Executive Coaching Success: Establishing Agreements, Managing Evolving Goals, and Fostering 3-Way Partnerships with ICF Core Competency 3

In executive coaching, success hinges on creating a clear and structured foundation for the coaching relationship. #ICF Core Competency 3—Establishes and Maintains Agreements—is the cornerstone of this process. This competency focuses on building a framework that establishes clear agreements regarding the coaching relationship, covering roles, responsibilities, processes, plans, and goals. Core Competency 3 emphasizes the establishment of agreement that set the overall coaching plan and define what the client aims to accomplish in each session.

While sponsors and other stakeholders are not involved in the confidential details of each session, they still need to understand the overall goals and objectives of the coaching engagement. This is especially important when the sponsor has a clear vision of the outcomes they expect. Crafting an effective agreement ensures that all parties are aligned from the very beginning of the coaching partnership. To achieve this, an effective contracting conversation is essential, where both client and sponsor are educated on the coaching process and clear goals for the engagement are set.

The Value of the Contracting Conversation in Establishing Agreement

The contracting conversation forms the foundation for an effective agreement that not only covers practical elements like logistics, fees, scheduling, duration, termination policies, and confidentiality but also ensures alignment through sponsor and client education about the coaching engagement, goal-setting exercises, and check-in calls to share progress with the sponsor. All these aspects are integrated into the agreement to ensure the coaching engagement is structured, transparent, and adaptable.

Contracting Conversation: Sponsor and Client Education for Aligning Expectations

Before goal-setting or signing any agreement for executive coaching, both the sponsor and the client need to be educated on what coaching is—and just as importantly, what it is not.

Sponsor education is a priority, especially when coaching is perceived as merely imparting knowledge. Sponsors often ask, “What exactly will be covered in the coaching sessions?” They need to understand that coaching is a thought-provoking and creative process designed to inspire the client to maximize their personal and professional potential. As the engagement progresses, nuances in the client’s thinking, energy, and overall being will shift. Goals may start as transactional, but the coaching process enables the client to grow and evolve as it raises their self-awareness. Sometimes, agreed-upon goals may become irrelevant as coaching uncovers more meaningful goals for both the client and the sponsor.

Client education is equally important. Beyond understanding what coaching is and what it offers, the client must recognize that coaching provides a safe space for free sharing—a space built on mutual trust and respect. The coach explains that, while the sponsor has expectations from the engagement, the client is empowered to discuss what is personally meaningful in relation to those goals.

Contracting Conversation: Setting Clear and Aligned Goals for the Overall Engagement

After the education phase, a key part of the contracting conversation is setting goals for the overall engagement. The sponsor may share their intended objectives, and the coach and client reflect on these goals. Together, the coach and client engage in a goal-setting process that defines goals which are positive, achievable, specific, and personal—energizing the client to pursue them. The coach partners with the client to determine what they believe needs to be addressed or resolved to achieve those goals.

During this conversation, the coach and client explore two or three key areas that the client wants to focus on. These goals are shaped not only by the client’s personal priorities but also by the sponsor’s organizational objectives. They discuss how these goals should look by the end of the engagement and how both the client and stakeholders, including the sponsor, will recognize when these goals have been achieved. This ensures that everyone involved has a clear understanding of the expected outcomes and how success will be measured throughout the coaching engagement.

Contracting Conversation: Setting Check-In Calls to Manage the Evolving Nature of Goals and Share Progress through 3-Way Conversations

During the contracting conversation, the coach acknowledges to both the sponsor and the client that as the coaching engagement progresses, goals often evolve. The coach explains that the coaching process uncovers the client’s layered wholeness, which may lead to more meaningful goals that differ from the original ones. Coaching conversations are confidential; however, the engagement is not a "black box" for the sponsor. The sponsor is a key stakeholder, invested in the client’s development and overall success. Updates and progress are shared transparently through structured 3-way conversations.

To acknowledge the sponsor's interest, the coach facilitates regular check-in calls, which are structured as 3-way conversations between the sponsor, client, and coach. The number and frequency of these calls are established during the contracting conversation and included in the agreement to ensure clarity. These check-in calls help manage evolving goals and provide updates on progress. Importantly, the client—not the coach—decides what to share with the sponsor, allowing the client to maintain control of their progress while keeping the sponsor informed.

The coach acts as a catalyst in these 3-way conversations, guiding the process while maintaining boundaries. During the contracting conversation, the coach raises awareness and sets expectations for how the engagement will unfold, including the number and timing of check-in calls. This ensures both the sponsor and client have a clear understanding of the structure, progress sharing, and desired outcomes.

?ICF Competency 3 ensures that executive coaching is a structured, transparent, and evolving process. By establishing clear agreements, educating both the sponsor and client, and fostering open communication, the coach creates a foundation where growth and alignment can flourish. The contracting conversation sets the stage, not just for initial goals but for the flexibility to adapt as those goals evolve. This dynamic process, guided by regular check-ins and respectful confidentiality, ensures that progress is shared and celebrated, while maintaining the integrity of the coaching engagement.

The true strength of this three-way partnership—between coach, client, and sponsor—lies in its adaptability, transparency, and focus on meaningful outcomes. As goals shift and deepen through the coaching journey, all parties remain aligned, ensuring that both personal growth and organizational objectives are met. With regular check-ins, evolving goal-setting, and open dialogue, the coaching engagement becomes a powerful, transformative experience, ultimately benefiting both the individual and the organization.

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