The Coach Within – by Suguna Devi Murugan

 Chapter 9: Measuring Success

 Coaching is powerful—but how do we prove it?

As a coach, I have often felt the transformation in the room. The shift in energy, the clarity in someone’s eyes, the confidence in their voice. But feelings, while valid, aren’t always enough—especially when stakeholders ask, “What changed?”

This chapter is close to my heart because it is about making the invisible visible. It is about showing that coaching is not just felt—it is measured.

A Story That Changed My Perspective

After one of my coaching programs, a client asked me, “How do we know it worked?”

I paused. I knew it had worked. I had seen the shift. But I realized I needed to show it.

So, we pulled together RAG reports, feedback forms, and behavior-change surveys. The data did not just show improvement—it told a story. A story of transformation.

Suddenly, coaching was not just an experience—it was evidence.

 Success Is not Just Felt—It’s Measured

Here is what I have learned: Measuring success helps us:

• Validate our methods!
• Communicate our value!
• Improve our design!
• Build trust with clients and teams!

Before I begin any coaching initiative now, I ask myself:

• What does success look like here?
• How will I know we have achieved it?
• How will I share that story with others?

Over time, I have developed a simple way to track the impact of my coaching—whether I’m working with school students or corporate employees. I call it my Success Dashboard, and it focuses on four key areas:

1. Engagement For students, I look at how often they attend mentoring sessions or participate in classroom activities. For employees, I track their involvement in coaching workshops or how actively they respond to reflection exercises.
2. Satisfaction With students, I gather feedback from them and sometimes even from their parents or teachers. With employees, I use feedback forms or Net Promoter Scores to understand how valuable they found the coaching.
3. Behavior Change In schools, I observe shifts in how students interact with peers or respond to challenges. In the workplace, I rely on self-assessments and peer or manager reviews to see if there's a noticeable change in behavior.
4. Outcome Alignment For students, this could mean tracking improvements in academic performance or confidence levels. For employees, it’s about seeing progress toward their career goals or alignment with performance expectations.

Whenever I begin a coaching session or program, I choose two or three of these areas that best reflect the kind of transformation I’m aiming for.

How do I collect this information? It depends on the context. Sometimes I use surveys or feedback forms. Other times, I rely on interviews, observations, or even a quick pulse check at the end of a session.

My Framework: Define → Collect → Analyse → Share

This is the rhythm I follow:

1. Define – What does success look like?
2. Collect – What tools will I use?
3. Analyse – What patterns or stories emerge?
4. Share – How will I communicate impact?

And here is a tip: Use visuals. Charts, quotes, and stories make data come alive. They turn numbers into narratives.

Let us make this real. Pick one coaching initiative you have led.

Now:

1. Define three key metrics!
2. Decide how you will collect each one!
3. Plan how you will share results—a report, a presentation, or even a story!

Bonus: Ask a client or peer what they think success looks like. Compare your definitions. You might be surprised.

A Case That Inspired Me

A school I worked with used behavior-change assessments after a teacher training. They tracked shifts in classroom language, student engagement, and peer feedback.

The result? A 30% increase in positive interactions.

That data did not just validate the program—it helped secure funding for future initiatives. That is the power of measurement.

Final Reflections

• What does success look like for you?
• How do you measure growth—personally and professionally?
• What story do your metrics tell?

Wait for Chapter 10