10 Best Coaching Plan Templates

A coaching plan template is your signature action plan as a coach which outlines the general coaching goals and the step-by-step process to achieve those goals. It is a blueprint of the materials and services that you are going to offer in your coaching plan and is used to make an offer to your potential clients. It has an overview of your packages and the coaching deals you are offering as well, which saves your time as well as your clients’ as having a look at your coaching plan template makes it easy for your clients to make a decision. It serves as your marketing tool and shows your clients the value your service brings to their organization.

Coaching plan templates are immensely helpful since they work as a go-to guide whenever you encounter a problem during your coaching sessions and need to be reminded about your authentic style. Coaching templates describe your coaching framework in detail, which helps you to plan each session according to the framework. A coaching plan template is used to track the progress you are having in your sessions as well since with its help, you have an idea of how far along you are in your coaching process and what more steps you need to take in order to reach the goal.

A coaching plan or coaching plan template is not a stand-alone entity. It comprises several important elements without which even the most effective of the coaching plans do not work. Among those elements, being an effective and dedicated coach is the most important one since a really good coaching plan is of no use to you if you are not dedicated and passionate about coaching. Each coaching plan needs to be developed into an individual development plan that is tailored to suit the specific needs of each client; which makes another important element of the coaching plan.

A meaningful and effective coaching plan needs to have a session agenda as well, in order to guide the conversation between the coach and the coachee so that these conversations are fruitful. It needs to have your accountability plan mapped out as a coach so that you are able to keep track of your client’s progress. Lastly, it must have your key resources listed and included so that you do not have to develop the resources from scratch for each of your clients separately.

Having a coaching plan prevents you from going astray in your coaching sessions and helps you to stay focused in order to achieve the goals you have mapped out for the session. A coaching plan works as a tool that helps you to remain self-aware and continuously track your progress, with the help of which you are able to grow as a coach and improve your coaching skills.

There are several benefits of having printable life coaching plan templates ready with you. They help keep a signature coaching style for which your clients prefer you, these plans help you to have an authentic coaching style and prevent you from wasting your time in developing a coaching plan and coaching resources for each of your clients again and again.

The ten best coaching plan templates are discussed in more detail below.

1. SMART Goals Coaching Plan

A SMART goal coaching plan template is based on goals that are smart, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. Setting clear goals is the first step to motivating change in the client and taking a step from awareness to action. However, there are some clients who do not realize the importance of setting clear goals in their coaching journey; that is where using a SMART goals coaching plan is necessary.

A SMART goals coaching plan helps both the client and the coachee to plan each of their sessions keeping in mind a goal that meets the criteria of being specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. The main purpose of this coaching plan template is to have a clear focus that is bestowed by specific and firm goals so that we are able to effectively deal with challenges that we face on our way.

One of the key components of the SMART goals coaching plan is a framework for each session that is based on specific goals. It is important to answer some key questions in order to have a clear idea of those goals, such as answering the when what, and where of the goals, finding out the indicator of the progress of the goal, having an idea about the resources necessary to achieve the goal, and analyzing whether or not the goal looks realistic and within the reach of the client.

The SMART goals coaching plan works best as an employee coaching plan and is great for clients who are extremely action-oriented, but find themselves stuck and incapable of doing something meaningful because of the ill-defined goals. The outcome of using a SMART framework is having a workable action plan to achieve a goal that is measurable and well-defined. It is easy to monitor the progress of a goal that is planned according to the SMART framework.

2. GROW Model Coaching Plan

The GROW model coaching plan is an extremely effective coaching plan that is centered around four key ideas: the Goal, the current Reality, the Options or Obstacles in the way of achieving the goal, and the Will or Way forward. In this model, the first step of your coaching journey is to clearly define your goals and to understand where you are currently standing. You then analyze the different options or ways you have to achieve the goals keeping in mind your current situation. Lastly, you choose the most suitable option or the route to your destination and move forward.

The purpose of the GROW model coaching plan is to have clear and well-defined goals as well as a well-developed action plan; therefore, it works best as your first coaching session template as well. In the GROW model, the action plan is flexible and so are the goals. The GROW model coaching plan helps the client to have clarity about their vision and the steps they want to take to fulfill that vision. The GROW model assumes a coach is a facilitator who motivates the change in the client and guides them in their coaching journey, instead of simply telling them what to do.

