At StangerCarlson. we are constantly refining our approach to our leadership and talent offerings. Our executive and team coaching offerings have several unique characteristics, one of which is how we measure growth 90 days after coaching has finished. The purpose of this approach is to establish that growth and renewal are continuing beyond formal coaching.
In looking at adult learning literature and practices, there is a consistent theme pointing to 9 months as a pivotal time for establishing that learning has been internalized, resulting in changed thought and behavior. If this is the case, then measuring the longer term “stickiness” of coaching progress after just 90 days is premature.
In light of this, we are now recommending that the impact of coaching be measured twice after the coaching engagement has finished — once after 90 days as a check that a rapid falloff in progress has not occurred and again after 9 months to confirm the lasting impact of the coaching engagement.
This is a particularly important change to our executive and team coaching processes which are designed to deliver 2-3 years of lasting development within a 6-month period.