About the Coaching Effectiveness Index

CEI is an online platform that gives your organisation one consistent way to measure the impact of coaching — across every engagement, coach, and provider.

CEI captures the same measures pre and post coaching engagement, so change is visible against a fixed baseline. Those measures are captured independently from both the Coachee and their Leader — not self-report alone, but two perspectives compared.

It tracks change across four domains — conditions, thinking, wellbeing, and behaviour — and where that change is landing, from the individual through to the broader organisation, so impact is never measured in isolation from context.

The coaching industry, until now, has largely reported on two things: did the sessions happen, and were people satisfied. Both matter. Both have been useful. As coaching matures, so must the way we measure it. The next question is harder — what actually changed. That’s what CEI measures — the same way across every engagement, whoever delivers it. And as the data grows, you can see how your coaching compares — across organisations and sectors, not just within your own.

CEI is grounded in 20 years of coaching psychology research and shaped through collaboration with practising coaches and independent review.

What CEI makes possible
For the Coachee
  • Confidence in your own growth, with evidence of the shifts you’re making
  • Progress visible over time, not just a final score
  • A Personal Engagement Report to own — you decide what to share
  • A ‘Looking Ahead’ plan so development doesn’t stop when the sessions do
For the Leader
  • Alignment with the Coachee and Coach on what success looks like from the outset
  • Visibility of the shifts made through the engagement
  • Clarity at the Closing Reflection Session on how to best support the Coachee going forward
  • A stronger basis for ongoing development conversations
For the Organisation
  • Evidence of shifts in leadership effectiveness, wellbeing, and behaviour across the engagement
  • Most common development themes by level and function
  • Consistent measurement across all coaching engagements in the Organisation
  • Industry benchmarking against cross-sector norms over time
For the Coaching Profession
  • The first real benchmarks for coaching effectiveness, raising the standard for how impact is measured
  • A consistent measurement approach that works across coaching engagements, independent of coaching provider
  • Evidence-based data that strengthens the case for coaching as a development investment

Own-organisation insights are issued once 5 or more Coaching Programs are complete. Industry benchmarking is available from the outset. Individual responses and anything identifying a Coachee are never shared.

Your involvement

CEI runs at four points across the engagement. Total time: under 15 minutes per person. No additional meetings required.

WhenWhat happensTime
At the start Coachee and Leader each complete a Pre Coaching Survey. The Coach reads both before the Opening Alignment Session. 4–5 min each
After the Opening Alignment Session The Coachee completes the Coaching Focus Confirmation — locking in the focus areas and what success looks like, agreed together. Everything that follows is measured against this. ~2 min (Coachee)
Mid-way through The Coachee completes the Mid Point Check In — a brief reflection on progress and whether coaching is on track. ~2–3 min (Coachee)
At the close Coachee and Leader each complete a Post Coaching Survey. The Coach brings both to the Closing Reflection Session, where shifts are discussed together. 5–6 min (Coachee) / 3–4 min (Leader)
Your data and privacy
Confidentiality.

Individual Coachee responses are visible only to the Coach. The focus areas the Coachee selects are visible to the Leader, so the Leader can offer their perspective ahead of the Opening Alignment Session. Leader responses are shared with the Coachee and Coach after the Closing Reflection Session. The Organisation receives only aggregated, de-identified data, once 5 or more Coaching Programs are complete.

Storage and security.

All CEI data is stored and processed in Australia on Supabase, a third-party platform that is ISO 27001 and SOC 2 certified. Information is encrypted in transit and at rest, identifying details such as names and email addresses are held separately from survey responses, and access is limited to authorised CEI personnel only. Handling follows the Australian Privacy Principles under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).

Usage.

CEI data is used exclusively for coaching effectiveness measurement and development insights. It is never used for performance management, Coach ranking, or comparison between Coachees, and it is never sold.

Benchmarking.

With the Organisation’s agreement, de-identified data contributes to industry-wide coaching effectiveness benchmarks — so outcomes can be compared against sector norms over time.

For the full detail on how CEI handles data — Australian data residency, security, access controls and retention — see our Data Protection & Privacy statement.

Frequently asked questions
About CEI
What makes CEI different from a standard coaching feedback survey?

Most coaching feedback is collected once, at the end, and captures how the coaching felt. CEI measures shifts — the same questions are asked at the start and close of the engagement, so change is anchored against a fixed baseline. Both Coachee and Leader perspectives are captured, so shifts aren’t one person’s account. And success is defined upfront and measured against that picture, not reinterpreted at the close.

How rigorous is CEI?

Four design principles underpin it:

  • The same questions are asked at the start and close — change is measured against a fixed baseline, not memory.
  • Coachee and Leader perspectives are captured independently and compared — so shifts aren’t one person’s account.
  • What success looks like is agreed upfront and measured against that picture — not reinterpreted at the close.
  • Reflections are captured in the moment — at the start, mid-point, and close — not reconstructed months later.

Together, these mean the record of change is grounded, comparable, and anchored in evidence — not impression.

Confidentiality and use
Can my Organisation see my individual responses?

No. The Organisation only receives aggregated, de-identified data, and only once 5 or more Coaching Programs are complete. Individual responses are never shared, and nothing identifying a Coachee is ever included.

Is CEI used for performance management?

No. CEI is used exclusively for coaching effectiveness measurement and development insights. It is never used for performance management, Coach ranking, or comparison between Coachees.

Practicalities
What if the Coachee and Leader see things differently?

Different perspectives are expected — and useful. CEI captures both independently, which means gaps in how the Coachee and Leader see the same picture become visible rather than hidden. The Opening Alignment Session is where those perspectives are brought together, and the Closing Reflection Session is where any remaining differences get surfaced and discussed.

What if the focus areas change during the engagement?

Focus areas can and often do evolve as coaching progresses. The Mid Point Check In includes a re-contracting step — the Coachee can confirm, refine, or change their focus areas, and the baseline resets for any new areas. Nothing is lost; the record follows what’s actually being worked on.

The pilot
What does “first cohort” mean for me?

You’re among the first organisations using CEI. The framework and methodology are built; what the pilot refines is the experience — survey wording, timing, report format. Your honest feedback shapes what CEI becomes. If anything feels unclear or could work better, contact cei (at) coachingindex.com.au

Questions

For any other questions about CEI or your participation, contact cei (at) coachingindex.com.au