Note-taking in coaching is deceptively simple yet full of nuance. This article offers practical framing and techniques coaches can adopt to decide when to take notes, how to make them useful, and how to protect the coaching relationship and client confidentiality. Drawing on the experiences of Yannick and Seyvash, it outlines concrete systems—before, during and after sessions—that make note-taking a tool for better coaching rather than a distraction.
- Summary and value
- Table of contents
- Before We Dive In – A Word of Caution
- Introduction: Why note-taking matters for Coaching
- Should coaches take notes during sessions?
- Ways to take notes during sessions
- After-session notes and structured templates
- Data protection and ethical practice
- Experimentation, contract and client preference
- Practical checklist for immediate use
- Conclusion and reflection prompts
- ATTRIBUTION
- A NOTE FROM THE “AUTHOR”
Table of Contents
- Before We Dive In – A Word of Caution
- Introduction: Why note-taking matters for Coaching
- Should coaches take notes during sessions?
- Ways to take notes during sessions
- After-session notes and structured templates
- Data protection and ethical practice
- Templates, visual tools and sharing notes
- Experimentation, contracting and client preference
- Practical checklist for immediate use
- Conclusion and reflection prompts
Before We Dive In – A Word of Caution
Before you read on, please note that this article is an AI-generated summary of the above podcast episode. While prompted carefully, it’s possible that some views may be misrepresented and/or information incorrect. If you find any errors please report them to us by emailing report (a) existentialcoaching.net . If you find something that seems odd, untrue, or difficult to believe, my encouragement is for you to go to the source and listen to the episode to get the full context. If it turns out to be false or misrepresented, kindly let us know! Due to the volume of information and limited team resources, we can’t check all AI-generated articles for accuracy, but decided that these are good enough, and hence valuable resources.
Introduction: Why note-taking matters for Coaching
Coaching depends on presence, curiosity and the quality of attention directed toward the client. At the same time, coaching also depends on memory, continuity and careful follow-up. Note-taking sits at the intersection of these needs. On one hand, taking notes can create a professional record that supports follow-through, structures future sessions and helps the coach conceptualize. On the other hand, taking notes can distract from presence, create client discomfort, or feel like a private analysis happening outside the relationship.
Should coaches take notes during sessions?
Hook: “When somebody is taking notes, I feel kind of analysed.” That sentence captures a common client experience.
Personal insight from Yannick: Yannick explains that the decision to take notes has shifted over time. Early on, extensive notes were a crutch against forgetting. As confidence grew and recordings were used, in-session note-taking reduced. When notes are taken in-session, he recommends making the process visible and offering to share them afterward.
Broader reflection: The question is not binary. Note-taking is a style choice, an ethical choice and a pragmatic choice. It influences presence, trust and usefulness. Coaches should evaluate whether notes help the coaching conversation or whether they interrupt it. The correct answer will vary by client, medium (phone, video, face-to-face) and coach preference.
Practical takeaways:
- Ask permission at the start: a simple “Do you mind if I take some notes?” aligns expectations.
- Make notes visible if taken in person: place the notebook or laptop where the client can see it to avoid secrecy.
- Reserve in-session notes for essentials and use post-session reflections to expand.
- Consider recording (with consent) to reduce note pressure; then use timestamps for quick reference.
Ways to take notes during sessions
Hook: “I got quite good at taking blind notes.” That brings up the difference between visible and invisible note-taking.
Personal insight from Seyvash: Seyvash notes that when coaching on the phone or online, blind note-taking can be practical—clients rarely notice. For face-to-face work, he often avoids note-taking unless it is necessary and always keeps the notes visible and offer to share them. He has experienced clients who felt professional reassurance when notes were taken and others who felt analysed.
Broader reflection: There are several patterns coaches can adopt depending on medium and client reaction:
- Visible, collaborative notes – Share a screen or use a whiteboard. This can become a collaborative tool rather than a private ledger.
- Blind notes – Quick shorthand while on the phone or video to capture timestamps and ideas; best used sparingly so attention is not consistently diverted.
- No notes, strong presence – Prioritize listening fully and use a structured after-session reflection to capture key points later.
- Recording + timestamping – When ethically appropriate and agreed, record sessions and mark minutes to return to later.
Practical takeaways:
- For online Coaching, experiment with screen-sharing frameworks (mind maps, quadrant charts) so notes are co-owned.
- Keep shorthand systems for speed if writing during sessions (symbols, initials, circled letters for goals).
- When eye movement reveals distraction, pause and re-orient with the client: “I’m just writing a phrase—are you okay with that?”
After-session notes and structured templates
Hook: “I almost always take notes after the session.” Post-session reflection is where many coaches find the richest value.
Personal insight from Yannick: In the first two years of coaching, Yannick relied on structured templates. He used them before, during and after sessions to capture intention, client updates, the session’s useful elements and actions. That template helped to conceptualize, track progress and prepare for the next meeting.
Broader reflection: Structured after-session notes offer continuity and protect presence during the conversation. A good template transforms raw notes into a learning resource: intentions, key insights, client commitments, coach reflections and next actions become a clear record for the coach and an optional resource for the client.
Practical takeaways:
- Create a compact template that answers: What was the client’s intention? What happened in the session? What are agreed actions? What is the coach’s reflection?
- Use simple symbols for quick scanning—Yannick described using a circled G for goals in his notes.
- Time-stamp notable moments if a recording exists (for example, “25:00 – client describes breakthrough on niche”).
- Keep post-session notes concise and focused on usefulness, not transcription.
Data protection and ethical practice
Hook: “Where are your notes? Are they safe?” A question that often gets overlooked until it matters.
