Cathy Liska The definition of coaching includes “the coach empowers the client” and this applies to defining success too. Success for a coaching client may be how they are feeling, thinking, or what they are achieving. During coaching certification, inviting the coaching client to choose what they want and define what it means to them is practiced. 
About Success:
- The coach empowers the client to define success and their measures.
- The coach supports the client in their evaluation of progress and success.
- The coach and client collaborate on how to manage the client’s accountability to empower success.
- The coach and client collaborate on how to celebrate the client’s successes.
Success is Important Because:
- The client hires a coach because they want results.
- The client is learning new skills and creating new habits that support future successes.
- For many clients, the benefit of the coach as an accountability partner creates success more easily.
Considerations for Success:
- Recognize progress and improvement as successes on the journey toward larger goals.
- Review and adjust to support continued progress.
- Review results and strategize what is next.
Application:
- Before starting the coaching relationship, define how the
client will know they have achieved their desired goals and outcome. - During the coaching sessions, revisit the measurement of success and add to it for additional outcomes.
- Celebrate!
- Create the opportunity for the client to “pay it forward.”
By gaining clarity on what success is and how it will be measured before starting a coaching engagement, the purpose of the coaching is clear and staying on track is easier. The coaching client is empowered with choice and supported with moving toward their objectives. As taught in coach training, this is part of the agreement at the beginning of the coaching engagement and supports the purpose of coaching.
