How important is note taking at a coaching session?

Taking notes of the key aspects raised at a coaching session is an important feature of the coaching service that I provide. This is because it provides a number of benefits mainly for the coachee such as:-
- a note of the key themes and issues discussed
- a list of the options that have been considered
- key actions to be taken by the coachee are highlighted
- they serve as a reminder to the coachee of what was important to them at their coaching session which often serves to reinforce their commitment to taking action
- it also reminds the coach of what was discussed at the last coaching session and helps us to prepare for each new session appropriately. The next area to consider is who should take these notes - the coach or coachee or both and whether or not it is appropriate to take notes whilst the session is in progress.
On the first point I feel that I should take the notes as the coach and then I commit to get them typed up and sent on to the coachee within 3 working days. Some of my coachees also keep their own notes - particularly of actions that they plan to take, which in my view is a very positive step towards them taking those actions. I still send them on my copy of the notes because they may read slightly differently and because the coachees really seem to value them. I have yet to encounter a coachee who didn't want to receive a copy of their notes!
However there are some potential drawbacks to taking notes during the coaching session. These include:-
The coach cannot be attending and listening properly to the coachee if he/she is also taking notes at the same time.

A coachee doesn’t want to spend the entire coaching session talking to the top of my head.

The Benefits

The notes produced from the session are often a very helpful reminder to the coachee of the content of the coaching session:

particularly of the actions and commitments made by the§ coachee
it brings back to them the sense and atmosphere of the§ session
it acts as a check list for them and a reminder for me§
§ it means that they are more likely to take ACTION and DO IT
they act§ as a basis for catching up at the next coaching session
they round§ off the process

BUT I don’t write them out when I am coaching every person:

some coachees (a small minority) don’t like it and find§ it off putting
some subjects require me to feel completely in tune§ with the coachee. I usually recognise this and put my pen down immediately and symbolically.
some coaching environments e.g. lunch/dinner make§ note taking
difficult

There are only 2 copies of the coaching notes – mine and theirs. I never send a copy on to anyone else. HOWEVER – I do always write up my coaching notes as soon as possible after the coaching session and send them back to the coachee within a few days of the session.

I send them by e-mail or “snail mail” to the coachee’s home or work – it is their choice from a speed, convenience and confidentiality point of view.