How can you show appreciation for a coachee's progress and achievements?

Say it! If you are in tune with your coachee, and listening intently to what they say, you will notice changes in how they communicate, the words they choose, how they carry themselves, and how they make and execute decisions. Pointing out what you see, and the differences between how they showed up before and now can help them develop awareness of the shifts they were able to accomplish. As your coachee's partner in growth, acknowledging these developments is one way to show appreciation for their hard work.

When you and your coachee outline the goals they want to get out of hiring a coach, you can tune into the small and incremental steps they are taking to get there. It's not about frequency, but about the sincerity of the acknowledgement going into detail about the growth or evolution in an approach. While it's not about false praise on a timed basis, it is important to cite the growth as soon as you notice it, and be sure and reference the growth as you continue to work together so you coachee can build confidence and remember how far they have come.

As a coach, I always put myself in the position of the coachee and strive to manage my expectations during our time together. To ensure success, I believe in providing timely and positive feedback on progress while being transparent about areas that need improvement, even if it means delivering some hard truths. Our goals must be in sync with the coachee's aspirations to achieve success. Celebrating small improvements can make a significant difference in maintaining momentum. Lastly, it's crucial to acknowledge that each individual has different phases of achieving their goals, and we must be patient and persistent in supporting them.

It is for the Coachee to feel that they have progressed or achieved a milestone that is important for them. It's not for the Coach to decide whether there has been progress or an achievement. If the Coachee expresses happiness or satisfaction on these fronts, as a Coach, congratulate them and ask them how they intend to celebrate this achievement or progress and how would they use these learnings going forward. A Coach does not endorse by approving or disapproving. Always remain neutral but happy for the Coachee.

Aducându-i aminte de unde a pornit. Trecând în revistă efortul făcut. Admirându-i bravura. Bucurându-mă, sincer, de bucuria lui.

It is important to have a cadence of check-ins with your client depending on their needs and goals. Celebrate small wins and do not wait till it's too late. With wins comes small boost in confidence and it's important to recognise progress. With every win, there are always lessons to take away as well. These 'celebrations' or 'forward progress moments' are powerful and specific times for the client to take away memorable lessons - what they did right or what else can be improved. Have the conversation early and on time can also help the client remain focused on the longer term goal.

Don’t “appreciate”, acknowledge instead in the spirit of adult -adult ego states (TA). And be specific. Like everything else in professional coaching, timing is the key. Incl timing of acknowledgement. To get the timing right, the coach got to be fully present, listening deeply, curious, and empathetic. An executive coach is also a cheerleader for the coachee. They don’t get a lot of ‘appreciation’ or EI strokes (as they don’t give)

One of the things that I find helpful is to invite my client to reflect on their own progress , the journey that have travelled to reach their goal and what have they learnt about themselves in the process. Clients amplify their own learning when they are able to objectively examine their own growth.

Showing appreciation for a coachee's progress and achievements involves being specific about what they have accomplished and acknowledging it in a timely manner. Instead of offering generic praise, the coach should highlight specific milestones or actions that demonstrate growth and improvement. By recognizing achievements promptly, the coach reinforces positive behaviors and motivates the coachee to continue their efforts.

The first and easiest thing to show appreciation is to say 'thank you'. Be specific about what you are showing your gratitude. The next would be to stay engaged and vulnerable with your coach. Coaches want to see their clients continue their growth. The last I would note would be to serve as a reference.

I love seeing my coachees progress and feel that authenticity and positive energy translates through in my language and tone. My aim is to get them to stop, reflect, look objectively at how far they have come and utilise this positive energy to determine where to next 😊

Coachee’s progress is fundamental to the success of a coaching relationship. As a coach, I always checkin with my coachee and help them deeply reflect on the changes they are noticing. When I notice a shift in their energy or tone of voice, it’s an indication that something is shifting inside them. I always call it out and acknowledge how they are committed to their own development. This process of deep reflection and acknowledgment keeps the Coachee motivated in their journey. Sometimes I write to them in between sessions to remind them of the effort and commitment they demonstrate for their personal and professional development.