Open questions are one of the main components of the GROW model coaching plan which help clients in various ways; such as understanding whether or not their goals are clear, what their current reality is, what their options are, and how to move forward in their coaching journey.

The GROW model is used the most by executives and leaders who want to motivate a specific change in their employees in order to increase their productivity. The coaching plan designed according to the GROW model is usually simple, easy to follow, flexible, and gives the responsibility to make the change to the person being coached. Therefore, it is considered an effective model in organizational settings.

The outcome of the GROW model coaching plan is to improve the performance of the employees, solve specific problems, learn new skills, and achieve career goals.

3. Wheel of Life Coaching Plan

The Wheel of Life coaching plan is a tool that is used by coaches in almost every field to have a general idea about the different aspects of their client’s life. It provides a helicopter view of the user’s life and helps them understand which area of their life they are satisfied with and which area is the one they need to work on in order to improve the quality of their life.

In the Wheel of Life coaching plan, each area of your life is mapped out on a circular pie-like structure and you rate it with the help of a rating scale that you either develop yourself or your coach provides you with. You identify which area of your life needs the most attention at this point of your life and that is the purpose of using the wheel of life coaching plan.

The Wheel of Life is a reflective tool that itself makes the most important component of the Wheel of Life coaching plan. The coach needs to have reflective questions prepared in their plan in order to help clients find the most important areas of their lives so the reflective questions make another key component of the plan. The scale upon which you assess the satisfaction level in different areas of your life is another component of the wheel of life coaching plan. More components are added by the coach according to the specific needs of their client.

The Wheel of Life coaching plan is an effective tool for those clients who are not very satisfied with their life even though everything looks fine. All they need is to go a little deeper and find the root of the issue that is bothering them and the coach helps such clients in doing so by using a Wheel of Life coaching plan.

The outcome of the Wheel of Life coaching plan is to have a clear idea about which areas of your life need the most attention and why. Once you have figured out your areas of focus, you need to find out the ways in which you are able to help yourself in order to have a more fulfilled life.

4. Action Plan Coaching Plan

The Action Plan coaching plan is a type of coaching plan that is based on an action-reflection approach in order to resolve a specific problem. You first need to identify the problem with the help of observation or by using an assessment tool in order to use an action plan coaching plan template in your coaching. The next step to identifying the problem is to reflect on it and think about how to resolve it. Lastly, you develop the action plan and implement it to achieve your goal.

The goal of the Action Plan coaching template is to resolve a specific problem with the help of observation, reflection, and action. The main components of an Action Plan coaching plan are the observation and reflection tools, such as checklists and open-ended questions, an action-based framework, and an assessment tool to identify the problem and to measure the progress of the coachee.

The Action plan coaching plan is a coaching plan example that works best in educational settings where you need to identify the specific problem in order to take the specific action and to motivate a change to get a particular outcome. It works best in typical corporate settings, as well as in cases where the manager needs to resolve a specific performance-related issue with the help of training.

The Action Plan coaching plan is meant to develop specific skills and motivate a particular change in the coachee, whether it’s an employee, a teacher, or a stakeholder in educational settings. The plan focuses on developing the intrinsic motivation of the coachee so that they keep taking action to continue the progress in their workspace.

5. Accountability Coaching Plan

The Accountability coaching plan is centered around accountability, just as the name suggests. The Accountability coaching plan includes helping the coachee divide their goals into small chunks and steps, and holding the coachee accountable at each step so that they remain motivated to achieve their goals. Another purpose of the Accountability coaching plan is to celebrate small victories and take follow-ups from the coachees on a continuous basis so that they remain at the top of their progress.

The Accountability coaching plan is a one-on-one coaching plan template whose goal is to enable the client to tackle obstacles and to deal with setbacks effectively so that there are no more missed deadlines and huge goals that you find extremely hard to achieve. The Accountability coaching plan motivates the coachee to take action and implement the strategies that help them rewire their brain by getting rid of limiting beliefs.

The main components of an accountability coaching plan template are the tools with the help of which you are able to track your client’s progress, observe the performance issues, and hold them accountable. There are many tools available that enable you to accomplish these tasks, such as checklists and rubrics, an action plan with clear objectives, and tracking charts.

