This article shows how to build and run an executive coaching ROI dashboard that leaders will trust. If you need the full framework for measurement and valuation, see our pillar guide: How to build an ROI model for executive coaching programmes.
1) Why an ROI dashboard matters
Dashboards translate behaviour change into business outcomes you already track. A good dashboard shows the line of sight from coaching activity (leading indicators) to commercial impact (lagging indicators), with definitions and cadence agreed in advance. The aim is clarity, not volume: fewer, better metrics that tell a consistent story.
2) The essentials: what to track (leading → lagging)
Leading indicators (move early):
- Coaching cadence and quality (e.g., % of 1:1s completed to a simple rubric).
- Decision cycle time on the top recurring cross‑functional issues.
- Practice telemetry (role‑plays/simulations per manager; % meeting a quality bar).
- Forecast hygiene (next step/date/commitment present, stage‑age, push rate).
- Psychological capital (brief monthly self‑efficacy/resilience pulse).
Lagging outcomes (board‑level):
- Revenue efficiency: win rate, sales cycle, average deal value.
- Forecast credibility: absolute % error, slippage and push rates.
- People: manager retention, internal mobility, avoided replacement costs.
- Productivity: output per manager; hours saved → capacity value.
3) Cadence and views (weekly, monthly, quarterly)
Weekly (operational):
- Leading indicators only, by team and manager (sparklines/traffic‑lights).
- Exceptions list: deals with missing next step/date/commitment; stage‑age outliers.
Monthly (management):
- Leading → lagging stitched together (e.g., cadence → win‑rate trend).
- Attribution snapshot: coached vs comparison cohort (pre/post delta).
- Benefits to date via agreed conversions; current ROI and payback.
Quarterly (board/executive):
- Three‑pane narrative: what we changed, what moved, what it’s worth.
- Risk/assumption log; plan to scale or adapt.
4) Definitions and targets (avoid dashboard drift)
- Freeze metric definitions and data sources before go‑live; version them if they change.
- Document targets and thresholds (e.g., 90% 1:1 completion; push rate < 15%).
- Show how each metric is calculated (a one‑line formula under the tile).
5) Data sources and instrumentation
- CRM (opportunity hygiene, win rate, cycle time, push rate).
- HRIS/People systems (retention, internal mobility).
- Scheduling/coaching tools (1:1 cadence and quality rubrics).
- Practice platforms (role‑play/simulation counts and quality scores).
- Light survey (self‑efficacy/resilience; 3–5 items monthly).
6) Example layout (tiles and formulas)
Leading indicators
- Coaching cadence: (Completed 1:1s / Scheduled 1:1s) × 100.
- Decision cycle time: median days to resolve top 5 issue types.
- Practice quality: % of role‑plays scoring ≥ threshold.
Lagging outcomes
- Win rate: Won / (Won + Lost) over last 90 days (exclude No Decision if tracked).
- Forecast error: |Forecast − Actual| / Actual × 100; Slippage: value pushed to next period.
- Capacity value: hours saved × value per hour (agreed with Finance).
7) Governance and privacy
- Aggregate sensitive people data; limit access by role.
- Keep the audit trail of metric definitions, assumptions and conversions.
- Be explicit about purpose: better decisions and measurable value.
Bottom Line
Q: What makes a credible coaching ROI dashboard?
A: A clear line of sight from coaching activity to business outcomes, few metrics with stable definitions, agreed cadences, and money conversions you align with Finance.
Q: Which metrics should we include?
A: Track leading indicators (coaching cadence/quality, decision cycle time, practice telemetry, forecast hygiene, psychological capital) and lagging outcomes (win rate, cycle time, forecast error, retention, productivity).
Q: How often should we review the dashboard?
A: Weekly for operational leading indicators, monthly to connect leading→lagging and value, and quarterly for an executive narrative with risks and scale decisions.
Q: What data sources do we need?
A: CRM for pipeline and outcomes, HRIS for retention/mobility, coaching and practice tools for cadence/quality, and a light monthly survey for psychological capital.