Despite the good work of the International Coach Federation, which has a process for certifying coaches, the industry has become flooded with newcomers over the past two decades. Leaders are finding it more difficult to know if a coach has the right credentials and experience to help them achieve their goals.
Here are 5 attributes to look for to help you make the right choice in a leadership coach so that the process is a clear investment in your future:
- Clear Methodology. Your coach should be able to clearly articulate their coaching process and methodology. In partnership with you, they should help you define your goals, identify what’s getting in the way of you achieving those goals, a way forward to help you overcome the obstacles, and establish new skills and behaviors to apply in service of meeting your goals.
- Credibility. Ask your coach about their background and qualifications. Ask if they are certified through the International Coach Federation; this certification provides third-party endorsement and takes some of the guesswork out of choosing a coach. Ask your coach if they have corporate and/or industry-specific experience—it’s helpful if they can understand firsthand what challenges and opportunities are often present in organizations. Understand their training background, including the certifications they hold and how they’ll be applying it in your coaching—it’s important you buy into their approach.
- 360 Feedback. Your coach should speak to other sources of input—your boss, peers, and direct reports. Your performance reviews and 360 assessments should be part of your coach’s process. Otherwise, your ability to advance in the organization will be limited—understanding how you are perceived should be a part of formulating your goals.
- True Stories. Ask your coach to provide an example of how they’ve successfully advanced a client’s growth and helped that leader meet their goals. It’s important that the coach can clearly articulate the impact they had that helped that person accelerate their growth and advance in the organization.
- Relationship. One of the most important criteria in a coaching relationship is trust and rapport. Do you get a good feeling about the coach? Do you like them? What do your instincts tell you about the coach? Relationship and trust are absolutely essential in the coaching-coachee relationship. For the process to work well, you will be sharing a lot about yourself and that can feel vulnerable—especially when what’s being shared impacts your livelihood. Confidentiality and trust are essential in the work so be clear upfront about privacy.
The coaching process can be so impactful in helping you deepen your understanding of yourself and how you’re showing up for others. You can learn how to play to your strengths, lean into your edges and accelerate your growth. If you make the choice with clear intentions, the investment will pay off.
Rebecca A. Ward, LMFT, SEP, PCC
Founder, the Iris Institute
Psychotherapy, Executive Coaching & Consulting