The accountability coaching plan is best for high-performing individuals and executives. It helps the coachees to unleash their full potential and unlock the top performer in them without getting distracted a lot by the new opportunities that come their way so that they are able to accomplish their long-term goals.

The outcome of the accountability coaching plan is to stay focused on doing what must be done at that time to achieve the short-term and long-term goals, without getting distracted and wasting energy. Another outcome of the plan is to be able to celebrate small wins while you strive to reach the bigger destination and fulfill your vision.

6. Self-Contract Coaching Plan

A Self-Contract coaching plan is a unique kind of coaching plan in which the coach and the coachee are the same individuals. The Self-Contract coaching plan is between the person you are now and the person you want to be. This coaching plan has all the reminders about who you are and how you deal with minor and major setbacks in life in order to keep going and deal with traumas more effectively. The Self-Contract coaching plan takes different forms for different individuals; for some it is a list, while for others it’s a collection of to-dos and some memos.

The goal of the Self-Contract coaching plan is to keep oneself motivated for growth despite difficult circumstances. The contract you make with yourself shows that you are well aware of what is best for you and you are committed to keep working in order to become a better person and reach your full potential even if you have to deal with a difficult situation.

The components of a Self-Contract coaching plan differ greatly since each individual has different needs and different ways to remind themselves of who they are in a difficult situation. It takes the shape of a list for some, while for others it is a collage, a collection of to-dos, some memos, or a few voice notes.

The Self-Contract coaching plan is for any individual who wants to stay committed to personal growth without getting affected by their circumstances. The outcome of the Self-Contract coaching plan is to be able to value your needs, stay connected with your true self, and have a personal decision model in order to stay committed to your goals.

7. Implementation Intention Coaching Plan

The Implementation Intention coaching plan is the type of coaching plan that exactly states when and how the coachee is going to perform a particular task. The Implementation Intention coaching plan includes the particular triggers or the motivations to perform the task as well and it is centered around very specific questions that force the coachee to take action. For example, if the coachee needs to exercise more and the goal is to lose X kg weight in Y months while the plan includes taking a walk each day, the coach asks questions about the route the coachee plans to take and where the coachee plans to go in order to motivate them to take action.

The Implementation Intention coaching plan helps you to script the entire action plan of your coachee clearly stating the when and how parts. The main purpose of the plan is to promote self-regulation and enable the client to act right away instead of delaying it. Implementing an intention coaching plan works best with the goals that are either quite disagreeable, such as making a phone call or talking to a person you do not want to engage with, or the goals that are easily forgettable, such as taking medicines.

One of the key components of the Implementation Intention coaching plan is having a checklist or a to-do list, while another component is having a well-defined action plan with clear strategies to map out the progress of the coachee. The Implementation Intention coaching plan works best for anyone who wants to develop self-regulation and intrinsic motivation in order to reach their goals. The plan is used by leaders and executives, as well as by common people and coaches.

The goal of the Implementation Intention coaching plan is to help people form effective habits by making a clear action plan in which they have the very basic details figured out. Developing an action plan that includes details like how, when, and where, makes it likely for a coachee to follow it because what most people name as the lack of motivation to accomplish the tasks is usually only the lack of clarity.

8. Urge Surfing Coaching Plan

The Urge Surfing coaching plan is the type of coaching plan that helps the coachee deal with their urges and avoids acting on any negative behavior that they are trying to get rid of. The technique on which the coaching plan is based was developed by Alan Marlatt to prevent relapse for people recovering from harmful drugs and alcohol. The idea on which the coaching plan is based is to view the urge as a water wave while surfing. You do not fight the wave, instead, you observe the wave and let it go past.

The goal of the Urge Surfing coaching plan is to make the coachee understand that urges are temporary and do not usually last more than thirty minutes. There is a very powerful way to deal with these urges instead of fighting them, avoiding them, or giving in to them, and that is to focus on your breathing, practice mindfulness, and concentrate on your bodily sensations while you experience your feelings in your present moment.

The main component of the Urge Surfing coaching plan is the coach and coachee themselves because while the coachee uses all their willpower to deal with the urge, the coach facilitates and guides them through the process. It’s the job of the coach to actively listen and respond to what the coachee has to say, every time they have to deal with a strong urge until they are mentally strong enough to cope with it on their own.

