9 Things to Look for When Researching a Leadership Coach
So, you’ve decided you want some leadership coaching?
That’s great! But where do you start? How do you find a leadership coach who is the right fit for you?
What qualifications should a coach have?
How will I know if I have found a ‘good’, ‘credible’ coach?
How will I know if my investment will produce a great return?
How will I know coaching is worth it?
These are all really valid, and essential questions to be asking yourself as you embark on a journey of self-discovery to find the right coach for you.
Having engaged my own fair share of leadership coaches, business, life and sales coaches over my career I can safely say that no two coaches are the same. They each bring their own approach to coaching and so it’s important to be thinking about what sort of coach will be a good fit for you.
To get you started, here are 9 ideas to help you get some clarity on how to start.
9 Things to Look for When Researching a Leadership Coach
- Get clear on what you actually want to change
Before researching coaches, identify what you’re hoping to get from your coaching. Do you want to step up into a bigger role, become more strategic, build confidence, navigate a challenging relationship, increase your influence, or figure out your next career move? With this clarity you can start looking for a coach with experience helping people achieve similar goals. - Look at their experience, not just their qualifications
Coaching accreditation matters, but so does whether they’ve worked with people facing challenges similar to yours. Look for experience with leaders at your level, in your type of organisation or industry, and with the kind of challenge you’re facing. A great way to find that out is looking for testimonials. Do they have testimonials on their website? How about in their Linkedin Recommendations? Or do they interview their clients? - Understand their coaching philosophy
Coaches can work very differently. Some are highly practical and action-oriented; others are more reflective and exploratory. Look at how they describe their approach and ask yourself: Does this sound like how I want to be challenged and supported? - Check their professional credentials
Look for recognised coaching qualifications. So for example I have undergone ICF Level 2 training, am an NLP Master Practitioner, and am currently studying my post-grad in Applied Coaching at university. I am always undertaking my own professional development training and mentoring and have engaged several coaches myself. - Do your research
Read their LinkedIn posts, articles, podcasts, videos or webinars. You can get a surprisingly good sense of someone’s thinking, values and personality from the ideas they put into the world. - Don’t choose based solely on their personal success
Someone having been a CEO or senior executive doesn’t automatically make them an effective coach. Coaching is a distinct skill. And effective coaches often don’t need to have any experience in your line of work at all. Coaching is about asking the right questions and being trained to help you see your blindspots and shift behaviour. - Have a chemistry conversation first
This is one of the most important steps. Always see if they offer a free first conversation. A powerful coaching partnership requires you both to feel comfortable, as if you have rapport. When you have the conversation, pay attention to how you feel. Do you feel listened to? Do they ask questions that make you think? Can you imagine being honest with them about things you wouldn’t necessarily say to your colleagues? How do you feel around them? - Research lots of coaches
Every coach is very different. Do your homework and reach out to at least two. - Choose a coach who will challenge you
A good coach should give you a confidential space where you can think freely, but not necessarily validate everything you say. The value is often in having someone independent enough to challenge your assumptions, spot your blind spots and help you see possibilities you couldn’t see yourself.
The big question to ask yourself is:
“Do I trust this person enough to be completely honest with them … and do I believe they’ll challenge me enough to actually help me change?”
If you’re ready to focus on your career and are curious to find out what you can learn on an introductory chemistry call, book in to speak with me and let’s help you get the clarity you want from your career.
