In November's issue of HCA Advisor (click here), we discussed mostly the preparatory work necessary for a successful leadership coaching engagement. For our last issue of 2014, we'll finish up with the engagement itself and how it should be structured and evaluated.

"Goals and action plan must be devised with the executive to help ensure that coaching is structured in a way to maximize success of that plan," says Human Capital Advisors Leadership Coach Maureen Blackwell.

Blackwell says it's best to limit goals to two or three that can be realistically achieved in a six-month coaching assignment, which she says is the minimal time needed to gauge success.

Coach/executive meetings are usually held in the work environment, perhaps in the office or a conference room but sometimes outside the office when the coach feels it's helpful to relax and engage the executive.

The executives are encouraged to maintain diaries on ongoing activity, which can serve as excellent sources for in-session discussions and to evaluate progress. Executives are also encouraged to call the coach between sessions to discuss issues in real time.

"Throughout this process, the executive needs to feel safe, confident that I am working solely to help him or her to reach their potential," says Cathy Lange, who leads HCA's Leadership Coaching practice.