The Urge Surfing coaching plan template works best for people who are trying to break away from a negative habit, be it smoking, consuming a drug, or something as simple as wasting time on social media or using Facebook. The main outcome of the urge surfing coaching plan is to be able to effectively deal with strong urges without having to fight them or avoid them. The plan gives you the confidence and strength to break away from the habits that have become a hurdle in the way of your success.

9. Strengths Versus Weaknesses Approach Coaching Plan 

There is a strength-based coaching approach and there is a deficit or weakness-based coaching approach. The Strength Versus Weakness Approach coaching plan tends to combine both. The Strength Versus Weakness Approach coaching plan is embedded in positive psychology and revolves around inspiring the client through a creative coaching process in order to help them reach their maximum potential. The Strength Versus Weakness Approach coaching plan doesn’t ignore the weaknesses while focusing on using the strengths of the coachee to reach their goal; instead, it helps the client on managing and understanding the weaknesses in the best possible way.

The goal of the Strength Versus Weakness Approach coaching plan is to give the coachee an idea of their strengths and to help them discover techniques in order to overcome the weaknesses that are impeding their growth. It helps the coachee to look at themselves as someone who is resilient and resourceful despite their weaknesses, while they are at their worst. The Strength Versus Weakness Approach coaching plan is based on open communication and lots of encouragement by the coach so that the client is able to assemble their strengths and work on their weaknesses.

The key component of the Strength Versus Weakness Approach coaching plan is open-ended questions and a coaching relationship that promotes trust and a feeling of being secure. It is centered on a sort of talk therapy where the coachee is the storyteller while the coach plays the role of an active listener who asks meaningful questions.

The Strength Versus Weakness Approach coaching plan template is used by the coach according to the needs of their client but it works best with the coachees having a tendency to fall prey to negativity and those facing emotional issues or going through some kind of mental health problem. It works great as a sales coaching plan template as well.

The main outcome of the Strength Versus Weakness Approach coaching plan is to regain balance, hope, and trust in one’s own abilities. It helps individuals develop and maintain a strong sense of well-being that is based on their strengths so it tends to last longer.

10. Consulting the Future Self When Making Choices Coaching Plan

The Consulting the Future Self when Making Choices coaching plan is based on the idea that the decisions we make in our present, shape our future. Therefore, we need to keep in mind our goals as well as consider how a certain decision affects our future self when we are making a certain decision. Consulting the Future Self when Making Choices coaching plan is essentially a self-coaching plan in which an individual reflects upon the life decisions they have to make in their present, by thinking about how those decisions change their future and shape their long-term goals. 

The goal of Consulting the Future Self when Making Choices coaching plan is to develop the habit of consulting your future self every time you need to make a big or small decision in your life because the decisions you take in your present directly affect your future self. The most important component of this coaching plan is the reflective tools that you use in order to carefully weigh every aspect of your decision. The reflective tools include journals, diaries, mind maps, lists, and bullet points, recording and documenting by voice notes.

The Consulting the Future Self when Making Choices coaching plan is a coaching plan template that works best in a situation where a person needs to improve their decision-making and bring some powerful changes in their life in order to save their future self from getting into trouble. The outcome of the Consulting the Future Self when Making Choices coaching plan is to have a relationship with and to seek help from your future self in order to make the right choices in your present.

What Is a Coaching Plan Template?

A coaching plan template is the blueprint of your coaching strategies that help structure each session as a coach and keeps the coaching process on track throughout. Your coaching plan template shows your signature coaching style by which your clients remember and recognize you. It provides you with a general framework on which you are able to base each of your coaching sessions.

The materials you use during the coaching process are a part of the coaching plan template as well. A good coaching plan example contains checklists, a reflective journal, and different assessment tools to track the progress of your coachee. A coaching plan template helps the client to have an idea about the coaching strategy and both the coach and the coachee are able to start the coaching journey with clear expectations. You do not have to worry about developing an action plan from scratch for each of your clients separately if you already have a well-developed coaching plan template.

What Are the Elements of an Effective Coaching Plan?

The elements of an effective coaching plan include many important things; such as a session agenda, an accountability plan, an individual development plan, and more. Some of the important elements of an effective coaching plan are given below.

