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“Nothing we do can change the past. Everything we do will change the future.” --Joan D. Chittister

Business Survey Results

This was a survey given on the Internet in February 2003, using www.surveymonkey.com to 1,428 businesses in the Pacific Northwest.  Initially, there were 203 respondents, with 54 respondents directed to the end of the survey when, after question #4, they indicated that they were unfamiliar with the definition of “coaching” as we used it in the survey. This left an n=149 to continue to finish the survey. Some respondents skipped questions, so the n= value on various questions varied.

Question #1. What is the nature of your business?

There were approximately 37 industries represented, with the most represented industries being services (12%), industrial/manufacturing/construction (8%), consulting (7%), real estate (6%), general retail (6%), non-profits (6%) and financial services (6%).

Question #2. Where is your office located?

The respondents came primarily from Oregon, with 36% from Medford, 25% from Roseburg, 8% from Grants Pass and 8% from Ashland.  The balance of the respondents were scattered over northern and central Oregon and southern Washington.

Question #3. What is the number of employees at your site?

A majority, 82%, of the respondents reported having 1-50 employees at their site, 8% reported having 51-100 employees, 7.5% reported 101-500, and 2.5% reported over 500 employees.

Question #4. Are you already aware of coaching as defined above?

A working definition of the term “coaching” was given on the survey. Most respondents, 73%, answered “yes” and the balance answered “no” and were directed to the end of the survey and out of the survey.

Question #5. Have you, or your company, used coaching in the past?

55% of the respondents answered yes and 46% answered no.

Question #6. If “Yes,” why? (Open-ended question)

Approximately thirteen themes were reported. The most commonly reported were increased performance, 25%, employee/leadership development, 23%, business development, 14%, and team building, 8%.

Question #7. What kind of coaching program was used? (Open-ended question)

58% of the respondents reported in-house coaching, 15% reported outsourced coaching, 30% reported executive coaching, 45% reported team building, 22% reported contract coaching, and 21% reported “other.”

Question #8. What benefits could you see in coaching? (Open-ended question)

The most prevalent answers to this question are as follows:  83% of the respondents answered greater efficiency or productivity, 41% reported outside source unbiased as to company politics, 33% named cost savings as a benefit, 16% reported ready availability of a coach, and 17% reported “other.”  The “other” responses were varied, positive statements, several of which stressed that the out-sourcing of coaching seems to bring benefits to the employees and the organization.

Question #9. Under what circumstances would you consider using an outside coach to solve a problem in your company? (Open-ended question)

The most prevalent answers were as follows:  13% reported employee/executive development and training, 12% reported lack of in-house capability, 10% reported business expansion/development, 9% reported improving efficiency/profitability and 9% reported needing an outside opinion.  Also cited were conflict resolution (6%), team building (5%) and other business reasons. 16% of the respondents reported that they would use in-house coaching.

Question #10.  Coaching costs typically range from $100 to $150 per hour for executive or managerial coaching.  How do you perceive the cost of coaching? (Mark all that apply)

39% of the respondents reported that they perceived coaching costs as higher than in-house coaching, 36% reported that they considered coaching costs as specified as reasonable for the results obtained, 23% reported that it was too expensive for the results obtained, and 24% specified “other.” “Other” responses included that the cost was worth it if results were obtained (18%), it depends on the coach’s abilities (11%) and cost is expensive for small business (11%).

Question #11.  What barriers would keep you from using coaching for your company? (Mark all that apply)

56% of the respondents reported that cost was the barrier, 26% reported that lack of knowledge about appropriate qualifications for coaches was the barrier, 25% reported that they had no need for coaching, 13% reported no barriers, 7% reported lack of awareness of coaching and 16% specified “other.” Other responses primarily indicated time constraints (21%), lack of support of upper management (16%), and no need (16%).

Question #12.  In which of the following areas might you use coach services in your company? (Mark all that apply)

64% of the respondents reported personal performance issues and improvement, 61% reported team building and improved performance, 60% reported leadership issues and improvement, 40% reported enhancing morale, 35% reported changing my corporate culture, 34% reported employee retention, and 17% specified “other.” “Other” responses included none ( 22%), all areas (17%) and other, single respondent answers, such as business issues, action plans, harassment issues and so on.

Question #13.  If you found a good coach whom you felt could improve performance in yourself or your leadership team, would you be willing to hire that coach for yourself or your team? Why or why not? (Open-ended question)

36% of the respondents answered yes, 22% answered no, 11% answered yes, but depends on affordability, 11% answered it depends on ROI, 10% answered possibly, and 6% answered no, because of cost.

Question #14 was a semantic differential scale, How important would each of the following be in your decision to hire a coach? (Mark all that apply)

It was notable that 70% of the respondents valued experience most highly in a coach, 66% valued business background, and 58% valued training in coaching.

Question #15.  Are there any other attributes that you feel would be important in a coach to increase your confidence in their ability to perform? (Open-ended question)

Several themes emerged, with demonstrated success/proven track record cited by 19%, ethics cited by 10%, clear ROI/demonstrated results cited by 10%, knowledge of my business cited by 9%, good communication skills cited by 9%, and good interpersonal skills cited by 8%.

Copyright 2003 Ideal Performance Coaching™  Last Modified: Wednesday, April 13, 2005

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