Provide a safe and supportive space from the onset. It is when that safety and connected zone exists that someone being coached will be able to accept your acknowledgement and let it land.

When praising I believe the key element is that it should be sincere, it should be heartfelt. What is not sincere will never transpire as such. And I believe that as coaches we are in a very privileged position, where we are trusted with the coachees dreams, choices and decisions, so we should be the positive mirror they can reach out to.

Expressing to your coachee how proud you are of them doing what sometimes can be quite hard work as an example, reflecting on things you might have to forgive yourself for. I also ask them to express their feelings before and after the work is done to showcase how the shifts occur and what they feel like. My coachees express that this always helps them integrate their learnings better and feel proud of themselves for having done something that previously felt too hard.

When expressing appreciation, it's important for the coach to use positive language and tone. This creates a supportive and encouraging environment that fosters a sense of validation and recognition for the coachee's efforts. Positive reinforcement reinforces the coachee's confidence and self-esteem, empowering them to take further steps towards their goals with enthusiasm and optimism.

Feedback of appreciation must be tailored to the coachee's personality and motivations. "Well done" can sound insincere if you say it dismissively. If it's said warmly with direct eye contact and sincerity, it works a treat. We all crave those words sometimes, whether from a parent or teacher so there is something profound in those words when said right. Some coaches don't like a fuss being made. Make it clear that you see and appreciate them as a unique individual by using appropriate language and tone that resonates with them.

When giving compliments, do so from a place of presence, ensuring they’re free from ego’s influence. Acknowledge achievements in a way that honors the coachee’s deeper journey, not just the external success. When you say things like, “Your approach demonstrates a profound connection to your inner wisdom and strength”, you keep the focus on genuine growth and the essence of their being, encouraging authenticity and discouraging ego attachment to outcomes.

In my experience, I ask the coachee to acknowledge themselves for something specific (in every coaching session) - this builds their self worth and has them building their own muscle of inner validation. I also frequently ask them to compare how their body feels at the start & end of a session - so they notice what changes have occurred and become better at checking in with their body.

In addition to using positive language and tone, to resonate with the coachee, share back with them in their own language. If there are certain words or terms that they use, when a coach uses some of those words in reflections back, it will resonate with more meaning to the coachee.

I think aligning your appreciation with their values (i.e. what matters to them) is equally important. This helps them feel seen for who they are as well as what they have accomplished.

When showing appreciation for a client's achievements and and progress, it's important to tie the appreciation to the coaching client's own aspirations that have been uncovered and defined throughout the coaching engagement. "Wow, what an incredible update, thanks for sharing. It sounds like you've really struck a balance with being influential in driving change internally, while continuing to invite diverse and inclusive perspectives. Remember when we first started working together, and you let me know how important finding this balance was? You're doing it! Massive kudos for your tremendous growth in this area - really appreciate your effort and commitment to growing in the ways you aspire to!"

As a coach, one of the most impactful ways of communicating with your client is to help tie what you hear them telling you to the goals they set for themselves. Often, they don't even realize their actions are moving them in the direction they want to go. That realization is fuel for greater engagement and progress.

Effective appreciation is closely tied to the coachee's goals and aspirations. The coach should align their expressions of appreciation with the progress the coachee has made towards achieving their objectives. By highlighting how their achievements contribute to their overarching goals, the coach reinforces the coachee's sense of purpose and motivation, making their progress feel more meaningful and rewarding.

This is really important. One person's reward is another person's punishment. If you "reward" someone by giving them a speaking spot in front of the whole company in order to highlight great work they have done BUT they absolutely loathe public speaking, then it has become a punishment. What means to most to them and frame the feedback or the appreciation in those terms.

Align the appreciation with their current goals, but also supporting the coachee in the setting of new goals together. Use their progress as a springboard to set new, challenging goals. This shows that you believe in their ability to continue growing and evolving beyond initial milestones.

Possibly another strategy is to ask the coachee solutions-focused themed coaching questions to help the coachee understand how achieving their goals has a ripple effect in their workplace and life. For example: I remember when you set this goal a few sessions ago and I have seen the progress over the these sessions. Now that you have achieved this goal, how have you seen the team respond differently? What impact has that had with your interaction with them? Have you noticed others change in the workplace due to this goal being achieved? How has it been different? What have you noticed? How about outside of the office? I remember you were pretty stressed out at home. How has your partner (children, friends, etc) noticed these changes?

