Figuring Out Progress When Coaching Gets Fuzzy

So I've been wrestling with this question lately: how do you actually know if coaching is working when you can't just point to a spreadsheet?

It's tricky, right? We're all about data-driven approaches, but some of the most important changes happen in ways you can't easily graph.

The Measurement Problem

Here's the thing - sometimes the most meaningful changes are the hardest to measure. When someone shifts how they approach problems or starts having better conversations with their team, that matters hugely but doesn't always show up immediately in the numbers.

I'm not saying we should throw measurement out the window - just that we need to get more creative about it.

What I Look For Instead of Just Numbers

How People Talk

I pay attention to how someone's language changes:

• Do they stop saying "I can't" and start saying "I'm figuring out how to"?

• Are they less black-and-white in how they describe situations?

• Are they talking more about possibilities instead of just problems?

These shifts tell me something's happening before it shows up anywhere else.

Better Decisions (Not Just Better Outcomes)

I watch how decisions get made:

• Is there more thinking before jumping in?

• Are they making choices that align with what they say matters to them?

• Do they have better reasons for why they did something?

Better outcomes will follow better decisions, but there's usually a lag time.

Relationship Changes

This is huge:

• Are difficult conversations getting less painful?

• Can they hear feedback without getting defensive?

• Are they setting better boundaries?

These relationship shifts create the foundation for everything else.

In Part 2, I'll share practical ways to track these qualitative changes and how to combine soft indicators with hard data. Stay tuned!