Choosing the right coach
Although making the decision to have a coach is the all-important first step, actually choosing the right coach for your needs can be a difficult process. Before you actually start, its important to have an idea about the outcomes you require, the types of coaching programmes available and whether you need a coach to help you with a very specific topic or to explore wider issues.
So, what else do you need consider when deciding whether a coach is right for you and your team?
Experience - coaches should be able to understand the type of challenges the coachee is facing and how to deal with them from their own senior level experience.
Background - The coach’s background needs to balance with your needs and be able to quickly understand and adapt their style to the culture of your organisation.
Credibility - coaches need to demonstrate success with similar clients and have the credibility to work at a senior level. A coach who has worked in different sectors may provide different perspectives and create real added value. |
Chemistry - The chemistry between the coach and the coachee needs to be right. The relationship should be based around the ability to ‘do business’ together rather than simple ‘likeability’.
Qualifications - Credentials are more important than qualifications. A coach should be able to tell you what development and experience has prepared them to be a coach and their own continuous professional development.
References - Any coach should be happy to put you in touch with other clients who can provide a reference. Find out about the aims and objectives of their coaching programme, whether it achieved the outcomes they were looking for and what were they like as a coach.
Outcomes - Any coach should be able to give tangible examples of ROI which have been generated through a coaching programme irrespective of whether the organisation was equipped to collect evidence
There is no doubt that a good coaching partnership can be an incredibly effective way of developing skills. Once the expectations, contracting, responsibilities and accountabilities of the partnership are in place, you should be able to find a coach able to help your organisation meet its aims and objectives.
If you want to learn more about how coaching can benefit you and your organisation, you can book a complementary 30-minute exploration session below.
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