I will weave their values and goals into our conversations throughout an engagement, and help them to connect the dots so they know their behaviors are aligned with how they're working to be/feel/lead.

I truly enjoy and find it very impactful to show appreciation by inviting the client to reflect on their sense of accomplishment, insights, and strengths. This approach also aligns well with the fundamental philosophy of coaching: client-directed exploration.

The feedback on their own actions and the results of it is soooo key. This will never be emphasized enough. When the coachees shared the steps taken, and the development of those, I love to ask "what did you learn from it?".

In addition to expressing appreciation, coaches should invite coachees to share their thoughts and feelings about their progress and achievements. By actively seeking feedback, the coach demonstrates their genuine interest in the coachee's perspective and experiences. This not only strengthens the coach-coachee relationship but also provides valuable insights that can inform future coaching sessions and adjustments to the coaching approach.

I would usually use the term 'reflection' rather than 'feedback' in this instance. Reflective practice is an important skill that many executives, despite their seniority, often fail to engage with and yet it's such a powerful tool for personal development.

Retrospectives are really important and sometimes easy to forgo or skip them to move on to the next goal on the checklist. In addition to reflecting on the DOING of the goal... the BEING during the process is essential in the coaching retrospective process. Some questions to consider: - How did you gain awareness about X during this process? - What did you learn about yourself (your tolerance for patience, etc) when you had X challenge? - What stress relief techniques did you apply before going into high stakes meetings? I advocate using these kinds of questions throughout the coaching process and not only during a goal achievement retrospective as retrospectives should happen throughout a coaching process.

By systematic about having them evaluate themselves periodically. Ask them to reflect on their own progress toward their goals, what new tools they now have, what new consciousness they've gained, and where they want to go from here. They will be the ultimate judge of their own progress.

Proactively and regularly asking about their perspective of the process they are in is an essential part of showing appreciation. It is not only important for the process, but it provides the opportunity to notice the steps that are taken by the coachee, which we cannot witness from the outside, but that feel important to the individual person. That’s we’re we can step it and show authentic and true feedback to reinforce the positive that happens and the efforts that are taken that really matter to the coachee.

There is an amazing and transformative coaching exercise that can help coaches transition from the "old story" that may be limiting or disempowering them to a "new story" that is empowering and aligned with their desired future. The exercise is deeply introspective and encourages clients to reflect on their narratives, identify what no longer serves them, and create a new narrative supporting their growth and goals. It can also be a beautiful moment of celebration of all the progress that the coaches have made, and we can do it in the middle or at the end of a coaching process.

Remind them to slow down and celebrate with them as it is often to easy to speed on to the next thing. The best is when the coachee shows up ready to celebrate!

At the earlier stage of the coaching journey I would normally ask my coachee to write a letter to his/her future self, making special mention of the goals s/he wants to achieve. How s/he wants to celebrate the achievement of the goals will be described too. It could be a bottle of wine, a bouquet of roses, a movie treat, in fact, anything that is doable and meaningful to the coachee. The envelope is sealed and I will be the keeper of the letter. When the dedicated time to achieve these goals is reached I will return the letter to my coachee. The letter to self will be read out loud and I, together with the coachee, will help make the celebration happen.

Acknowledge the qualities at the heart of the achievement. Really SEE them and their highest and best qualities. Thank the person for dedicating themselves to changing. Acknowledge their resilience in overcoming setbacks. Only say it if you truly mean it and say it from the heart.

Celebrate with them and get them a tangible gift - a book related to their career, or a book that really helped you, a gift card to their favorite coffee bar or something they love to do. Get to know the PERSON and continue to help them through good times and bad. Provide a reference.

Verbally share the specific shift you are seeing in their mindset, behaviors and actions. This helps them to see themselves from an outside perspective. Then ask them what other changes they have they noticed through the coaching process and celebrate that with them. The more we celebrate our wins, big or small, the more we shift our thinking and mindset towards positive results. Clients need to hear these reflections to see the progress they are making because it's not always easy to see the small steps over time.

