What Makes Executive Coaching Succeed?

In a study of 156 client-coach pairs (34 coaches and 156 clients), clients completed surveys on their working relationship with their executive coach, their own ability to complete tasks and reach goals, the coach’s techniques and the coach’s effectiveness. Sample items included: “I believe my coach is genuinely concerned for my welfare,” “I am clear as to what my coach wants me to do in these sessions,” and “I can always manage to solve difficult problems if I try hard enough.”

Clients also responded to questions about what coaching techniques were used and how valuable they felt the coaching experience had been.

There are strong indications that the following three factors affect the success or failure of executive coaching:

  1. The client’s view of coaching relationship as a working alliance.
  2. The client’s view of their own ability to complete tasks and reach goals.
  3. Which coaching technique the client experiences.