ask the friends and families about the changes they have observed in the trainee’s life and habits since they have joined the coaching sessions. This will give you a clear image of the coaching program’s success for the coachee. 

This question will remove doubts that occur because people who undergo the coaching programs may be biassed towards their progress and might change the truth just a little bit to come across as changed. Loyal family and friends will notice the changes more efficiently and answer questions with utmost truth.

7. How might they reward themselves if they see any progress?

With this question, you are setting up a rewarding system to appreciate the client and celebrate their progress along the way. It is better to self-reward during the coaching program as it can boost the trainee’s confidence, and they might work even harder to get to where they want to be. 

These milestones will keep the progress on track and allow you and the client to feel better. The question of how they might reward themselves can be answered when both parties come to agreed-upon rewards. There should be something that your client would want to do or have, and they can work as perfect bait for progressing. 

8. What changes do they think need to be made in the coaching plan?

Ask the person who underwent your coaching session about the changes they would like to see in your coaching style, methods, or approaches. Each coaching institution is different, and perfecting yours will take time and constructive criticism. 

This question will assist you in making the right changes for your future clients, as people might have suggestions. So, pay special attention to their answers to this question and work on the changes you are told to improve the services.

How Often Should I Access My Client?

Accessing a client after the coaching program is important to measure their progress and see how they are doing in their life. What changes have occurred, and are they where they wanted to be in the first place? Did they achieve the goals they joined your life coaching sessions for? 

Checking in too often can be a nuisance and make the client feel micromanaged; not checking in enough can lead to misunderstandings and hurt feelings; there is no one perfect answer – it depends on the client’s needs and preferences; in general, aim to check in with your clients once or twice a week, Use your best judgments to determine when (and how) to communicate with your clients for a fruitful professional relationship.

How to Adjust the Coaching Plan When Needed? 

There will be times when you’ll have to make changes to the coaching plan because the initial plan might not be working according to the expectations. It is important to make adjustments because you don’t want to end up unproductive at the end of the session. Here are some ways to make changes during the session and adjust the plan as per the need. 

  1. Short Term Goals 

Short-term goals are a great way of addressing the progress and also work like a charm if you think something is not working out. You will get to know by the end of the short-term goals if the approach is suitable and effective. 

  1. Identify the Problem 

Identifying the problem before making the adjustments will allow you to understand the situation better and choose the right approach. You can only solve an issue when you get to know the problem and why it is occurring. Make a correct analysis and move forward. 

  1. Work on the Areas of Improvement 

Identifying a trainee’s skills allows you to identify possible areas for improvement quickly. Compile a list of a few changes to the person’s position that you feel they can make. Give analogies to enable the coachee better recognize and grasp these issues in their productivity while addressing these aspects with them. Maintain a positive tone in the dialogue by emphasising your belief in their ability to improve and overcome these challenges.

  1. Implement the Changes 

Once you know what the issue is and how to solve it, it’s time to make the changes and adjust the coaching plan accordingly. Setting up new methods to fit the plan can be a challenge, but you can work with the client to set things up for the better. 

Conclusion

Good Life coaching might be a turning point for an individual as they can go on to make better personal and professional decisions that’ll help them succeed in life. However, how will a coach know what the client is up to or if they are reaping any benefits of the program? This is why progress measurement is so important. 

Measurement plays an important role as it analyses the physical and emotional betterment of an individual during and after the life coaching program. There are several methods that help in the measurement of progress such as 360-degree feedback and the OKR approach, etc. 

There are certain questions that can also help in the progress assessment. Once you have measured the progress, you can either change the course accordingly for better results or celebrate the success of the program.

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