Selecting a Coach : Hiring the Coach Who Won’t Waste Your Time

It's certainly a major decision when you decide to acquire an Executive or a Leadership Coach. It's one of those that decides the difference between a potentially brilliant success and setting one self up for failure. If you don’t know what you’re looking for and what qualities you need in a coach, you may end up wasting considerable time as well as money. The result could just be that you end up no further ahead than where you were when you started in the first place.

There are many in this world who claim to be “business coaches,” but there are very few that have the characteristics and credentials that would make them stand out in this crowd. It is therefore pertinent to know what to look for before you begin your search for your coach:
  1. Check the credentials : Acquire a coach who has graduated from a well established (ACTP) coaching school.
    Coaching competencies are acquired and mastered through education and practice. Anyone can claim they are a coach, even if they have not had the educational background or proper training because coaching is a field that is not currently regulated even in the most advanced economies of US & Europe.  When you acquire someone who has graduated from an established school with an ACTP recognized coaching certification, you are assured that your coach has the appropriate competencies to help you.
  2. Acquire a coach who has the business skills : An experience as a small-business owner can make all the difference.
    Your reason for getting a coach is to help you unleash your potential, moving forward, finding new options, solutions to that help your growth and make you live your life the best way you'd want to live it. A consultant provides facts, figures, reports and information to make a point. A counselor seeks to understand and delve in to the problem, it's causes and focuses on the cause. A coach invests in conversations that make you move forward towards probable solutions, helping you make choices between insights that you gain on your own rather than telling you what to do. Small business owners tend to possess business strategy skills, a hard drive for results, an ability to plan and deliver that are all important in the journey for success.
  3. Go for a coach who has a hunger for learning who has had as much as he or she has had as a coach
    Find out if your coach is always on the look out for opportunities to learn new things in business and coaching competencies. Consider how much and what kind of experiences they’ve had as a coach. Just how long  have they been in the business as a coach. 
  4. Take on a coach who is recognized as an expert with good references
    Any coach with legitimate experience will be happy to provide references you'd want to contact. Does your coach write, speak about, and teach  on the  subject matter? Check out what others have to say about their services.  Are the other clients like you?  or does other experiences enrich your field?
  5. Consider what your coach offers
    Besides coaching, ask if your coach offers books, audio programs, or other products for learning.
  6. Ask for a complimentary session
    Your first session should be complimentary.  This is your opportunity to get to know your coach's style and see if you work well together.
  7. Contract with a coach who feels like a good fit
    Identify how you feel after meeting the coach.  Determine whether your coach's chemistry matches and  gives you the feeling of giving what you need. You must feel energized and excited. Your personalities have to match, conversation should flow naturally and you have to feel you can trust your coach completely.
  8. Engage a coach who stimulates insights
    A good coach helps you gain understanding about yourself and your capacity. Good coaches help to uncover what you truly desire and  work around what impedes  your own growth, in your business and your life.
  9. Take on a coach who challenges you
    A good coach must challenge you to be your best , creates the stretch for you and does not fear to hold you accountable for getting things done. Take on the coach who's available to work with, walk and talk with you when you need them, be it in person, phone or mail.
  10. Engage and contract a coach who is clear about the fees and your return on investment
    Measure how honest, open and clear your coach is about his or her fees.  Be clear on what services you will be getting for your money?
Have you hired a Leadership Coach, an Executive Coach or a Business coach – good or bad? We want to hear about your experience, and the criteria you used to select your coach. Please give us comments with your tips, suggestions or feedback!


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