How can you keep your executive coach or mentor after the program ends?

Asking for feedback from an executive coach has been a rising stone for many professionals over the years. Feedback comes constructively or destructively but it takes a honest feedback to help you align with your goals that matches with your maximum potential after a mentorship program. Be reflective and not emotional when you have the feedback in order to help you grow.

True. Ensure to ask the Coach / Mentor on the timeline that is required to implement their feedback & revert with your observations. Feedback is nothing if it’s not tagged with an implementation timeline.

Feedback is the output of any coaching relationship and is therefore absolutely essential. In addition to gathering feedback and follow-up actions, it's important to set measurable goals and milestones. Communication regarding long-term follow-up should take place, offering opportunity for both the coach and mentee to evaluate the long-term success of their interaction.

There’s a lot here about the responsibility to keep the relationship to fall on you as a client but I find it difficult to maintain in the long term. I believe a good coach will have something in place to stay in touch once in a while. I believe it will take you a bit of time to implement what you’d have learned during the formal programme. And after you’ve digested it all, you want an easy way to reconnect. And the best way would be for that connection to never fade and your message to feel part of a continuous conversation. I’m a coach and I stay in touch with all my clients. Whether it’s through my newsletter or personal messages every 3 months. If your coach doesn’t offer that, ask for it.

Typically as others have mentioned one avenue is for follow up and feedback. However if there is true value for both parties, there is a true incentive and interest to stay in touch and follow up.

Make a plan for things which you need get done over the next 3/6/9 months and plan a check point review to see the gap between planned vs actual.

Often times, coaches don't always see the growth & development after the coaching program. I have been pleasantly surprised when I hear from past coaching clients sharing what a difference the coaching has made in making major life decisions. I just posted about this experience on my LinkedIn profile. It is always very rewarding to hear their successes & that they have continued applying what they've learned from coaching. It's also gratifying to know you've made a difference as a coach.

In my experience, it is important to fix a zoom call or a personal visit, say once in 3 months, to exchange notes. Life is beyond just work or accomplishments / failures. Exchange of pleasantries would go a long way in cementing the relationship.

In my experience, you can always plan a virtual coffee together once in a while or stay in touch via social media. You might want to return to those coaching/mentoring relationships later on when it will be relevant, so you don't want to completely lose touch. Every coach is always happy to see the progress of their previous coachees, so just drop a note with your achievements or progress once in a while.

Keeping in touch with my executive coaching clients after their programs end is crucial for maintaining our relationship, which goes beyond just professional support and guidance. We've built a solid foundation of trust, commitment and mutual growth so this ongoing communication isn't just about catching up; it's a two-way street where we share updates, tackle new challenges, and support each other's continuous learning and development. Stay connected on a regular basis with your Executive Coach or mentor because it's an extremely helpful interaction and partnership that ensures the lasting impact of your coaching relationship on both of your professional journeys.

Collaboration adds flavour to one’s offering and more than mark of respect, it’s a way to show mutual trust. Learning becomes then a way of life than an option.

Question and answers, polls and brainstorming are the methods which get the stakeholders to collaborate discussions, these sessions bring the silent stakeholders on the light and understand their requirements as well as

One of my previous coaches and I did a radio show episode together. She was hosting a show and asked me to be a guest on the topic of personal branding on social media. It was a wonderful opportunity to reconnect, share our expertise with each other, and consider how we could keep in touch. It led to a catch-up call to share ideas and inspiration. In addition to seeking opportunities for collaboration, be open to collab requests you get from your executive coach.

Connecting others within your network to your coach or mentor is always another way to foster synergy, collaboration and community.

One of the most effective ways to give back is to periodically check in with your mentors and coaches in a non-transactional manner. Share your progress, and most importantly, ask how they are doing—making sure to genuinely listen—or inquire if there's anything you can do to assist them. For instance, if you have recently acquired new knowledge on a topic that your mentor introduced you to, sharing this information can be incredibly meaningful. After all, the true value of any coaching or mentoring engagement is the relationship that develops. Even if it initially seemed formal (especially Executive Coaching), if the experience was meaningful for everyone involved, a genuine connection has been formed and should be nurtured in a humane way.