• An individual development plan that maps out the strengths of the coachee is the foremost element of an effective coaching plan.
•  Next, the coaching plan must have areas of improvement and an accountability plan with the help of which you track the progress of the person being coached.
• Obstacles in the way of making the change in order to achieve the goal are another important element of an effective coaching plan.
• Solutions to the obstacles need to be provided in your coaching plan as well in order to give the coachee a clear idea of what to do.
• There needs to be a general session agenda given in your coaching plan, as well as an overarching goal that your client is hoping to achieve at the end of coaching.
•  An action plan needs to be a part of your coaching plan that states a step-by-step process that you and your client need to follow in order to achieve the goal.

What Are the Components of a Coaching Plan Template?

The main components of a coaching plan template include the general information about your coaching strategies as well as your coaching agreement, the general coaching goals, a template for your coaching sessions, and the progress indicators that you use in order to track the progress of your client.

•  A coaching agreement is more than just a legal document since it sets the tone of the relationship between a client and their coach. It helps with establishing the boundaries of the coaching relationship and includes important things such as fee, payment mode and expectations, refund policy, number of hours and coaching sessions, confidentiality terms, and the terms related to the termination of the contract.
• You need to have general goals that you believe your coaching helps each of your clients to achieve. For example, the general goals of a business coach include better communication, out-of-the-box thinking, more clarity, and improved mental health. These goals are modified according to what each client wants to accomplish with the help of your coaching.
• Each of your coaching sessions needs to have a general coaching agenda that helps keep your signature coaching style and aids you to stay focused. General and specific questions help you out in this regard. These questions are related to the aim of the session, the importance of the topic that is going to be discussed in the session, and the outcomes of the session.
• All your coaching sessions need to end with a check-in and measure of progress. Plan your session in a way that you have sufficient time left to explore with your client their key takeaways from your session, the next goal they want to commit to, the obstacles in the way of achieving the goal, and the method of accountability for the client.

How Does a Coaching Plan Template Help with Coaching? 

A coaching plan template helps with coaching by making sure you stay on track during your coaching sessions and have all your materials available for each session without having to prepare them from scratch every time you need them. Your sales coaching plan provides you with clarity and structure and saves you time and energy as a sales coach. It helps you as a sales coach to create an employee coaching plan with clear expectations, tools to measure progress, and an effective action and accountability plan. 

How Does a Coaching Plan Improve Coaching Skills?

A coaching plan improves coaching skills by helping establish clear and effective long-term and short-term goals, planning the coaching session in a better way, providing a foundation to develop a relevant coaching course, and enhancing productivity since the coach does not have to work from scratch in order to plan session from scratch for each of their clients separately. 

What skills are required for coaching? A coach must be a good listener, great at time management and multitasking, empathetic and goal-oriented, and need to be good at communicating their thoughts effectively.

What Is a Coaching Plan?

A coaching plan is the blueprint of your strategy that you are going to use throughout the course of your coaching collaboration. It is a logical path that you aim to follow from start to finish in order to help your client achieve their goal. A coaching plan includes the framework that you are going to follow. The framework is sometimes an established coaching model such as GROW or CLEAR and sometimes you develop your own customized plan tailored according to the specific needs of your client. It is essentially just the road map or the step-by-step process that you follow in order to motivate the required changes in your client.

Why Do You Need a Coaching Plan Template?

A coaching plan template is needed because it outlines the general coaching goals and the step-by-step process to achieve those goals. It is a blueprint of the materials and services that you are going to offer in your coaching plan and is used to make an offer to your potential clients. It has an overview of your packages and the coaching deals you are offering as well, which saves your time as well as your clients’ as having a look at your coaching plan template makes it easy for your clients to make a decision. It serves as your marketing tool and shows your clients the value your service brings to their organization.

What Are the Benefits of Coaching Plan Templates?

There are several important benefits that coaching plan templates offer; such as being able to set general goals, deciding on the frequency of your coaching sessions, choosing clear objectives for your coaching sessions, having an idea about the responsibilities you are going to assign to your client and tracking the progress.

