How to choose a coach:

STOP!  Before you sign up a coach, here are a few things to consider

Are you about to engage the right coach?  With so many coaches to choose from, how do you know you’ve selected the right one for you?  Before you engage a coach to work with, consider these 8 key points and ask a few questions.

With the right relationship, the coaching process can be an incredibly effective way of developing your skills and getting much faster results than if you worked alone.  Some of these questions may seem a little challenging but any self-respecting coach will happily answer them and, indeed, will be expecting you to ask!

1. Professional development

Ask the coach:  Have you had any professional training?  Do you keep up with current and specialist knowledge in the coaching arena?  Do you undergo ongoing training? Do you have any specialist training?

There is no requirement to be formally trained as a coach and there are some excellent coaches who have not had any formal training.  Consider whether you would prefer to work with somebody who had been trained and had their coaching observed and graded, whether you’d like to work with somebody who has learned by experience or whether a combination of both is best.

2. Experience as a client

Ask the coach:  Do you work with your own coach or mentor?

Coaches understand better than anybody the benefits of working with a coach.  Does the coach you’re considering engaging “walk the talk”?  If the coach has been a client themselves, they are well placed to understand what it feels like to be on the receiving end of coaching.

3. Relevant experience

Ask the coach:  Can you work with me with regards to … ?  (insert your topic to be coached)

By nature, the coaching process focuses entirely on the client’s experiences, not on those of the coach.  A coach does not offer advice and defining what is relevant experience can be a very grey area.  Despite what may seem logical, it is not necessary for a good coach to have first-hand experience in the area they are coaching.   More important than the coach’s experience of a situation is whether they have successfully helped others in a similar position already.

What is important is that the coach can empathise with the client.  If the coach has experience of the challenges facing the client, and how to handle them, that can help with building rapport.  In this case, the coach may be more skilled at helping the client to work through those challenges.

4. Chemistry

Ask yourself:  Do I like this coach?  Do I want to work closely with this coach over the coming weeks and months?

Ask the coach:  Have you worked with teams before?  Will you be willing to meet with me/the team before we start?

The chemistry between coach and coachee needs to work in order for the coaching to be truly effective.  The coachee must feel that they trust their coach and are happy to discuss with them the areas to be coached.   If you are considering a coach to work with the team, will that coach fit in with the group?

5. Credibility

Ask the coach:  Are you comfortable working in this environment/on this subject?  Have you worked in this area before?  Can you handle difficult groups?  Can you work with specialist information and language?

Ask yourself:  What does my gut instinct tell me?  Do I take this coach seriously?

If you are engaging a coach for yourself, look for whether the coach seems relaxed and confident when discussing your coaching situation.  If it is your responsibility for engaging a coach to work with a group or team, then this is even more important, especially if you are going to have to “sell” the idea of coaching to the others.   How will they react when you introduce this coach to them.   Will the coach be able to “hold their own” in the group, respectfully and without either party losing face?   Listen to what your inner voice is telling you and trust your own instincts about whether the coach is genuine.

6. Flexibility

Ask the coach:  Do you adjust a coaching programme to the specific needs of the client?  Are there different ways of working with you?

Some coaches offer fixed packages and clients select the one that is closest to what they want.  This assumes a “one size fits all” approach.   Other coaches take a framework of standard packages and then tweak them to fit the client to ensure that the coachee gets the best results possible.  For example:   Some clients desire more contact time with their coach; some require a blend of packages; some prefer to work remotely over the internet whilst others prefer to talk on the telephone.   Think about how you prefer to work and see what your coach offers.

7. References

Ask the coach:  Can I see some testimonials?  Can I speak to one of your clients about their experience as a coachee?

Whilst some clients prefer to remain anonymous, there are always some satisfied customers who are happy to tell you about their experience of working with their coach and any self-respecting coach will be happy to put you in touch with them.  Ask to see testimonials and, if possible, see whether there are clients that you could speak to in person.   Some coaches put testimonials (written, audio or video) on their websites for you to see.  Look for whether the outcomes achieved the desired results.

8. Professional conduct

Ask the coach:  Do you follow a code of ethics?  Do you respect confidentiality?

Ask to see a copy of the code of professional conduct so that you can see the values that the coach subscribes to.

Copyright Wild Empowerment Ltd 2010

Nikki Wild is the Managing Director of Wild Empowerment Ltd