Giving back can look like so many different things. For a mentor, one of the most rewarding things if hearing about the success of someone you’ve helped , and even more rewarding is when you learn your mentees are paying it forward. Sharing in celebrating your success and even sharing how you’re approaching a new mentee, and just sharing stories without formally soliciting advice can help maintain an ongoing relationship that will grow organically and continue to benefit both parties.

Writing a recommendation on LInkedIn is one of the BEST ways you can give back to your executive coach. Ask your coach if there are specific aspects of coaching that they would like you to emphasize. Consider including how you chose your coach, what was powerful about the coaching experience, and how your coach helped you grow as a leader. Related to this is how you comment on your coach's LinkedIn content. You can mention the coaching relationship and how you benefited from it when you comment on relevant content.

I make it a point, when I am successful in a situation and it's a result of wisdom that's been handed down to me, to stop what I am doing and share that success with that past mentor. I know I cherish those notes from people I mentor, it's what keeps me going and let's me know I am making a difference.

Taking notes on key learnings during coaching sessions is exceptionally helpful. Keep any assessments you do with you coach, along with the debrief notes and development actions. Retain the various coaching documents in a file that you review and reflect on at regular intervals. I've kept all of my coach materials for several years and continue to benefit from the learnings by reflecting on our work together and applying it in the current day.

Do more with less - this is my motto in life and in coaching. My goal is to build a kind of relationship during the coaching process that increases the client's self awareness and confidence, shape their mindset while helping them grow in the specified area or skill. I consider myself successful if the coached, 'new client' state is sustainable without any further contact from my side. We always stay in touch through social media, like and comment their posts but I try not to intervene until the client reaches out again to inform me or ask about anything.

A great mentor will give you career and life long learning goals - something bigger to keep working on. Something that aligns with your passion, so it's not a chore to dive in. Keep learning and keep growing.

Putting your learning into practice is a great way to honor your investment or working with a coach or mentor. Keeping a professional journal and reflecting on your growth and development is helpful.

A coach will help you create value. Through a cycle action and reflection you'll create insight on how you create value. The more you learn and stretch, the more you will learn about how you learn best.

Everyone needs and can benefit from a mentor. No matter how junior you feel you are in your role, someone is trying to make it to where you are, right now. Give back to your community and be a mentee and a mentor.

Maintaining a reciprocal relationship with your mentor or executive coach after the program or session has ended begins with recognizing that both parties hold equal potential to contribute value. Demonstrating your commitment by being prepared for the session, actively engaging, and applying the insights gained serves to show value to coach or mentor. Offer insights, resources, or connections that might benefit them, fostering a two-way exchange of value. This approach not only enriches your development but also respects the balanced power dynamic of the mentor-mentee or coach-coachee relationship, ensuring mutual growth and ongoing collaboration. In every exchange of wisdom, the mirror of learning reflects insights in both directions.

All professions that are termed as professionals like Lawyers, Chartered Accountants etc thrive & prosper due to this apprenticeship culture. It’s time that leadership coaching also develops this format.

To retain your coach beyond the conclusion of a formal program, it is crucial to establish a solid rapport and mutual respect throughout the entire process. By nurturing this connection and relationship, you increase the likelihood of maintaining their guidance and support. Once the program concludes, have a respectful conversation with your coach or mentor, expressing your desire to keep them informed about your progress. Acknowledge their instrumental role in assisting you thus far on your journey. Although this may appear to be a more informal association, staying connected and further cultivating a sense of pride and interest in supporting your personal growth will strengthen the bond.

If you can show a positive return on investment from continued coaching input then you can influence further investment in your development. So demonstrate the progressive performance improvement that you achieved through coaching. My most high-performing coaching clients are with me for years, typically in arcs of 6 to 8 coaching sessions with clear objectives and goals, and then making the case to themselves or their employer that there's value in ongoing support for the next phase of growth. See coaching as essential ongoing partnership for your leadership development journey, not a quick fix for a couple of specific issues.