Personal insight from Seyvash: He emphasizes that coaches often forget to think through how notes are stored, how long they are kept and who has access. He warns against leaving a client’s file open on a table or having a notebook that lists multiple clients stacked within view.
Broader reflection: Note-taking is not only a practical act; it is an ethical one. Confidentiality, data security and transparency about record-keeping belong in the coaching contract. Coaches must comply with local laws and best practice standards for storing personal information.
Practical takeaways:
- Include note-taking and storage procedures in the contract and explain this during the onboarding conversation.
- Decide on retention policies and make them explicit: how long notes are kept and how they are disposed of.
- Use encrypted digital storage when possible and lock physical notebooks away between sessions.
- Never leave notes visible or accessible to others in public or shared spaces.
Templates, visual tools and sharing notes
Hook: “I share my screen so they can see my notes. It gives a powerful visual element.” Visual tools change the dynamic from private record to shared map.
Personal insight from Yannick: He often uses a simple visual framework in sessions, such as a four-square to explore niche clarity or a relationship map to track stakeholders. These visuals become a collaborative artefact that can be sent to clients afterward.
Broader reflection: Visuals have three strengths in Coaching: they externalize thinking, they invite client ownership, and they produce artifacts that support accountability. For clients who think visually, a shared diagram can accelerate insight in ways linear notes cannot.
Practical takeaways:
- Design a handful of reusable visual templates: niche grid, stakeholder map, action tracker, values heatmap.
- Share the visual in-session and follow up with a PDF or image after the session.
- Use visuals sparingly and purposefully to prevent the session from becoming a presentation.
Experimentation, contracting and client preference
Hook: “Be like a scientist—experiment.” Trying different approaches will reveal what works for a coach and their clients.
Personal insight from both speakers: Both Yannick and Seyvash recommend experimenting with taking notes and not taking notes. Observe client reactions and adapt. When experimenting, document the outcomes and refine your approach.
Broader reflection: Good coaching practice includes reflexivity—testing methods, noticing effects and adapting. Preferences differ widely: some clients value the tangible record and professional feel of notes; others experience notes as distancing or diagnostic. The coach’s job is to be aware and responsive.
Practical takeaways:
- Run short experiments: try three sessions with visible notes, three with no notes, and compare outcomes with the client.
- Include a clear clause about notes and recordings in the coaching agreement.
- Ask for feedback occasionally: “How did the note-taking feel for you?”
Practical checklist for immediate use
Hook: A short checklist reduces ambiguity and makes it easy to act.
- Before the session: Decide whether you will take notes. If recording, get written consent. Prepare your template or visual tools.
- At the start: Ask permission to take notes and explain briefly how they will be stored and whether the client will receive a copy.
- During: Keep notes minimal and present. If eye movements suggest distraction, pause and check in.
- After: Complete structured post-session notes within 24–48 hours. Time-stamp recordings if available. Send visuals or agreed summaries to the client if appropriate.
- Storage: Encrypt digital files, lock physical notebooks, and follow a retention and deletion policy.
Conclusion and reflection prompts
Summary of key learnings: Note-taking in Coaching is neither categorically right nor wrong. It is a practical skill that supports continuity and a relational practice that affects presence and trust. The most useful approach blends respect for client preference, transparent ethics and deliberate systems—visual tools, templates and secure storage.
Reflection prompts for practice:
- How does the act of note-taking change the quality of presence in your coaching?
- What minimal template could you adopt today that would improve continuity without increasing distraction?
- How will you document and communicate your data protection approach in the client contract?
- Which experiment will you run first: visible notes, no notes, or shared visual notes?
Coaching is a craft. Treat note-taking as a craft decision: test, notice, adopt what helps to deepen the coaching conversation and safeguard the client-coach relationship.
1) ATTRIBUTION
Talking about Coaching is a podcast by coaches for coaches. It does what it says on the tin: We talk about coaching. We, that is Yannick, Siawash and Nicki. We love coaching, collectively got a tonne of experience, knowledge and charm; and we all felt it was time to give something back to our wonderful coaching community. Whether you’re a life coach, work with organisations or practice any other form of coaching, you can ask us anything and we’ll discuss it for and with you so you can learn, grow and develop your practice and business skills!
Committed to helping leaders and coaches do their best work and live their best lives, Yannick Jacob, the founder of Talking about Coaching, is a Coach, Trainer & Supervisor with Masters degrees in Existential Coaching and Applied Positive Psychology. He is part of the teaching faculties at Cambridge University and the International Centre for Coaching Supervision, and he’s the Course Director of the School of Positive Transformation’s acclaimed Accredited Certificate in Integrative Coaching, for which he gathered many of the world’s most influential coaches and earliest pioneers. Formerly Programme Leader of the MSc Coaching Psychology at the University of East London, Yannick founded and hosts Yannick’s Coaching Lab which gives novice and seasoned coaches an opportunity to witness experienced coaches live in action. Yannick presents at conferences internationally, his book An Introduction to Existential Coaching was released by a leading academic publisher, and his self-study online course on the subject is now available for instant access. Across four seasons as host of Animas Centre for Coaching’s popular podcast Coaching Uncaged Yannick engaged the thought leaders of our industry in dialogue, and he passionately hosts his own podcasts Talking about Coaching and Talking about Coaching and Psychedelics.
2) A NOTE FROM THE “AUTHOR”:
I hope you enjoyed this article. If any of it resonates, make it swing! Start a conversation with someone about what came up for you, or let us know what you think_. We’d love to hear from you!_And please keep in mind that, while I’ve personally engineered the prompt for these articles and everything that’s written will be based on the above video, this content is AI-generated, so the general guidance is to go to the source and listen to the podcast.
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This article was created from the video Do you take notes during your sessions? – Talking about Coaching – Episode 12 with the help of AI.