Celebrate with them by recognizing the journey. Encourage them to create a timeline from where they started to where they are now and highlight the breakthroughs. Finally, asked them how they feel now compared to how they felt when started ENJOY THE JOURNEY

Behaviour change is hard. It's easy to fall back into old patterns. Therefore, as a coach, I make it a point to acknowledge the courage and the discipline it takes to experiment and adopt new ways of thinking and being. Best is to say it out directly to the coachee.

When a coachee or mentee has reached a big milestone I take them for cake. You can't go wrong with sugar to say I'm proud of you and thank you :)

Celebration is so important. Often times the coachee has a big win, achieving a goal or a mile stone, that are a cause for celebration. Stopping for a minute, acknowledging the achievement and finding ways to celebrate will help the coachee feel the importance of the achievment and allow them to continue to work hard and meet more goals on the way to fulfill their vision!

A coach is a cheerleader. But no sugar coating. A coach is expected to respectfully challenge the coachee too. The coachee maybe successful, HiPo. Still the coach has to challenge, in the service of the coachee. An executive coach thus helps to remove the ‘blinkers’ too! We all have blinkers:)

Coaching is a systematic process through which the coach generates awareness and understanding about the development of skills & performance of the coachee. The ability of the coach is not limited towards drawing the conversation towards performance gaps & improvements in behaviour, but involves timely appreciation to reinforce the positive actions and efforts of the coachee by celebrating their progress on achievement of milestones. Its a fact that people learn more through success than through failure. Immediate attention for good performance can lead to encouragement to continue doing the good job. A coach who is sincere, specific and succinct in appreciating the efforts will have a positive and inspirational effect on the coachee.

From my perspective, the first step for a coachee to celebrate his own transformation is to articulate himself this transformation, or express self counciousness of the changes. Once the coach has enabled the coachee to articulate his own transformation, the coach can ask him what he would like to celebrate now and reinforce behaviors that have led to the changes.

Gratitude expressions help people feel socially valued, as they relate to motivations. Gratitude and appreciation for their intentions, for implementing agreed-upon strategies, for following through with commitments, and for working to progress toward their goals. Showing appreciation is a demonstration of how your sense of success is tied to their progress and well-being. When we feel valued and appreciated, we are more likely to feel motivated to continue working toward our goals. By communicating that we take notice of and appreciate their efforts, we can help clients stay motivated and committed to their professional and wellness goals.

During coaching, it is important to establish, specific & time bound goals, so that both are on the same page. Post that in every session one must ask the coachee how s(he) is feeling about the progress on the goal. A good question could be on a 10 point scale where do you think you were & where are you now?. If the current scores are high, a follow up could be, what has happened to reach this score. If the current scores are low, the question could be, what could be done differently to improve this score. Once the coach is convinced that basis the effort & progress achieved, it needs appreciation, one must be genuine & direct in complimenting the progress, with examples. A good question here is, what will you do to keep it at this level.

Simply expressing gratitude for their commitment to the coaching process and their dedication to personal and professional growth can go a long way. Let them know that you appreciate the opportunity to work with them and witness their progress. I would also encourage the coachee to reflect on how they feel about their progress and have them acknowledge their own achievements. This helps them internalize their successes and build confidence in their abilities.

The thing that I try to keep in the forefront of my coaching efforts is that I am trying to make the coachee look good. What does success look like for them and use that to shape the interaction. As an outside consultant, I win if they win but I have to understand what they consider a win in order to make that happen.

I also encourage my clients to seek feedback from the people they're working with to get even greater context around their progress, and feel the positive recognition from people they interact with regularly (whose opinions they value the most!).

Celebrating Success: Honoring Coachee Achievements. Personalized recognition: Acknowledge specific milestones or growth areas to show genuine appreciation. Publicly acknowledging achievements during team meetings or in newsletters can inspire others and cultivate a culture of recognition. Recognizing and celebrating a coachee's progress and achievements boosts morale and reinforces their commitment to growth and development.