How should I choose a coach for myself?
01 Dec 2008
The answer to this question can be found by also asking some other questions first. For example, why do you want or need a coach and what are your objectives from this work with another person?
If your reasons are of a technical, industry specific or job specific nature where you are seeking the answers to some clear knowledge or technical skill based questions then I doubt that what you need is a coach. You may benefit more from a technical training course or module or from the input of a mentor who has experience of the specific area that you need, or perhaps from a consultant who has deep expertise in your chosen subject.
However if your need is for support and challenge to lead and manage the people or your business better, to come up with a new vision or strategy or to help resolve difficult issues or to come up with new and creative ideas and approaches - then a coach may be the person you are looking for.
Going about choosing your coach then presents you with the following sort of criteria to assess. Are they a face to face or a telephone based coach or both? Do they come recommended by a friend or colleague who has used them before?
Do they travel to you or do you have to go to them? What other types of people and in which roles, industry sectors, organisations have they coached about what sort of issues?
Are you looking for a male or female coach or doesn't it matter?
What is their approach to confidentiality?
Are they a directive coach with answers who will tell you what and how to do things? Are they a non-directive coach who will question, support and challenge you to come up with mainly your own answers to your issues and problems?
Do they have a coaching model, methodology, technique or process that they are using and can they explain it to you? Do they offer you a guarantee of success - how can they? - and do they tell you that it will be a completely enjoyable and straightforward process - which it often is not!
Can they explain their terms of business to you clearly and do they plan to set things up in a professional, businesslike manner?
Having got your answers to most of these questions then there comes the time when you should meet your potential coach face to face, have your first meaningful conversation with them and then be able to establish whether or not you feel comfortable with them in this potential coaching relationship. This is partly a trust and respect consideration - do they listen to you in order to really understand you, your circumstances and issues? It is also partly a personal chemistry and relationship question for you about whether or not you will feel supported and challenged by this person to really explore your problems and issues and to come up with an action plan that will improve your satisfaction and performance in your work and in your broader life.
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