How do you renew your coaching contract with your coachees?

Beyond conventional methods, introducing innovative ways to assess progress can be quite impactful. For instance, I've integrated storytelling in the review process, where coachees narrate their journey and transformations. These anecdotes serve as qualitative evidence of growth and can often reveal patterns or progress not captured by standard metrics. In one case, a coachee's stories about handling conflict situations demonstrated a profound increase in his emotional intelligence over time - a success which played a crucial role in contract renewal. This approach adds a human touch to the process, further solidifying the coaching relationship.

Agree with Joshua, you don’t need tools. Go back to where you started. What were the initial goals? How are they doing with those goals? Progress will be clear and apparent.

Skip the tools and assessments and start here: 1) Look at the agreed upon SMART goals that were established in the beginning 2) Ask yourself (and invite your coachee) to examine if/where you are in the milestone journey 3) If you are on track, great! Discuss what's working and double down on that. Equally, examine what isn't and remove it. Think SWOT. The goal is to assess and pivot where necessary. This allows for adoption and adaption in you and your clients approach. No matter how you do it, make sure you are doing it! It's a great measure to how you are doing, they are doing and the overall engagement is going.

This is so critical and something many forget to consider. Coaching engagements often start in one place and quickly shift to another. The reasons vary but the importance of recognizing this doesn't. Factoring into your contracts the potential of X,Y,Z happening protects you, your practice and the time spent from the client/company. Things change, people change, roles change, and life changes -- as a coach, learning to be resilient in the face of this change will make you a better coach and business person.

Absolutely, keeping the contract in sync with the changing needs of the coachee is vital. It's also worth considering external factors that could impact the coaching engagement. For example, in response to the recent shift to remote work, I've found myself adding provisions in the contract for virtual sessions, adjusting my fees for the reduced travel, and introducing new online collaboration tools for seamless communication. This not only helped in accommodating the change but also opened new avenues for flexibility and convenience for both myself and my coachees. Such anticipative changes can make your coaching more resilient and relevant to the evolving world of work.

In the event you are engaging with someone or a company who isn't (completely) familiar with what coaching is and the benefits derived from it then you should definitely take the time to inform and educate those parties. There are numerous places and data online that highlight the overall potential impacts and benefits from using a coach. That said, remember that these are global stats and may not completely adhere to your situation or the company you are working with. I advise to seek out the universal impacts and benefits from working with a coach and then look at specifics that are tailored to what your clients do and/or the companies they represent. It will help you sell through your services when you apply the right data.

I've started incorporating the concept of 'Return on Expectations (ROE)' alongside traditional ROI metrics. This means aligning my coaching outcomes with the coachee's initial expectations, whether it's about improving leadership skills, enhancing team dynamics, or balancing work-life issues. This approach has provided a more personalized measure of success and further emphasized the personalized value my coaching brings to the table.

I am a huge proponent of level-setting expectations right up front and before an official engagement ensues. It's important that myself and my client are aligned from day one and then I can and will reinforce our agreement often and intentionally. I also make sure to appreciate the continued trust, partnership and business of those I serve. I believe it's important to show my sincere gratitude for allowing me "in" to their life and business and letting me support them in the areas that may otherwise be off limits to others.

In reconfirming commitment, I have introduced a 'recalibration' phase where my coachee and I take time to realign our goals and expectations from the renewed coaching relationship. During this recalibration, we revisit the coachee's evolving challenges and aspirations, and redefine the coaching objectives if necessary. This process ensures the coaching sessions continue to deliver value and remain highly relevant to their current situation. In addition, I make it a point to share with my coachees my continuous learning journey - new coaching techniques I'm learning or recent relevant books I've read. This openness not only enhances their confidence in my abilities but also underscores the value of continuous learning and development.

If you can renew a contract first do a quick internal SWOT analysis to assess on your end what worked, what didn't and what you need more/less of. Arming yourself with this information before having a similar conversation with your client will provide you the perspective and objectivity necessary to distance your emotions from the contract itself.

I wholeheartedly agree with the formal renewal process. But, let's not forget to celebrate our shared journey. I like to hold a 'renewal session', a chance to reflect on our successes and plan future areas for growth. Renewing the contract is also a great time to openly discuss any reservations or concerns, ensuring we both step into the new phase with clear expectations and a shared vision. The essence here is to keep the process collaborative, open, and focused on continuous development.

I never take a client for granted nor should any other coaches. Remember, this individual is trusting you with their life and their money -- two major aspects not to take lightly. So, if a company or client continues and reengage with you regarding coaching you should definitely acknowledge the moment. Here's what I recommend: Acknowledge the individual's achievements first and then highlight their courage and commitment to further their transformational journey. A win is a win but a win for your client/coachee is win for you too. Congrats all around.