How do I add a co-coach to a session?
Last updated: July 22, 2026
Co-coaches can approve a session if the coached employee's manager is unavailable to complete the session. Co-coaches can provide additional context, clarity, and guidance via session comments and notes.
This article explains what a co-coach is, what they can and cannot do in a session, and how to add one to a standalone session or coaching program.
Any user can be added as a co-coach to a session, even if they do not have system manager or system admin permissions.
What is a co-coach?
A co-coach is any Ambition user you add to a session to give them managerial-level access to that conversation. Co-coaches can view, participate in, and take action on a session alongside the lead manager who created it.
Co-coaches are a good fit for assistant managers, senior leaders who want visibility into a rep's development, enablement specialists, or HR professionals who are involved in the coaching process. You can add an unlimited number of co-coaches to a single session.
The session manager and employee cannot be added as a co-coach. A rep assigned to a session cannot be added as a co-coach for that same session. The exception is group sessions, where participants can be assigned as co-coaches.
What can co-coaches do? What can they not do?
Action | Co-Coach access |
|---|---|
View and edit the session agenda and content | Yes |
View comments in the session | Yes |
Comment on individual agenda items | Yes |
Leave a shared note visible to the rep and manager | Yes |
Leave a private note visible only to the lead manager | Yes |
Approve and rate the session | Yes |
Reopen an expired session | Yes |
Extend an open session | Yes |
Excuse a session | Yes |
Create action items within the session | Yes |
View a private note created by the lead manager | No |
Edit a program's agenda or recurrence schedule | No (except group sessions) |
Delete a session | No |
Co-coaches in group sessions
Co-coaches on group sessions have additional permissions not available in 1:1 sessions. They can edit the group session agenda and recurrence schedule, and delete the session. Participants of a group session can also be assigned as co-coaches, unlike in 1:1 sessions.
When multiple people rate a session, the session shows who last submitted a rating so there is a clear record of whose assessment is the most recent.
How to add a co-coach to an individual or group session
You can add co-coaches as part of the session/program creation flow.
When creating a new Session or Program, complete the Details, Participants, Scheduling, and Agenda sections as normal.
Click Step #5 Add-Ons at the end to see the Co-coaches field.
Type in their name in the search bar and select the user(s) you want to add.
When finished, Save the session. The co-coach receives a notification that they have been added.
Adding co-coaches to a program includes them across all sessions in that program. New co-coaches can be added to a group program at any time. Once a 1:1 program has been created, new co-coaches can't be added. To add them to one session only, use the Manage co-coaches option on that specific session.
Add a co-coach to a specific existing session
Use this approach when you want a co-coach on one session only, without adding them to the full program.
Go to Coach in the side navigation bar and click Sessions.
Open the session you want to add a co-coach to.
Click the three-dot menu (⋮) in the session header and select Manage Co-coaches.
Search for and select the user or users you want to add. Click Save Co-coaches.
Co-coaches added this way are assigned to that session only. They do not carry over to other sessions in the same program.