Landmark ICF Global Coaching Client Study - Results

An overwhelming majority of individuals who have experienced professional coaching report being "very satisfied" with their coaching experience and would repeat it, according to the first global survey of coaching clients commissioned by the International Coach Federation (ICF).

The ICF is releasing findings of the landmark ICF Global Coaching Client Study in conjunction with International Coaching Week, which will be celebrated among professional coaches worldwide, February 1-7, 2009. The full report, which will include global, regional and country-specific information, will be available by March 2009.

To conduct the ICF Global Coaching Client Study, the ICF commissioned independent research firms PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and the Association Resource Centre Inc. in 2008 to gather reliable, in-depth data on the ever-growing number of individuals throughout the world that have experienced professional coaching in their lives. This study serves as a companion piece to the groundbreaking ICF Global Coaching Study released in 2007.

"This global initiative is the most ambitious project thus far to gather valuable information on the coaching profession from the unique perspective of the coaching client," said 2009 ICF President and Professional Certified Coach Karen Tweedie. "This study provides the coaching profession and the public with valuable new insights into how clients, from around the world, perceive coaching. This ground-breaking research explores client perceptions about the industry, their motivations for engaging in coaching, how they go about selecting a coach, their assessment of the effectiveness of coaching, the return on investment from coaching they realized and more."

From late September through November 2008, 2,165 coaching clients from 64 countries responded to the client survey, which was offered in English, French, German, and Spanish.

The highlights of the survey findings include:

• 96.2 percent of coaching clients report they would repeat their coaching experience.
  
  
• 82.7 percent of coaching clients report they are "very satisfied" with their coaching experience.
  
  
• The top three motivations for obtaining coaching are: 1) Self-esteem/Self-confidence (40.9 percent); 2) Work/Life Balance (35.6 percent); and Career Opportunities (26.8 percent).
  
  
• The largest cluster of coaching clients is between the ages of 36 and 45 (35.9 percent).
  
  
• The majority of coaching clients have acquired an advanced level of education (a post graduate degree such as a master's degree or Ph.D.).
  
  
• The duration for the average coaching relationship for survey participants was 12.8 months.
  
  
• 65 percent of coaching clients are female.

The International Coach Federation is the leading global organization for coaches, with more than 16,000 members in over 90 countries, dedicated to advancing the coaching profession by setting high ethical standards, providing independent certification, and building a worldwide network of credentialed coaches. The ICF is the only organization that awards a global credential which is currently held by over 4,000 coaches worldwide.