• A coaching plan template enables you to set SMART goals that bring structure to your coaching strategy and you are able to plan each of your coaching sessions accordingly.
•  Having a coaching plan template helps you to decide on the length and number of your coaching sessions according to the needs of your client.
• A coaching plan template enables you to set clear objectives for each of your coaching sessions which helps you to stay focused.
• Your coaching plan template helps you to have an idea about the responsibilities you are going to assign to your client in order to motivate the required change.
• A coaching plan template enables you to keep an eye on the progress of your coachee and you do not have to develop your progress-checking tools separately for each of your clients which saves time.

What Are the Downsides of a Coaching Plan Template?

The downsides of a coaching plan template include making irrelevant goals, losing the interest of the coachee because of the template being too general, coaching plan template being too unrealistic and not matching the ground realities, and being disorganized and unprepared because you feel having a coaching plan template is enough preparation for your coaching session. 

• Using the same coaching plan template again and again with several clients without making adaptations results in having goals that are unrealistic and irrelevant.
• Clients lose interest when a coaching plan template is too general and fail to address the specific needs of the coachee. 
• A coaching plan template that is developed for an individual must not be used in team coaching or to plan group coaching sessions. A coach must be aware of the ground realities and use the template accordingly. 
• Developing a coaching plan template is not enough to conduct an effective training session. Instead, the coaching session must be properly scheduled and structured to keep it clean, relevant, and effective. 

What Technology Coaches Must Use to Enhance Their Coaching Plan Templates?

There are several tech tools coaches must use in order to enhance their coaching plan templates. Some of those include a pre-coaching questionnaire, a session rating scale, a coach evaluation form, a wheel of life, and session notes for clients. A pre-coaching questionnaire helps the coach to assess the prior beliefs and ideas of the client, a session rating scale helps the coach to know about the quality of their coaching, a coach evaluation form helps in evaluating the coaching session, and session notes for clients help them to remember and recall the important points that are discussed in the coaching session. 

What Are Some Common Mistakes in Using Coaching Plan Templates?

There are many common mistakes coaches make while using a coaching plan template: coaches fail to adapt the coaching plan template according to the needs of their clients, the coaching plan template is irrelevant to some of the clients, the coach fails to challenge their client with the help of their coaching plan template, the coaching plan template is sometimes overwhelming and the coaching plan template is more about the coach than the coachee. 

• Not being able to tailor your coaching plan template according to the specific needs of each of your clients is a fatal mistake that coaches make while using a coaching plan template. 
• Coaching plan templates that are developed once and not revised every few days eventually stop being relevant to the current needs as the world is changing fast and so are the people and their needs. 
• Coaching plan templates that are too easy and predictable fail to challenge the coachee and thus do not promote growth and motivate the required change. 
• Some coaches fill their coaching plan template with too much information and too many activities so that they do not have to work a lot while adapting the template for other clients. It is overwhelming for the coachees and frustrates them. 
• Some coaches use their coaching plan template as their marketing tool and make it all about themselves rather than focusing on what the coachee needs. A coaching plan template needs to be all about the coachee. 

How Can a Coach Measure the Effectiveness of Their Coaching Plan?

The effectiveness of a coaching plan can be measured by the outcomes it brings after implementation and by the feedback from the client. A coaching plan is likely an effective one if both the coach and the coachee are satisfied with the progress they achieved with the help of it and the end goals have been met.

Can a Coach Customize a Coaching Plan Template According to Their Needs? 

Yes, a coach can customize a coaching plan template according to their needs. Coaches need to make a signature coaching plan template so that they are able to customize it according to their own needs and according to the needs of their coachee each time they begin to work with a new client.

Do You Make Money as an Online Business Coach?

Yes, you do make money as an online business coach. You can build a successful online coaching business without doing a lot of work and spending a lot of money on it, especially if you are an experienced business coach. Start by clearly defining your niche and area of expertise. Think about the type of service you want to provide, whether you want to be a sales coach, a performance coach, or an executive coach. Lastly, plan your course adequately, define your goals, prepare a framework for your sessions, and set your prices. 

Is Online Coaching Worth It?

Yes, online coaching is definitely worth it because it is comparatively less expensive and you are able to benefit from coaching services without having to go to your coach’s office physically. Online coaching is more flexible as well in terms of timings and you are able to take full advantage of the coaching service from the comfort of your home.