Choosing the right executive coach for you
Summary:
Choosing the right executive coach can make a difference in how successful the engagement is
Consider the skills of potential coaches as well the chemistry in your interactions
And finally, look inward to determine whether key factors are in place
So you’re going to work with an executive coach? Congratulations!
My advice: before you invest the time and money, make sure you choose the right coach.
I have been involved in executive coaching for most of my career. And I’ve played every role; I’ve been the coach, the client, and the person helping to match clients with potential coaches. Along the way, I’ve found that there are some key questions to ask while choosing a coach; they help to ensure that the coach has the right skills and that there is good “chemistry” in order to build a trusting relationship.
Ask a potential coach some of the following:
Tell me a little about your background (education, career, special training or certifications.)
How did you get into executive coaching? Why?
Describe your typical coaching process. How long is it? What are the typical steps involved? How do you measure progress?
Think of one of your recent, most challenging and difficult assignments that was successful - please tell me about it. What were you hired to do? What was so difficult? What did you do that seemed to work so well? What was the outcome? What would you do differently looking back on it now?
What do you see as your key strengths; what differentiates you from other coaches in the market?
What does not work when coaching executives?
With what types of clients do you work best (i.e. work style, personality, situation, types of challenges)?
Tell me about the types of people, challenges and levels of executives that you have worked with over the last year.
If I had a representative sample of your recent clients - including those that liked you and did not - what would they tell me that you do well? What would they tell me that you could do better?
While choosing the right coach for yourself is important, it’s also critical that you ensure that this is the right factors are in place for you. Ensuring you are ready and set up for success at the outset will lead to far better outcomes.
Ask yourself:
Am I clear on the timeline, objectives, and intended outcome of this coaching engagement?
What will success look like? In other words, how will I know if the coaching engagement was a good use of my time?
How important is this engagement in terms of prioritization with other business initiatives and time demands for me right now?
What are my most important strengths to leverage? What are the most critical opportunities for me to be even more effective? What feedback have I received from my manager, the board, or other leaders?
How prepared am I to receive constructive feedback in an appropriate spirit and act on it?
Is now the right time for me to focus on my personal growth and development? Am I committed to taking action in order to get even better results?
Finding the right coach at the right time for the right reasons can help you maximize your investment. Executive coaching will help you gain key insights about yourself, overcome obstacles in your path, face new challenges, and grow in your career.
Written by Bethany Klynn, PhD
Bethany Klynn is a consultant and executive coach who works with great companies to grow their leaders and transform their cultures.