Coaching continues to grow in its application and importance for many leaders, aspiring leaders, organizations and individuals. As is the case for any growth industry, the challenge for those looking to select a coach is how to sort the wheat from the chaff. How do we know or identify quality coaches from the myriad of people presenting themselves as such? I have seen this challenge play out both at an organizational level, where Human Resources or Organizational Development departments are tasked with vetting coaching resources, and at an individual level, where leaders and aspiring leaders are tasked with wading through a multitude of bios of potential coaches for themselves. I've been on both sides of this selection process - picking an executive coach for myself and being selected by others to be their executive coach. What I have experienced is the processes - and the quality thereof - is as varied as the individuals and organizations involved.
If you are like most leaders I have worked with, your understanding of executive coaching can be pretty basic. You are not quite sure what coaching is and sometimes you are not quite clear on what you want to achieve by engaging an executive coach. Some of the most common reasons individuals look for a coach is they are trying to overcome some personal or professional challenges (e.g., it's lonely at the top, barriers to professional advancement), or even as simple as their organization supporting coaching for their leaders.
Regardless of motivation or understanding, the next crucial step is trying to figure out how to select an executive coach that is right for you. In my opinion, this is an effort that requires as much time, thought and process as we put into hiring any staff member, contractor, architect, or other professional resource. I say that with the thought that all such other processes in your organization are approached with due vigour and diligence. In many respects, there should be even more effort and structure to selecting an executive coach because what's at stake is your leadership and personal effectiveness. In my opinion, without effective leadership, all other resources in an organization are vastly under-utilized or even squandered.
So how can you maximize the opportunity available to you by getting access to and support of an executive coach? How can you ensure you choose the right coach for you? Here are my top factors and processes in making your best executive coach selection decision:
NUMBER ONE: This is the first and most important barrier to entry to working with you! Make sure the executive coaches that present themselves for your consideration are in fact qualified - by education and experience - to provide the requisite level of service you are looking for. I'll demonstrate my bias here in that I believe qualified coaches must meet a minimum threshold which I define as a graduate of a program that establishes the coach as Certified Executive Coach(CEC), they are members in good standing with a professional coaching association (in my case the International Coach Federation [ICF]), and tangibly demonstrate a commitment to advancing their coaching acumen. This latter part relates to continuing education and certifications relevant to coaching. In short, the only candidates that are worthy of your consideration are those that are well-trained and have an excellent track record of ongoing professional development.
Number Two: Get access to a bio or resume for a variety of coaches. Get a sense of who they are and their track record. Approach this just as you would any other recruitment process. You are hoping to have a number of options to select from and to do that you need more than a few examples to choose from. Your decision may even be informed by the multitude of samples and approaches you see coaches taking in responding to your requirements.
Number Three: Relevant and complementary experience. While it is true that one does not have to be an expert in a given sector to coach someone in that sector (e.g., I don't have to be an engineer to coach an engineer), there is no doubt that some sort of relevant and lived experience that allows your coach to relate to your challenges and opportunities is going to benefit the quality of the coaching engagement. My coaching career has been pre-dated by 25+ years as senior leader of large complex organizations (e.g., $$$ million in accountability, thousands of staff, highly political environments). This, coupled with years of coaching senior leaders, probably allows me to more effectively work with leaders with similar scope of responsibility.
Number Four: Just like in any other recruiting process, try to gain some clarity for yourself in what you want an executive coach to do with and for you. By way of analogy, it's a pretty daunting task to go looking for a Chief Financial Officer or IT Director if you have no idea what tasks you want them to focus on or what education and skills you need them to have. The same holds true when selecting your executive coach.
Number Five: Get references from their current or past coaching clients. If they've had positive impact on others, it's quite likely that these other clients will be more than willing to speak with you about their experience. If they have negative experience with the coach, they might be even more willing to be frank with you about shortcomings or challenges. If the coach in question is on LinkedIn, look for endorsements and testimonials from their clients. Get the evidence. Verify the claims of success or skill of your potential coach.
Number Six: Take the time to interview at least two to three prospective coaches. Ask them your key questions. Ask them to describe in detail their coaching process. Ask them to describe in detail their successes and their failures (e.g., toughest assignment, learnings, whether they have been fired from a coaching engagement). Ask them how they stay current in their coaching practice. This is a critical selection decision for you - take the time to get this decision right! Make this a true and effective interview. Don't speed-date your way to a decision.
While selecting your executive coach is a very personal decision, one tactic that I have seen work well is some form of panel interview or input. I remember one client who involved a number of his direct reports in the selection process. We do this in any other number of recruiting and selection processes so why not with an executive coach?
Number Seven: Be wary of coaches who over-promise or offer to solve your problems. While you are definitely looking for confident and competent coaches with a track record of helping clients to identify, clarify and address your challenges, be clear for yourself that it is YOU who sets the agenda for the engagement, you are the one true agent of change, and you have the power and expertise to set your future direction. In my opinion, if you are feeling you are getting the hard sell, then it's time to walk away from that engagement.
Number Eight: Consider this an investment in your personal and professional leadership. What is that worth to you? What is it worth to your organization? It may appear more than a bit self-serving on my part, but be wary of coaches who offer bargain-basement coaching rates. While price is never a guarantee of quality (see other points in this list), it should give you pause to consider what you might be signing up for. There may be a reason you can get coaching for less than the going rate.
Number Nine: Connection, connection, connection. Beyond ensuring your coach is actually a qualified coach (see Point #1), despite whatever skills, qualifications, and references any coach might have, if you don't feel a connection to a particular coach, I'd suggest not contracting their services. This is an individual you are going to have to feel completely comfortable in revealing all of your fears, anxieties and challenges. You are going to have to be ready to be challenged by this indiviudal in each session and during the term of your coaching engagement. If you don't feel a connection, move on to other options. This is about YOU and no one else.
Choosing a coach is a critical decision for your leadership. You want the best resource available to you. Don't settle. Your executive coach can be one of your best resources in advancing your personal leadership, so put in the time and effort into the selection process. After all, it's about YOUR leadership.
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Greg Hadubiak, MHSA, FACHE, CEC, PCC
President & Founder - BreakPoint Solutions
gregh@breakpoint.solutions
www.breakpoint.solutions
780-250-2543